Avery  Architectural  and  Fine  Arts  Library 
Gift  of  Sfymour  B.  Durst  Old  York  Liijr ary 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2013 


http://archive.org/details/newyorkmetropoliOOspra_0 


11 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


FATHER  KNICKERBOCKER. 


NEW  YORK, 
THE  METROPOLIS. 


ITS  NOTED  BUSINESS  AND  PROEESSIONAL  MEN. 


PART  I. 


HISTORICAL-ILLUSTRATED. 


COPYRIGH  I  KD,  1891. 

THE  NEW  YORK  RECORDER. 
1893. 


IV 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


HHNRY  HUDSON. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


V 


PREFACE. 

NEW  YORK,  the  Metropolis  of  the  world  of  the  future,  the  Metropolis  of  free  America  of  the  past, 
incomparable  and  cosmopolitan  in  its  characteristics,  of  all  cities  is  the  one  most  worthy  of  study,  not 
merely  on  its  own  account,  but  for  the  future  of  mankind,  and  especially  that  of  self -governed  people.  No 
history  will  ever  do  justice  to  this  phenomenon  among  all  human  settlements.  No  forecast  can  adequately 
describe  what  its  expansion  will  be. 

.  It  is  one  of  the  purposes  of  this  work  to  outline  by  description,  and  to  pietorially  represent,  the 
institutions  that  have  marked  the  development  of  the  chief  city  of  the  Western  Hemisphere,  and  which  indicate 
its  hereafter.  But  men,  more  than  the  institutions  they  create  or  maintain,  make  a  city,  and  it  is  necessary, 
in  order  to  understand  New  York,  to  speak  of  the  distinguished  individualities  that  have  marked  the  eras  in  its 
progress,  and  also  of  those  now  surviving  who  are  shaping  the  destinies  of  the  world's  future  greatest  city. 
Their  work  will  sixrvive  them,  and  this  is  particularly  true  of  the  leading  merchants,  manufacturers,  financiers, 
and  men  of  literature  and  of  art  who  labor  for  posterity  without  heed  of  current  record  of  what  they  do. 

Nati;re  marked  out  New  York  for  a  Metropolis  When  Manhattan  Island  was  acquired  from  the 
Indians,  the  New  World  took  position  in  competition  with  the  Old  World.  When  the  time  came  for  North 
American  colonies  to  sever  their  relations  with  the  British  Crown,  the  possession  of  New  York  was  the  great 
prize  of  the  contest.  When  the  British  troops  evacuated  New  York,  the  struggle  between  the  monarchy  of 
England  and  the  young  Republic  of  the  West  was  definitely  ended,  and,  appropriately  to  the  c(j]onial  and 
revolutionary  history  of  the  imion  of  States,  it  was  in  New  York,  the  chief  American  city,  that  (ieorge 
W^ashington  was  inaugurated  as  first  President. 

Certain  to  be  the  greatest  commercial  city  of  the  world,  as  already  it  is  by  far  the  greatest  in  the 
Western  Hemisphere,  New  York  is  now  the  largest  manufacturing  centre  on  the  American  side  of  the  Atlantic. 
Were  its  municipal  area  extended  so  as  to  cover  its  intertwined  interests,  as  is  that  of  London  and  that  of 
Paris,  it  would  be  the  largest  of  all  the  world's  cities  in  the  valvie  of  products  of  its  industries,  as  well  as  in 
its  population. 

The  history  of  New  York  may  be  divided  into  four  eras,  as  determ'iied  by  the  material  development  and 
growth  of  the  city:  First,  there  was  the  old  town  below  Wall  Street,  with  small  suburbs  above  the  limited  lines 
of  the  original  "  New  Amsterdam."  Then  came  the  extension  to  Houston  vStreet.  Then,  in  1817,  occurred 
the  planning  of  upper  New  York  by  a  commission  of  eminent  men,  which,  strangely  enough,  included  no 
resident  of  the  city  as  it  at  that  time  existed.  After  that  followed  the  era  of  development  of  the  northern 
city,  with  the  foundation  of  Central  Park  and  the  formation  of  the  Park  Department,  with  authority  to  lay  out 
the  new  parts  of  the  Metropolis,  destined  to  be  its  most  beautiful  sections.  That  is  the  era  in  which  we  are  still 
living,  with  a  city  extending  from  the  Battery,  at  the  head  of  New  York  Bay,  to  the  Bronx  River,  on  the 
dividing  line  from  Westchester  County,  with  a  population  of  nearly  two  millions,  and  with  room  for  more  than 
threefold  that  number. 

There  is  another  era  in  sight — not  in  the  dim  distance,  but  close  at  hand — when  the  American  Metropolis 
will  be  naturally  consolidated  with  its  offshoots,  as  London  has  been,  and  when  the  "  Greater  New  York  "  will 
be  at  once,  by  the  mere  taking  to  itself  of  what  has  sprung  from  it  and  belongs  to  it  in  the  current  of  daily  life, 
incomparably  the  most  important  of  the  world's  municipalities. 

The  great  city  is  not  merely  metropolitan,  but  cosmopolitan  in  characteristics,  history,  and  development 
that  interest  students  of  human  progress  and  civilization.  Early  in  its  career  it  became  the  focus  for  the 
energies  of  many  nations.  Now  not  even  in  London  and  Paris  are  there  to  be  foimd  so  many  illustrations  of 
the  habits  and  characteristics  of  different  peoples  as  in  New  York. 

The  picture  of  New  York,  as  it  lives  to-day,  is  chiefly  drawn  in  biographical  .sketches  of  professional  and 
business  men  whose  careers  tell  how  and  why  the  city  continues  to  grow  in  wealth  and  general  pro.sperity. 
Their  portraits  show  what  manner  of  men  they  are  who  have  achieved  great  results  already,  and  upon  whose 
effort,  as  well  as  example,  the  future  welfare  of  the  city  must  depend. 

While  this  work  does  not  pretend  to  be  a  history  of  New  York  in  the  more  extended  meaning  of  the 
word,  it  furnishes  a  retrospective  view  of  its  past,  a  full  portrait  of  its  present,  and  that  glimpse  into  its  future 
to  which  the  lives  of  many  of  its  most  eminent  citizens  serve  as  sign  posts.  That  the  men  whose  biographical 
sketches  are  given  are  fairly  representative  of  the  city's  progress,  socially,  commercially  and  politically,  is 
beyond  question.  Not  a  few  of  them  belonged  to  the  generation  which  laid  the  foundations  of  the  city's 
supremacy,  all  are  part  of  its  present  life,  and  many  of  its  future  hope.  The  sketches  of  these  men  will  be  of 
service  to  the  historian  of  the  future,  on  whom  will  devolve  the  more  ambitious  task  of  giving  to  the  world  a 
work  commensurate  with  the  more  majestic  city  now  looming  in  the  distance — the  Greater  New  York. 


HISTORY. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


THE   COLONIAL  PERIOD. 

New  York,  the  Metropolis  of  the  Western  Hemisjjhere,  is  the  third  greatest  city  in  the  world.  It  takes 
rank  immediately  after  Paris,  and  when  the  movement  now  going  on  for  its  consolidation  with  Brooklyn  and 
other  cities  and  towns  adjacent  has  taken  legislative  shai)e,  and  the  Greater  New  York  has  become  an 
accomplished  fact,  it  will  be  the  second  city  in  the  world,  with  London  only  as  its  superior  in  wealth,  population 
and  status  generally.  It  is  therefore  reasonable  to  assume  that  before  the  end  of  another  decade  the 
consolidated  New  York  will  contain  within  its  limits  upwards  of  3,000,000  souls.  I>ut  even  this  will  not 
satisfy  the  legitimate  ambition  of  New  York,  or  indeed  of  the  United  States,  of  which  it  is  the  commercial 
capital.  It  must  be  the  great  city,  with  no  rival,  and  there  are  those  who  predict — statists  and  political 
economists  among  them — that  long  before  the  close  of  the  next  century  New  York  will  be  the  great 
cosmopolitan  city  of  the  globe,  with  a  population  of  10,000,000;  in  other  words,  it  will  be  unique  in  authentic 
history.  There  is  nothing  in  the  past  which  forbids  .such  an  assumption  regarding  the  future  when  it  is 
considered  that  a  hundred  years  ago  this  city  had  a  population  of  only  55,000.  Of  course  it  cannot  be  expected 
that  this  rate  of  what  we  may  almost  term  arithmetical  progression  will  go  on,  or  that  the  close  of  the  next 
century  will  show  a  like  increase,  for  if  it  should  the  estimate  of  10,000,000  would  be  far  exceeded. 
Nevertheless,  taking  into  account  the  genesis  and  progress  of  the  world's  great  cities,  and  that  New  York 
has  not  yet  outgrown  even  its  Knickerbocker  stage,  a  population  of  ten  millions  in  1993  is  by  no  means  an 
exaggerated  approximation.  The  geographical  situation  of  New  York,  through  which  the  wonderful  resources 
of  the  country  must  flow,  warrant  the  prophecy  that  it  will  become  the  co.smopolitan,  the  imiversal  city,  and  in 
growing  as  she  does  she  is  merely  fulfilling  her  manifest  destiny. 

New  York  City  is  situated  on  New  York  Bay,  at  the  junction  of  the  North  and  East  Rivers.  Its  latitude 
at  the  City  Hall  is  40°  42'  43",  and  its  longitude  west  of  Greenwich  74°  o'  3'.  It  is  eighteen  miles  distant 
from  the  ocean  in  a  straight  line.  It  is  205  miles  from  Washington,  the  national  Capital,  and  145  from  Albany, 
the  capital  of  the  State  of  New  York.  The  territory  of  the  city  comprises  all  of  Manhattan  Island,  so  much 
of  Westchester  Count)^  as  lies  between  the  city  of  Yonkers,  the  Bronx,  Harlem  and  East  Rivers,  Spuyten 
Duyvil  Creek  and  the  North  River,  and  takes  in  Blackwell's,  Ward's,  Randall's,  Governor's,  Ellis  and  Liberty 
Islands.  The  total  area  of  the  city  is  41)4  square  miles,  its  length  from  north  to  south  16  miles,  and  its  greatest 
width  4^4  miles.  The  singular  topography  of  New  York  has  resulted  in  an  extraordinary  density  of 
population,  rising  as  high  as  200,000  to  the  square  mile  in  the  old  part  of  the  city,  and  the  problem  of  street 
transportation  has  become  a  serious  one.  This  problem  has  been  partially  solved  by  the  Elevated  Railroad 
'system  and  now  the  city  is  calling  for  a  still  more  extended  and  better  system.  Meanwhile,  as  the  population 
increases  in  a  greater  ratio  than  transport  facilities,  the  condition  of  things  is  favoring  the  development  of  many 

adjacent  towns,  while  hundreds  of  thousands  of  people,  chiefly  heads  of  families, 
who  do  business  on  Manhattan  Island,  avail  themselves  of  the  East  River 
bridge  and  the  various  ferries  to  make  their  homes  in  Brooklyn,  Jersey  City 
and  many  other  places  away  from  the  clamor  and  high  rents  of  Gotham. 

"Manhattan"  was  the  original  name  of  New  York,  a  word  signifying 
in  the  Indian  language  of  the  Mohicans,  Chippewas  and  other  tribes,  an  island, 
or  a  small  island.  The  first  European  visitor  to  Manhattan  was  Verrazano,  a 
Florentine  in  the  French  service,  who  sailed  from  Brittany  as  a  Corsair  in  the 
"Dauphine. "  The  "  Dauphine  "  cruised  about  the  coast  and  in  New  York 
Bay,  and  sent  boats  up  to  Manhattan  (Menatan),  where  the  natives  received 
them  kindly. 

But  the  first  discoverer  of  New  York  was  really  Henry  Hudson,  an  Eng- 
lish navigator  in  the  service  of  the  Dutch  East  India  Company,  who  entered 
the  harbor  in  1609  in  his  small  craft  the  "  Halve-Maen. "  Hudson  ascended 
the  river  to  which  he  has  given  a  name  and  sailed  as  far  as  Albany,  in  the 
hope  that  he  was  about  to  discover  a  northwest  passage  to  the  Indies,  but  he 
soon  found  out  his  error  and,  returning  to  Europe,  reported  the  progress  he 
had  made.  The  next  visitor  to  Manhattan  was  Adrien  Black,  a  Hollander, 
who  came  in  161 1  and  again  in  1613,  this  time  with  Captain  Hendrik  Chris- 
tiaensen.  They  brought  with  them  a  number  of  veterans  as  settlers  in  the 
"  Tiger  "  and  "  Fortune,"  with  a  cargo  of  merchandise  for  trading  purposes,  and 
erected  a  redoubt  containing  four  small  houses  on  the  site  of  the  present  No. 
39  Broadway.  The  venture  proving  successful,  other  settlers  were  added  j-ear 
after  year  to  the  little  colony,  the  merchants  who  bore  the  original  expense 
of  the  enterprise  organizing  themselves  into  the  "  United  New  Netherlands 
Company,"  and  subsequently  procuring  from  the  States-General  of  Holland  a 
charter  granting  them  a  monopoly  of  the  trade,  which  was  chiefly  in  furs, 
between  the  40th  and  45th  parallels,  north  latitude.  This  was  known  as  the 
CENTRAL  PARK— THE  PILGRIM.     Dutch  West  India  Company.      The  favorable  reports  from  the  Colony  which 


viii  NEIV  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


reached  Europe  intensely  interested  the  English  Puritans  residing  in  Holland,  then  looking  around  for  a  region 
in  which  they  might  settle  and  have  free  scope  for  the  exercise  of  their  political  and  religious  tenets,  and  a 
committee  acting  in  their  behalf  requested  permission  to  settle  in  the  new  province.  The  States-General, 
however,  did  not  give  them  any  encouragement.  Holland  was  at  that  time  the  colonial  and  naval  rival  of 
England,  and  its  Government  looked  to  North  America  as  an  acquisition  of  the  very  greatest  importance,  both 
from  a  colonial  and  commercial  point  of  view.  Hence  they  gave  the  Dutch  West  India  Company  a  charter 
conferring  upon  them  exclusive  rights  over  the  New  Netherlands  for  twenty  years,  the  company  agreeing  to  ». 
return  to  colonize  the  province  within  a  reasonable  time.  In  accordance  with  this  agreement,  they  sent  hither, 
in  1624,  thirty  families,  composed  chiefly  of  French  Huguenots.  By  1626  the  colony  had  increased  to  over 
200  persons,  and  in  that  year  Peter  Minuit,  the  Director-General,  purchased  Manhattan  Island  from  the  savages 
for  sixt)'  guilders,  or  about  twenty-four  dollars  of  our  present  money.  Henceforth  emigrants  came  pouring  in, 
encouraged  by  the  company,  which  furnished  cheap  transpcSrtation,  gave  free  grants  of  land  and  established 
universal  religious  toleration. 

In  1633  Wouter  Van  Twiller  succeeded  Minuit  as  Director-General,  erected  a  church  and  schoolhouse, 
imported  negro  slaves  and  called  the  growing  village  New  Amsterdam.  At  this  time  bears,  wolves,  deer  and 
panthers  frequented  the  dense  forest  covering  the  island  of  Manhattan,  and  it  is  not  improbable  that  at  one 
time  or  another  some  enterprising  panther  may  have  carried  off  one  of  the  New  Netherland  settlers'  fat  sheep 
from  the  site  of  the  present  Equitable  building.    It  may  be  a  little  disappointing  to  learn  that  Jean  Vigne,  the 


VIEW  CORNER  EXCHANGE  PLACE  AND  BROAD  STREET  1690.— SITE  OF  THE  PRESENT  MILLS  RUILDING. 


first  white  child  ever  l)orn  on  the  island  (1614)  left  no  descendant,  although  the  first  "New  York  girl,"  Sarah 
Rapaelje  (1625),  possibly  did.  Sarah  was  styled  the  "first  born  Christian  daughter"  in  the  colony." 
The  Dutch  authorities,  recognizing  what  an  honor  this  Avas,  granted  the  girl  a  large  tract  of  land  at  the 
Wallabout.  She  married  in  1647.  Meantime  the  colony  prospered  to  such  an  extent  that  in  the  fiscal 
year  1629-30  goods  to  the  value  of  130,000  guilders  were  sent  to  Holland,  showing  a  decided  balance  of 
trade  in  favor  of  the  colony,  and  in  1631  the  ship  "New  Netherlands,"  800  tons  and  carrying  30  guns, 
was  built.  Van  Twiller,  who  succeeded  Minuit  in  1633,  brought  with  him  from  Holland  100  Dutch  soldiers, 
whom  he  placed  in  garrison  at  Fort  Amsterdam,  and  a  still  more  pleasing  sign  of  civilization,  in  the  i)ersons 
of  Dominie  l*>verardus  Bogardus  and  Adam  Roelandsen,  a  professional  schoolmaster. 

Van  Twiller  was  covetous  and  looked  after  his  own  interests  with  much  anxiety,  but  he  was  also 
shrewd  and  conducted  the  affairs  of  the  colony  successfully.  He  erected  a  brewery,  and  the  settlers 
enjoyed  themselves  immensely  drinking  the  beer  he  had  brewed  for  them  out  of  huge  pewter  tankards 
they  had  brought  with  them  from  the  Netherlands.  William  Kieft,  who  succeeded  Van  Twiller,  ruled  fnmi 
163S  to  1647.  He  built  a  distillery  and  a  stone  tavern  near  Cocntics  vSlip,  and  erected  the  St.  Nicholas  church 
in  Fort  Amsterdam.  He  was  exceedingly  avaricious,  and  by  his  arbitrary  and  arrogant  manner  retarded  the 
progress  of  the  settlement.  Nevertheless  the  colony  in  his  time  was  augmented  by  hundreds  of  settlers, 
and,  were  it  not  for  the  reign  of  disorder  fostered  by  the  avaricious  Kieft,  New  Amsterdam  would  have 
become   exceedingly  prosperous,  even   at    that    early  stage   of   its   existence.      His  exorbitant  system  of 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


ix 


taxation  so  anoered  the  Burohcrs  that  they  rose  in  revolt  and  established  the  Patroon  system,  whieh  elosely 
resembled  an  oligarehy.  Kieft's  Indian  policy,  under  whieh  the  natives  were  slauj^htered  without  reason  or 
mercy,  caused  trade  and  commerce  to  dwindle  almost  to  nothing-,  and  reduced  the  colony  to  a  pitiaVjle  condition. 

In  1636  appears  the  first  real  estate  transaction,  when  the  property  now  owned  by  Trinity  Church, 
consisting  of  sixty-two  acres,  was  conveyed  to  Roelof  Jans  by  Van  Twiller.  It  runs  along  the  North  River 
between  Fulton  and  Christopher  Streets,  and  reaches  as  far  as  Broadway  near  Fulton.  Jans'  heirs  sold  this 
property  to  Governor  Lovelace  and  it  was  incorporated  with  the  King's  Farm.  The  King's  Farm  was 
presented  to  Trinity  Church  by  Queen  Anne  in  1703,  and  is  now  of  immense  value,  as  no  part  of  it  may  be  .sold, 
nor  a  longer  lease  given  of  any  of  it  for  a  period  exceeding  ninety-nine  years.  In  1638,  Long  Island  was 
connected  with  new  Amsterdam  by  ferry,  arjd  the  Burghers  and  Patroons,  in  the  intervals  of  slaughtering 
more  or  less  harmless  and  unarmed  Indians,  began  to  fight  among  themselves  for  pelf  and  power.  The  States- 
General  on  learning  of  this  condition  of  things  curtailed  the  privileges  of  the  company,  and  Petrus 
Stuyvesant,  a  stern  soldier  and  narrow  minded  bigot,  but  a  vigorous  ruler,  was  sent  out  as  Director-General. 
Washington  Irving  has  made  this  last  Dutch  Ruler  of  the  Colony  immortal  in  his  "  Knickerbocker  History  of 
New  York."  Stuyvesant  dominated  the  Burghers,  Patroons  and  Colonists  generally,  and  even  ignored  the 
States-General,  in  the  interest  of  his  masters,  the  company.  He  kept  the  aspiring  Van  Rensselaers,  Van  der 
Doncks  and  Schuylers  down  with  a  strong  hand,  persecuted  Baptists,  Quakers  and  other  dissenters,  and  went 
tearing  around  through  the  colony  with  his  wooden  leg  banded  with  silver,  in  a  manner  that  was  at  once 
grotesque  and  awe  inspiring.  His  arrival  dates  from  1647,  and  in  1653  we  find  this  veteran  girding  the  town 
with  ditches,  palisades,  block  houses  and  a  wall  running  from  the  East  to  the  North  River.     The  State  House 


ANCIENT   VIEW  CHATHAM  SyUAKE. 

A,  Catiemuts  Hill;  B,  Tlie  Fresh  Water;  C,  The  Fresh  Water  Bridge;  D,  The  .Jews'  Buryinp  Ground ;  E.  Rutgei's  Farm  House:  F.  The  Bowery 
Road;  G,  Ferry  Road  (present  Pearl  Street);  H.  Road  to  the  City;  I,  Road  t<i  Ralph  Pond;  J,  Commons;  K,  .Meadow. 


in  which  StujTesant  lived  and  reigned  had  a  gallows  in  front  of  it  which  was  not  always  without  a  pendant. 
The  State  House  stood  on  the  site  of  the  present  73  Pearl  Street,  and  it  was  here  the  Burghers,  with  their 
wives  and  daughters,  assembled  for  recreation,  as  many  of  their  descendants  assembled  in  after  years  at  the 
Battery.  Pearl  Street  was  then  known  as  the  road  to  the  Brooklyn  ferry  and  passed  through  the  wall  at  the 
water  gate,  which  was  defended  by  a  two  gun  battery. 

England,  meanwhile,  was  spreading  her  dominions  north  and  south  of  them,  and  the  Dutch,  knowing 
what  a  very  acqui.sitive  country  it  was,  and  what  little  excuse  the  New  Englanders,  then  becoming  numerous 
in  Massachusetts,  would  require  to  pay  them  a  hostile  visit,  neglected  nothing  in  the  way  of  fortified  readiness 
for  such  an  emergency.  In  fact,  England,  at  a  period  far  anterior  to  this,  had  laid  claim  to  Manhattan  Island, 
alleging  that  its  purchase  for  five  pounds  sterling  was  a  swindle  and  a  hollow  mockery,  and  if  she  did  not  send 
an  armed  force  to  protect  the  aborigines  it  was  because  she  was  too  busy  elsewhere.  Old  Stuyvesant  had 
become  well  acquainted  with  the  English  in  the  West  Indies  and  mistrusted  them.  He  therefore  fortified  New 
Amsterdam  as  well  as  his  means  allowed  him,  and  not  satisfied  wdth  that  concluded  it  would  be  good  policj'  to 
clear  his  outskirts  of  neutrals  or  doubtful  friends.  In  1638  the  Swedes  had  planted  a  colonj-  on  the  Delaware 
River  and  reinforced  it  from  time  to  time,  imtil  in  1655,  when  old  Peter  Stuyvesant,  proclaiming  that  his 
masters,  the  Dutch  West  India  Company,  had  a  prior  right  to  the  territory,  assembled  a  naval  and  military  force 
of  about  1,000  men,  and  attacking  the  Swedish  force  put  an  end  to  any  dreams  that  might  have  been  entertained 
by  Queen  Christiana  as  regarded  a  new  Sweden  in  North  America.  In  the  absence  of  the  expedition  against 
the  Swedes  1,000  Indians  attacked  the  town,  killed  100  of  its  defenders,  captured  150  others,  and  did  a  good 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


TRINITY  CHURCH. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


xi 


deal  of  pillaging,  biirninir  and  murdering  generally.  The  expenditure  of  blood  and  money  involved  in  the 
expedition  against  the  Swedes  and  repelHng  the  Indians  so  weakened  the  eolony  that  it  invited  an  attack  from 
the  English.  England  had  never  yielded  up  the  title  she  claimed  to  the  Hudson  River  territory  by  virtue  of  the 
early  discovery  of  the  region  by  Cabot  in  1497,  and  now  and  then,  by  way  of  reminder,  entered  formal  protests 
against  its  occupation  by  the  Dutch.  In  1664,  having  previously  obtained  a  grant  of  the  land  from  his  brother, 
Charles  II.,  the  Duke  of  York  sent  out  a  fleet,  which  seized  it  subject  to  negotiations  between  the  British  and 
the  Dutch  Governments,  thus  furthering  the  policy  which  has  always  been  followed  by  the  English  Govern- 
ment of  first  taking  anything  they  claim  and  then  entering  into  negotiations.  The  brave  old  Governor 
Stuyvesant,  answering  the  summons  to  surrender,  said  he  would  rather  be  carried  out  dead,  and  prepared  to  give 
battle,  but  his  people  seeing  the  futility  of  resistance  to  so  imjjosing  a  force  gave  up  the  forts,  and  the  Dutch 
garrison  marched  out  with  the  honors  of  war.  '  The  British  took  possession  of  New  Amsterdam,  changed  its 
name  to  New  York,  and  the  Veteran  Director-General  retired  to  his  farm,  now  the  Bowery,  where  he  lived  in 
quiet  dignity  for  eighteen  years  and  died  universally  respected.  In  the  year  following  the  surrender  of  New 
.  Amsterdam,  Holland  made  the  unjustifiable  seizure  a  casus  belli,  and  in  the  naval  struggle  that  en.sued  the 
Dutch  Republic  nearly  wrested  the  supremacy  of  the  seas  from  England,  but  by  the  peace  of  Breda  (1667)  the 
New  Netherland,  among  other  concessions,  was  ceded  by  the  States-General  to  England,  and  thus  ended  the 
Dutch  regime  in  New  Amsterdam,  to  be  known  in  future  as  New  York,  excepting  for  one  year  when  it  was 
christened  New  Orange,  the  Dutch  having  again  taken  possession.  When  New  York  passed  into  English 
possession  its  population  was  almost  as  co.smopolitan  as  it  is  now.  Eighteen  languages  were  spoken  on  its 
streets,  but  the  three  principal  elements  were  Dutch,  British,  and  French  Huguenots.  The  population  was 
between  1,800  and  1,900,  but  henceforth  it  received  annual  augmentations  from  New  England  settlements,  and 
its  trade  kept  pace  with  its  population.  The  first  British  governor  was  Colonel  Richard  Nicolls,  who  was  wise 
and  conciliating  and  did  much  towards  producing  a  degree 
of  homogeneity  among  the  various  elements  over  which 
he  ruled.  He  was  installed  in  1664  and  in  1665  he 
granted  the  city  its  first  charter,  which  placed  the  execi;- 
tive  power  in  the  hands  of  a  mayor,  a  sheriff,  and  five 
aldermen,  who  were  to  be  appointees  of  the  governor 
for  the  time  being.  He  was  siicceeded  in  1668  by  Colonel 
Francis  Lovelace,  a  rampant  English  tory,  who  purchased 
Staten  Island  from  the  Indians  and  established  a  monthly 
mail  route  between  New  York  and  Boston.  He  also 
founded  the  Merchants'  Exchange,  and  though  arbitrary 
in  his  rule  effected  many  improvements.  The  Merchants' 
Exchange,  an  institution  of  historic  importance,  was  estab- 
lished on  i\Iarch  24,  1670,  during  the  term  of  Thomas 
Willet,  first  mayor  of  New  York.  In  1673,  war  having 
once  more  broken  out  between  the  parent  countries,  a 
'  Dutch  fleet  entered  the  harbor  and  landed  a  force  of  600 
soldiers  and  marines.  This  force  joined  by  400  Dutch 
Burghers  caused  the  fort  to  surrender,  hoisted  the  Dutch 
flag  once  more  over  city  and  harbor,  and  began  a  chain 
of  fortifications  so  strong  that,  had  not  another  peace 
been  established  by  the  belligerents  in  Europe,  and  the 
Dutch  Government  finally  yielded  up  all  its  claims,  it 
would  have  taken  a  very  strong  force  to  recapture  New 
York,  or  "  New  Orange, "  as  the  Dutch  had  rechristened  it. 

In  1674,  Edmund  Andrews,  known  long  after  as  the  "Tyrant  of  New  England,"  was  installed  as 
Governor.  He  refused  the  petition  of  the  people  for  a  Legislative  Assembly,  but  Governor  Dongan,  who 
succeeded  him,  granted  a  like  petition  almost  immediately  upon  his  accession  (October  17,  1683),  and  in  1686 
granted  the  Dongan  charter,  which  has  ever  since  been  the  basis  of  New  York  City's  municipal  rights.  This 
charter  conferred  upon  the  municipality  jurisdiction  over  the  entire  Island  of  Manhattan  to  low-water  mark  of 
the  bays  and  rivers  around  it,  but  vested,  or  rather  retained  in  the  hands  of  the  Governor  the  appointment  of 
Mayor,  Recorder,  Sheriff,  Town  Clerk,  High  Constable  and  Market  Clerk,  and  provided  for  the  annual  election 
of  Aldermen,  Assistant  Aldermen,  and  Petty  Constables.  This  charter  also  granted  a  new  seal  to  the  city, 
bearing  the  beaver  of  the  Dutch  municipality  with  a  flour  barrel  and  the  arms  of  a  windmill,  supported  by  two 
Indian  chiefs.  The  staple  export  trade  of  New  York  at  this  period  was  flour,  which  may  account  for  the 
prominence  of  the  flour  barrels  in  the  coat-of-arms.  Governor  Dongan  was  an  Irish  soldier,  and  though  New 
York  has  not  erected  a  monument  to  his  memory  he  fills  a  very  creditable  place  in  her  historj',  and  is 
remarkable  as  the  first  of  her  rulers  who  proclaimed  genuine  religious  toleration.  In  1689,  after  the  expulsion 
of  James  the  Second  from  the  English  throne  and  the  accession  of  William  and  Mary,  Governor  Nicholson,  who 
had  succeeded  Dongan,  was  disposed  to  hold  the  colony  for  James.  Many  leading  citizens  of  English  birth 
were  with  Nicholson,  but  Jacob  Leisler,  a  popular  Dutch  Burgher  holding  Williamite  proclivities,  aided  by 
what  was  known  as  the  popular  party,  seized  the  fort  in  the  name  of  his  royal  countryman,  expelled  the 
Jacobites  from  the  city  and  installed  himself  as  Governor.  Soon  after  this  Colonel  Slaughter,  who  had  been 
appointed  by  William  and  Mary  to  succeed  Nicholson,  arrived  in  the  colony,  arrested  Leisler  and  had  him  tried 
for  high  treason.  He  was  found  guilty  and  with  his  son-in-law  executed,  and  the  colonists  were  thus  taught 
the  lesson  that  much  as  Kings  may  differ  among  themselves  they  will  not  tolerate  insurrection,  even  against 
their  foes  wearing  the  purple.    The  judgment  was  afterward  reversed  by  the  English  Government  and  Leisler's 


xii 


NE]V  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


GOV.   STl'W  L.^AN  1  ^    llul  SK,   EkECTED    1658,  AETERWARDS 
CALLED   "THE   WHITE  HALL." 


estates  restored  to  his  children.  The  execution  took  place 
on  the  spot  now  occupied  by  the  New  York  Sun  building. 
In  1696  the  first  Trinity  Church  was  erected  and  the 
Reverend  William  Vesey  installed  as  its  pastor.  During- 
the  rule  of  Benjamin  Fletcher,  a  courtier  and  soldier  of 
fortune  (1692-1696),  a  nest  of  pirates  flourished  in  the 
city  and  made  of  it  a  base  for  operations  against  merchant- 
men in  West  Indian  waters  and  on  the  high  seas  generally. 
Governor  Fletcher  was  not  only  aware  of  the  existence  of 
the  pirates  in  New  York,  but  is  said  to  have  connived  at 
their  practices  and  obtained  a  share  of  the  profits.  Cap- 
tain Kidd,  a  name  well  known  to  readers  of  romances, 
was  at  the  head  of  the  pirates,  and  being  an  accom- 
plished man  of  the  period,  mixed  in  good  society.  He  was 
originally  commissioned  to  extirpate  the  West  Indian  buc- 
caneers by  the  Government,  but,  as  evil  communications 
are  said  to  corrupt  good  manners,  so  contact  with  pirates 
made  the  captain  one  himself,  and  a  very  bold  and  suc- 
cessful one  at  that.  After  a  prosperous  cruise,  during 
which  the  black  flag  flew  defiantly  from  his  vessel — the 
San  Antonio — Kidd  arrived  in  New  York  rich  with  booty, 
and  walked  about,  not  only  unmolested,  but  in  high  favor. 
Lord  Bellomont,  Fletcher's  successor,  exterminated  the 
pirates  wherever  he  found  them,  and  Kidd,  arrested  in 
Boston,  was  sent  to  England  in  chains  and  there  executed. 
It  must  be  said  that  he  protested  his  innocence  to  the  last,  and  that  many  influential  people,  both  in  England 
and  America,  were  of  the  opinion  that  he  was  unjustly  dealt  with.  With  Captain  Robert  Kidd  the  reign  of 
piracy  in  New  York  came  to  an  end,  much  to  the  disgust  and  loss  of  a  certain  class  of  merchants  who  derived 
large  profits,  trading  with  their  strongholds  in  the  West  Indies.  Lord  Bellomont  made  an  excellent  Governor, 
and  under  his  able  administration  the  colony  prospered  and  increased  largely  in  wealth  and  population.  He 
was  succeeded  by  Lord  Cornbury,  nephew  of  Queen  Anne,  a  man  as  weak  and  vicious  as  his  predecessor  was 
wise  and  virtuous. 

And  now  let  us  pause  to  take  a  passing  glance  at  New  York  as  it  entered  into  the  eighteenth  century, 
with  a  population  of  a  little  more  than  5,000,  but  withal  a  very  prosperous  community.     Early  in  the  century 
the  first  slave  was  introduced,  and  a  regular  slave  mart  was  established  at  the  foot  of  Wall  street  slip.  Paper 
money  was  also  put  in  circulation  about  this  time,  a  city  hall  was  erected  on  the  corner  of  Wall  and  Broad 
streets,  the  Church  of  England  people  laid  the  foundation  of  Trinity  Church,  and  the  Dutch  Burghers,  who 
were  mostly  Presbyterians,  as  well  as  the  French  Huguenots,  established  churches  which  were  the  precursors 
of  the  magnificent  buildings  we  see  on  Fifth  avenue  to-day.    The  city  limits  were  extended  by  the  cutting  up  of 
the  clover  pastures  and  the  laying  out  of  Pine,  Cedar  and  other  streets,  and  what  are  now  Washington  and 
Greenwich  streets  were  reclaimed  from  the  swamps  and  morasses  of  the  North  River.     Anterior  to  this  a  town 
crier,  dressed  in  livery,  had  been  appointed,  and  a  bridge  was  thrown  acro.ss  Spuytcn  Duyvil  creek,  (piite  an 
engineering  feat  in  those  days;  the  night  watch  was  called  into  existence  to  patrol  the  streets,  one  part  of  their 
duty  being  to  call  out  the  hour  during  the  night  and  proclaim  the  state  of  the  weather  to  honest  Burghers 
within  doors.     Dark  streets  were  lighted  with  lanterns  suspended  from  poles,  and  the  cage,  the  whipping  post 
and  the  pillory  stood  in  front  of  the  City  Hall  for  the  benefit  of  thieves,  scolds  and  vagrants.    About  this  time, 
too,  the  sum  of  twenty  pounds  was  voted  for  street  clean- 
ing purposes,  and  economists  declaimed  against  such  out-  -  ^ 
rageous  expenditure.    There  was  not  much  fear  of  the 
press  raising  its  powerful  voice  against  such  a  reckless 
waste  of  the  people's  money  in  those  days,  for  the  only 
approach  to  a  newspaper  in  existence  was  that  issued  semi- 
occasionally  by  William  Jjradford,  the  official  ])rintcrwhom, 
as  early  as  1693,  the  Council  had  invited  to  settle  in  the 
city  "  for  jQ^o  a  year  and  half  the  benefit  of  his  ]M-inting, 
besides  what  served  the  public."     It  was  not  until  1725 
that  the  AVw  York  Gazette  was  issued  as  a  regular  weekly 
paper  and  semi-official  organ  of  the  Governor  of  the  time. 
Such,  in  brief,  was  New  York  in  the  days  of  (Jueen  Anne, 
when  every  good  subject  of  Her  ^lajesty  in  the  city  was 
enjoined  to  .sweep  in  front  of  his  own  door. 

Henceforth  until  the  shadow  of  the  coining  revolu- 
tion fell  on  the  city  the  history  of  New  York  is  the  record 
of  a  steady  march  onward  through  prosperous  and  ever 
expanding  decades  of  time,  broken  now  and  tlu  n  hy  such 
tragic  incidents  as  the  negro  insurrection.  In  1712  the 
negroes  conspired  to  seize  the  city  government,  and. 
breaking  into  open   rebellion,  murdered  nine  whites  on 

Maiden  lane.      The  retaliation  was  fearful,  but  it  was     old  sto.ne  hriuge.  uroadwav  and  canal  street. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOUS. 


xiii 


necessary  in  order  to  overawe  a  constantly  increasing;-  slave  population  smartinj^  under  oppression. 
After  the  insurrection  had  been  suppressed  by  the  militia  and  regular  garrison  twenty-one  negroes  were 
executed,  some  by  hanging,  others  by  burning  at  the  stake,  while  one  was  permitted  to  hang  in  chains 
imtil  he  starved  to  death.  Six  others  committed  suicide  rather  than  undergo  such  torture.  The  Bowling 
Green  was  the  first  public  park  established.  In  March,  1733,  it  was  resolved  by  the  Common  Council  that  the 
piece  of  land  lying  at  the  lower  end  of  Broadway,  fronting  the  fort,  be  leased  to  some  of  the  inhabitants 
of  Broadway,  in  order  to  be  inclosed  to  make  a  bowling  green,  with  walks  therein,  for  the  beauty  and  orna- 
ment of  said  street,  as  well  as  for  the  recreation  and  delight  of  the  inhalntants  of  this  cit)^  leaving  the  street  on 
each  side  fifty  feet  wide;  and  in  Oetober  of  the  following  year  it  was  resolved  that  the  Bowling  Green,  as  now 
fenced,  be  leased  to  Frederick  Philipse,  Jolm  Chambers  and  John  Roosevelt  for  ten  years  for  a  bowling 
green  only.  These  lessees  were  public-spirited  gentlemen,  who  had  inclosed  the  square  and  engaged  to 
keep  it  in  repair  for  the  public  enjoyment.    The  establishment  of  this  ornamental  park  served  to  improve 

In  May,  1745,  it  was  ordered  that  the 


the  character  of  the  buildings  fronting  it  on  the 
line  of  the  street  in  that  locality  (which  was 
Augustus  Jay  (near  Morris  street)  and  the  house 
street),    and    that    Mr.    William    Smith,  who 
conform  their  lines  thereto.      In  1747,  it  was 
so  much  of  the  street  around  the  Bowling  Green 
might  see  proper  ;   and  it  is  probable  that  no 
A  few  years  previous  to  the  Revolution, 
England  a  statue  of  the  King  (George 
and,  by  consent  of  the  Common  Council, 
This  was  a  period  of  intense  excitement 
events  which  finally  brought  about  the 
Although  riots  were  of  frequent  occurrence 
the  erection  of  the  statue,  notwithstanding 
significance.    After  its  erection  (in  May, 
that,    "Whereas,   the  General  Assembly 
from  England    a  statue  of  his  Majesty 
and  the  Board  considering  that,  unless 
become    the   receptacle  of  all  the  filth 
ordered  that  an  iron  railing  be  erected 
hundred   pounds. "     After    the   peace  a 
Green,  and  it  was  leased  to  Chancellor 
expense.      In  1741,  almost  a  generation 
and  Fort  Cieorge,  which  were  attributed 
In  the   popular  fury,  based  upon  such 
fourteen  burned  at  the  stake  and  seventy- 
Another    episode    of    interest   was  the 
began  early  in  the   century,  when 
Government,  and  Zeuger,  its  editor 
the    official    organ   and  supported 
ence   nine   years,    was  unpopular, 
did  not  spare  his  rival  editors.    After  a 
was  brought  to  trial   and  triumphantly 
whose  champion  he  was.  The 
early  in  the  century,  a  packet 
twice  a  week  in  1755, 
was  opened  in  1763,  and 
boken,  thus  connecting 
great   tributaries.  In 
merie   granted   a  new 
the  jurisdiction  oi  the 
the  Bay  and  East  River, 
established  in  1734,  the 
the  Royal  Exchange  in 
College,  now  Columbia 
and  on  March  13,  1770, 
rumblings  were  making 


west  side 

irregular)  be  straightened  betw  een  the  houses  of 
of  Archibald  Kennedy  (corner  of  Marketfield 
proposed  to  build,  and  others  who  might  build, 
ordered  that  a  committee  be  appointed  to  have 
and  along  the  fence  of  the  fort  ])aved  as  they 
previous  paving  existed  in  that  locality, 
the  Colonial  Assembly  resolved  to  procure  from 
III.).    In  1770,  the  statue  arrived  here, 
it  was   erected  in  the  Bowling  Green, 
in  the  city,  arising  out  of  the  political 
war.    The  King  was  extremely  unpopular, 
no  opposition  seems  to  have  been  made  to 
its  importation  was  felt  to  have  a  political 
1 771),    the    Common    Council  resolved 
have  been  at  great  expense  in  bringing 
and  erecting  it  on  the  Bowling  Green, 
said  Green   be    fenced   in    it  will  soon 
and  dirt  from  the  neighborhood,   it  is 
around  the  Green  at  an  expense  of  eight 
new  iron  fence  was   raised  around  the 
Livingston,  who  ornamented  it  at  his  own 
later,  great  fires  broke  out  in  the  Battery 
to  incendiary  negroes  in  the  pay  of  Spain, 
belief,   eighteen   negroes  were  hanged, 
one    transported    to    the   West  Indies, 
struggle  for  freedom  of  the  press  that 
\\  L  ckly  Journal  was  started  to  resist  the 
imprisoned.     The    Gazette,    which  was 
aristocratic  party,  and  had  been  in  exist- 
Zeuger,  in  his  on.slaught  on  the  officials, 
confinement    of   nearly  a  year,  Zeuger 
acquitted,  amid  the  plaudits  of  the  people 
Brooklyn  ferry  was  establi.shed 
I,      began  running  to  Staten  Island 
'  the   Jersey  City 


STATUE  OF  LIBERTY. 

themselves  heard  and  felt,  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  was 


ferry 

m  1774  a  ferry  to  Ho- 
New  York  with  its  future 
1730  Governor  Montgo- 
charter,  which  extended 
city  over  the  islands  in 
The  first  almshouse  was 
first  theatre  in  1750  and 
1752-  I"  1754  King's 
College,  was  founded, 
while  revolutionary 
chartered,  a  fact  which. 


speaking  in  a  municipal  sense,  may  be  said  to  close  the  Colonial  or  pre-Revolutionar}-  period. 


xiv  NEIV  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


THE  REVOLUTIONARY  PERIOD, 


WHEN  the  first  battle  of  the  Revolution  was  fought  at  Lexington  on  April  19,  1775,  the  population  of  New 
York  was  between  twenty-two  and  twenty-three  thousand,  or  a  little  inferior  to  that  of  Boston.  It  was, 
however,  superior  to  any  other  city  in  commercial  importance,  and  its  merchants  alread}'  saw  the  Empire  City 
in  view.  The  people  were  divided  into  Loyalists  and  Patriots  ^s  in  other  cities,  but  the  latter  were  largelv  in 
the  majority.  The  vSons  of  Liberty  organized  themselves  in  behalf  of  popular  rights,  and  numerous  skirmishes 
took  place  between  them  and  the  military.  During  the  excitement  preceding  the  actual  outbreak  of  ho.stilities, 
Livingston,  Hamilton  and  other  popular  leaders  delivered  fiery  addresses  from  the  steps  of  the  City  Hall  and 
kept  the  patriotic  feeling  at  fever  heat,  while  strong  detachments  of  the  military  were  held  in  leash  in  the 
barracks  within  pistol  shot.  At  one  time  the  populace  marched  to  the  Fort  with  lighted  torches,  spiked  the 
Battery  guns  and  battered  its  gates,  but  were  repulsed  by  the  soldiers  who  made  a  sortie.  They  then  set  up  a 
Liberty  Pole  on  the  commons,  which  the  Twenty-fourth  Regiment  (British)  thrice  cut  down.  It  was  erected 
for  the  fourth  time,  and  upon  the  military  again  overturning  it  a  battle  on  a  small  scale  was  fought,  on  John 
vStreet  (then  Golden  Hill),  between  the  Sons  of  Libery  and  a  detachment  of  the  Sixteenth  Regiment  (British),  in 
which  the  latter  were  worsted.    When  the  "  London  "  arrived  in  the  harbor  with  taxed  tea  the  people,  following 


the  example  of  Boston,  threw  her 
a  few  weeks  later  compelled  the 
obnoxious  article,  to  put  back  to 
ing  the  Battle  of  Lexington,  the 
elected  a  committee  of  one 
corned  the  New  England  delegates 
Frigate  "Asia"  fired  a  broadside  in- 
to life  and  pro])erty,  and  the  Pro- 
by  Royalist  troops  from  Britain, 
summoned  aid  from  New  England. 
Wooster  encamped  in  Harlem 
thus  New  York  threw  in  her  lot 
revolted  colonies,  and  began  opera- 
Affairs  assumed  a  still  more 
Liberty  seized  the  Royalist  depot 
Bay  (now  foot  of  Forty-seventh 
from  the  Battery.  Isaac  Sears,  one 
rode  down  from  Connecticut  at 
men,  seized  the  plant  of  the  Royal 
British  organ,  and  turned  the  type 
after  this  General  Charles  Lee, 
commanders,  marched  into  the  city 
encamped  on  the  Commons,  dis- 
chiefiy  of  officials,  E])iscopalians, 
rag-tag  and  bobtail  of  the  local 


WASHINGTON  STATUE,  UNION  SQUARE. 


cargo  into  the  North  River,  and 
"Nancy,"  laden  with  the  same 
England.  On  the  Sunday  succeed- 
citizens  seized  the  government, 
hundred  and  enthusiastically  wel- 
to  the  Continental  Congress.  The 
to  the  city  which  did  much  damage 
vincial  Congress,  fearing  an  assault 
which  might  arrive  at  any  moment. 
In  answer  to  their  request  General 
with  1,800  Connecticut  Militia  and 
with  the  most  aggressive  of  the 
tions  against  the  common  enemy, 
warlike  aspect  when  the  vSons  of 
at  Greenwich  village,  and  Turtle 
Street)  and  removed  thirty  cannon 
of  the  leading  New  York  Patriots, 
the  head  of  a  body  of  light  horse- 
Gazcttccr.^  the  official  and  pro- 
into  good  patriotic  bullets.  Soon 
one  of  the  newly  made  Continental 
with  1, 200  troops  from  Connecticut, 
armed  the  Tories,  who  con.sisted 
late  arrivals  from  l^ngland  and  the 
ari.stocracv.      Lord  Stirling  suc- 


ceeded (ieneral  Lee  as  military  commander  of  the  city,  and  he  was  in  turn  succeeded  by  (General  Israel  Putnam, 
the  Patriotic  forces  being  at  the  same  time  reinforced  by  the  Third  New  Jersey  Regiment  and  detachments 
from  Pennsylvania  and  Western  New  York.  Governor  Tryon,  at  this  stage  of  the  contest,  took  refuge  on 
board  the  British  fleet,  the  Briti.sh  regiment  that  formed  the  garrison  was  sent  to  Boston,  and,  on  July  9th.  1776, 
General  Washington,  Commander-in-Chief  of  the  Continental  army,  entered  the  city,  having  first  driven  the 
enemy  from  Boston.  On  that  memorable  July  day  the  Ccmtinental  troops  were  formed  in  a  hollow  square  on 
the  Commons,  with  Washington  on  horseback  in  the  centre,  and  the  Declaration  of  Independence  was  read  out 
to  them  by  the  General's  aide-de-camp.  After  the  scpiare  was  broken  up  and  the  troops  dismissed  to  their 
quarters,  the  citizens  pulled  down  a  leaden  statue  of  George  III.,  which  the  Loyalists  had  put  up  in  1770,  and 
sent  it  to  Connecticut,  where  it  was  converted  into  48,000  patriotic  bullets.  This  occupation  of  the  city  by 
American  forces  did  not  last  long,  for  in  the  middle  of  the  August  following  there  assembled  in  New  York  Bay 
a  fleet  of  427  sail,  consisting  of  men-of-war,  transports  and  tenders,  bearing  the  armies  of  Clinton,  Howe, 
Cornwallis,  the  Royal  (iuard,  and  the  Hessians  under  DeHeister,  numbering  31,000  all  told.  The  "Rose" 
and  "Phienix,"  which,  pending  the  landing  of  the  formidable  force,  had  sailed  up  the  North  River  firing 
shells  into  the  city  as  they  pa.ssed,  returned  a  few  days  later  and  amused  them.selves  in  the  same  fashion, 
destroying  several  buildings  and  wounding  and  killing  many  persons.  To  resist  this  army  there  were  the 
forces  already  mentioned,  with  others  (xeneral  Washington  had  brought  with  him,  while  the  defences 
con.sisted  of  Fort  George  and  the  Grand  Battery,  with  twenty-four  guns;  the  Whitehall  liattery,  the  field 
works  at  Coenties  Slip,  Catharine,  Madison,  Pike,  Clinton,  Broome  and  Pitt  streets,  and  barricades  on 
the  streets.  General  Putnam  was  encam])ed  on  Brooklyn  Heights  with  9,000  men,  and  was  therefore,  from 
a  strategic  point  of  view,  in  a  position  to  assist  the  defenders  of  New  York,  but  the  British  anny 
and  navy  forces  turned  out  to  be  sinijily  overwhelming.  Before  meddling  with  New  York,  except  in  the 
instances   mentioned,  the  British  landed    21,000    men  at  Gravesend,   and   on    August    27th   defeated  the 


BARGE  OFFICE— BATTERY  I'LACE. 


XVI 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


American  army  under  Washington  and  Putnam  at  the  battle  of  Brooklyn  Heights,  and  a  fortnight  later  five 
English  frigates,  opening  fire  on  the  American  works  at  Kip's  Bay  (now  foot  of  Thirty-fourth  street),  destroyed 
and  put  their  defenders  to  flight  in  wild  confusion,  and  the  troops,  having  efi:ected  a  landing,  Putnam  under 
Washington  retreated  by  the  Bloomingdale  road,  and,  making  a  stand  on  Harlem  Heights,  defeated  the  enemy 
in  several  minor  engagements  and  retreated  to  Westchester.  It  was  a  question  discussed  by  American  officers 
whether  or  not  the  city  should  be  burned  to  prevent  it  being  used  as  a  base  of  supplies  by  the  British,  but  this 
the  Continental  Congress  would  not  hear  of,  and  so  the  matter  dropped.  A  fire  did  break  out  on  the  21st  of 
September,  which  destroyed  nearly  500  hou.ses,  and  the  British  authorities,  now  in  full  possession  of  the  city, 
believing,  or  pretending  to  believe,  this  was  a  result  of  the  discussion,  murdered  a  number  of  citizens  by 
bayoneting  them  or  throwing  them  into  the  fire.  In  the  middle  of  November  following.  General  Howe,  with 
9,000  men,  stormed  the  outer  works  of  Fort  AVashington,  obliged  the  garrison  to  surrender,  and,  that  strong 
position  taken,  the  last  American  post  on  Manhattan  Island  was  gone.  Henceforth,  until  on  November  25th, 
1783,  when  General  Sir  Guy  Carleton  embarked  at  the  Battery  with  the  rear  guard  of  the  British  army.  New 
York  ofroaned  under  British  rule  and  martial  law.     It  was  the  chief  depot  for  British  soldiers  and  supplies. 


dissenting  churches  were  converted  into 
Dutch  Church  became  a  cavalry  riding 
River  American  captured  soldiers  and 
were  simply  pest  holes,  and  it  is  recorded 
was  a  permanent  prison,  10,000  prisoners 
years  of  the  occupation.    But  it  was  a 
American  nation  when,  on  the  November 
rear  guard  marched  down  the  Bowery 
Washington,  with   his  staflf,   the  City 
generals,  marched  in.    In  December  of 
to  his  generals  at  Faimce's  tavern,  corner 
so  affecting  as  to  be  worthy,  as  a  great 
and  the  brush  of  the  painter,  both  of 
justice.     In  1784  New  York  was  the  Na- 
It  was  in  this   city  Washington 
of  a  Republic  the  mightiest  the  world 
monies  were  conducted  on  a  magnifi- 
were  full  of  love  and  gratitude  for  the 
carried  away  by  their  emotions  that  they 
to  Federal  Hall,  the  site  of  the  present 
tered    perfumes   from  the  flowers  that 
shippers  of  the  Father  of  his  Coimtry. 
session  in  New  York,  and  the  most  illus- 
beautiful  women  graced  the  occa.sion  with 
place  on  April  30th,   1789.      For  some 
dent  Washington  occupied  a  house  owned 
but  removed  to  No.  39 
spot  on  which  the  first 
settlers.     It  was  acci- 
prevented  New  York 
ing  the  first  session  of 
government  should  as- 
ing  the  war   by  the 
incurred  by  the  several 
$25,000,000.    As  New 
(Georgia  were  compar- 
propositi(m  and  the  majority 


WASHINGTON  STATUE,  SUB-TREASI  RV  BUILDING 


hospitals  and  prisons,  and  the  Middle 
school.  In  the  prison  ships  on  the  East 
seamen  died  by  the  thousand.  They 
that  on  one  of  them, the  "  Jersey,"  which 
of  war  perished  miserably  during  the 
joyful  sight  for  New  York  and  the  new 
day  above  referred  to,  Carleton  and  his 
and  Broadway  to  their  ships,  and  General 
Council  and  a  group  of  historic  American 
the  same  j'ear  Washington  bade  farewell 
of  Broad  and  Pearl  streets,  in  a  manner 
historic  scene,  the  pen  of  the  historian 
which  have,  in  fact,  attempted  to  do  it 
tional  Capital,  and  so  continued  until  1790. 
was  inaugurated  as  the  first  President 
has  ever  seen.  The  inauguration  cere- 
cent  scale  for  the  time  ;  mdn's  hearts 
saviour  of  the  country,  women  were  so 
swooned  at  sight  of  him,  and  as  he  rode 
vSub-Treasury  building,  his  horse  scat- 
had  been  piled  on  the  roadway  by  wor- 
The  United  States  Congress  was  then  in 
trious  men  in  the  country  and  the  most 
their  presence.  The  inauguration  took 
time  after  this  momentous  event  Presi- 
by  Samuel  Osgood,  No.  i  Cherry  Street, 
Broadway  subsequently,  the  identical 
building  was  erected  by  the  early  Dutch 
dent  combined  with  State  jealousy  that 
from  being  the  National  Capital.  Dur- 
Congress  it  was  pro])osed  that  the  general 
sume  not  only  the  debts  contracted  dur- 
Continental  Congress,  but  also  the  debts 
States,  which  debts  amoimted  to  about 
Hampshire,  Maryland,  Virginia,  and 
atively  free  from  debt  they  resisted  this 
Pennsylvania  sided  "with  them.    Finallv,  through  the 


of  the  members  from 

irgumcnt  and  influence  of  Tliomas  Jetferson  and  Alexander  Hamilton,  it  was  agreed  that  the  seat  of  govern 
ment  should  be  ])ermanently  located  in  the  District  of  Columbia,  but  that  until  this  was  accomplished, 
Philadelphia  should  be  the  National  Capital.  The  compromise  deprived  New  York  of  the  hcmor  and 
any  other  advantage  attaching  to  the  possession  of  the  Capital,  and  built  up  Washington,  the  most  beautiful 
residential  city  in  the  world.  Another  thing  that  militated  against  New  York  was  that  its  council  wisely 
refused  to  cede  the  city  to  the  nation,  though  it  is  thought  this  could  be  obviated  were  other  conditions 
favorable.  It  remained  the  State  Capital  until  1797,  when  Albany  was  selected  instead  by  the  legislature. 
Nothing,  however,  could  prevent  it  Ijecoming  what  it  is,  the  Metropolis  of  the  New  World  by  situation,  intrinsic 
merit,  and  the  genius  of  its  citizens. 

From  this  time  forth  New  York  grew  and  flourished  wonderfully.  The  Barge  Office  became  the  gateway 
through  which  entered  into  the  New  World  the  oppressed  of  the  Old,  and  though  immigration  did  not  a.ssume 
the  enormous  proportions  of  later  years,  those  who  did  come  were  of  a  sujierior  quality.  They  were,  in  fact, 
from  among  those  energetic  and  libert)'  loving  people  of  Western  Europe,  who,  hating  monarchy  and  despising 
kings,  found  refuge  here  under  a  republican  form  of  government,  and  had  ample  scope  in  its  great  expanse 
for  their  abilities.  New  York  retained  her  share  of  such  immigrants,  who  aided  the  native  bom  to  create  new 
industries  and  extend  its  limits  to  their  present  majestic  proportions.  In  the  beginning  of  this  century  the  city 
may  be  said  to  have  been  fairly  launched  on  the  sea  of  prosperity.  The  city  limits  in  1800  extended  to  Anthony 
Street  and  Harrison  Street  on  the  North  River.    Broadway  was  graded  up  to  Canal  Street,  where  a  stone  bridge 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


xvu 


spanned  a  canal  leading-  from  the  Collect  Pond  to  the  North  River.  The  houses  were  numbered  and  many  of 
them  furnished  with  brick  sidewalks.  The  fashionable  streets  were  Pearl,  Nassau  and  Pine.  Hanover  Square 
was  the  residence  of  the  aristocracy,  while  the  Battery  was  the  resort  of  wealth,  beauty  and  fashion.  The  finest 
house  in  the  city,  erected  in  1790  as  the  official  residence  of  President  Washington,  and  afterwards  occupied  in 
succession  by  Governors  Clinton  and  Jay,  was  located  on  the  site  of  the  Old  Fort,  and  was  subsequently  replaced 
by  the  Bowling  Green  block.  Broadway  ran  north  two  miles,  but  it  must  be  said  that,  after  leaving  Canal 
Street,  the  houses  on  either  side  were  mostly  wooden  .shanties,  few  and  far  between,  while  ponds  and  quagmires 
made  travel  dangerous.  The  City  Hall  was  on  Na.ssau  and  Wall  vStreets,  and  the  almshouse.  Bridewell  and 
prison  occupied  portions  of  the  present  City  Hall  Park.  Potter's  Field  was  on  the  present  Wa.shington  Square. 
Mayor  Edward  Livingston  laid  the  cornerstone  of  the  present  City  Hall  in  1803,  and  it  was  finished  in  181 2,  at 
a  cost  of  $500,000,  a  sum  that  represented  a  good  deal  in  those  days.  The  front  and  sides  of  the  building 
were  of  Massachusetts  marble,  and  the  northern  or  back  part  of  red  sandstone.  This  more  humble  material  was 
adopted  because  it  was  thought  the  part  of  New  York  likely  to  be  north  of  the  City  Hall  would  never  amount  to 
much,  from  which  it  would  seem  that  while  our  grandfathers  were  brave  and  patriotic  they  were  not  far  seeing-. 
They  did  not  dream  of  Yonkers  as  a  suburb,  or  elevated  railroads  as  a  means  of  rapid  transit.  The  invention 
of  steam  as  a  locomotive  power  aided  materially  in  the  rapid  development  of  New  York.  It  enabled  this  city  to 
forge  ahead  of  Philadelphia  and  all  other  competitors  for  the  name  of  Empire  City  and  the  title  of  the  New 
World's  ^Metropolis.  Indeed  New  York  may  lay  claim  to  be  the  cradle  of  steam  navigation,  for  it  was  here  the 
first  practical  test  of  its  utility  was  made,  when  in  1807  the  "  Clermont, "  constructed  from  desig-ns  by  Robert 
Fulton  and  capital  furnished 
Livingston,  made  the  trip 
in  thirty-two  hours,  while 
boats  from  four  to  six  days 
successful  trial  introduced 
gation  on  the  Hudson,  on 
New  York  to  New  Haven 
London,  and  in  1822  a 
New  York  and  Providence 
that  imdertook  an  ocean 
built  by  Colonel  John  Ste- 
sailed  from  New  York  to 
same  enterprising  Colonel 
ferry  line  between  New 
first  of  its  kind  in  the  world 
by  lines  to  Jersey  City  and 
frigate,  built  for  the  Na- 
pense  of  $320,000  by  Fulton, 
Sandy  Hook,  in  18 14.  The 
York  in  1819,  plied  between 
In  1810,  lower  New 
gested,  the  city  was  extend- 
and  many  roads  and  streets 
missioners,  much  to  thedis- 
strove  by  force,  but  imsuc- 
workmen  in  their  opera- 
ren,  Brevoort,  Spingler  and 

and  above  Houston  street  hills  were  levelled,  quagmires  filled  in  and  the  new  section  mapped  out  into 
numerical  streets  and  avenues.  The  city's  trade  and  commerce  suffered  much  from  President  Jefferson's 
non-intercourse  proclamation  in  1807,  and  in  1812  she  sent  forth  twenty-six  armed  privateers  to  destroy 
British  shipping,  after  first  fortifying  herself,  as  well  as  she  could  under  short  notice,  from  hostile 
landing.  The  British  in  turn  blockaded  the  harbor,  efliected  a  landing  on  the  east  of  Long  Island,  and 
there  established  their  naval  headquarters.  To  guard  against  surprise,  the  citizens  came  forward  and  worked 
voluntarily  on  the  fortifications,  besides  enrolling  themselves  as  militia  for  defence  to  the  number  of  23,000. 
Although  the  war  of  18 12-14  caused  a  stagnation  of  trade,  it  enhanced  New  York's  reputation  and  status 
throughout  the  world,  and  henceforth  the  tide  of  emigration  rolled  hither  almost  exclusively,  instead  of  dividing 
itself  among  many  other  Atlantic  cities.  In  those  days  an  immigrant  was  really  worth  $1,000  to  the  countr}', 
and  /(^r/w?  to  the  city.  Consequently  the  population  increased  so  rapidly  that  in  1830  it  reached  200,000. 
By  a  parity  of  reasoning,  the  introduction  of  railroads  was  of  incalculable  benefit  to  New  York.  The  first 
railroads  built  in  the  State  were  the  Albany  &  vSchenectady  in  1831,  and  in  1851  the  Hudson  River,  from  New 
York  to  Albany,  both  of  which  are  now  included  in  the  New  York  Central  system. 

Lentil  the  war  of  1861  gave  a  temporary  check,  the  history  of  New  York  City  is  one  of  uninterrupted 
progress  and  prosperity.  Each  year  added  to  its  population  and  gave  it  more  of  a  metropolitan  aspect.  It  took 
the  lead  in  trade  and  commerce  with  every  invention  and  improvement  that  aided  their  development,  and 
towards  the  close  of  the  half  century  ending  with  1850  its  supremacy  was  acknowledged  all  over  the  cotmtry. 
The  first  horse  car  line  was  opened  in  1832,  when  the  Fourth  avenue  cars  began  running  from  Prince  street  to 
Murray  Hill.  Ilkiminating  gas  was  introduced  in  1825,  with  pipes  traversing  Broadway  from  the  Battery  to 
Canal  street.  The  Erie  Canal,  completed  in  1825,  also  conduced  very  materially  to  the  growth  of  the  city.  To 
Governor  Clinton,  a  name  that  will  always  be  revered  in  New  York  City  and  State,  is  due  the  honor  of  having 
this  wonderful  ditch  dug  and  utilized  in  a  manner  that  was  appreciated  more  even  half  a  century  ago  than  it  is 


 _5Xiir..t^   ^=-^_-^r^ 

CORNER  OF  BRC-^DWAY  .AND  MURRAY  STREET,  1820. 


by  Chancellor  Robert  R. 
from  New  York  to  Albany 
it  took  the  ordinary  packet 
to  cover  the  distance.  This 
and  established  steam  navi- 
Long  Island  Sound  from 
in  1818,  a  third  to  New 
fourth,  consisting  of  the 
Line.  The  first  steamer 
voyage  was  the  "  Phoenix," 
vens,  of  Hoboken,  which 
Philadelphia  in  1807.  This 
Stevens  opened  a  steam 
York  and  Hoboken  —  the 
— in  181 1,  followed  in  181 2 
Brooklyn.  The  first  steam 
tional  Government  at  an  ex- 
made  a  successful  trip  to 
Savannah,"  built  in  New 
this  city  and  Liverpool. 
York  having  become  con- 
ed in  a  northerly  direction, 
laid  out  by  the  City  Com- 
gust  of  estate  owners,  who 
cessfully,  to  obstruct  the 
tions.  In  this  way  the  War- 
Baj-ard  farms  were  invaded 


XVlll 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


JUNCTION  OF  BROADWAY  AND  BOWERY  ROAD,  i8 


now.  This  canal  brought  into  our  docks  the  produce 
of  the  great  West  and  took  back  our  manufactures  to 
the  farmers  of  Indiana,  Michigan  and  Illinois  before 
railroads  were  running,  or  even  dreamed  of  in  a  prac- 
tical way.  The  originators  of  the  scheme  realized 
its  importance,  and,  in  order  that  the  people  most 
interested  and  concerned  might  receive  news  of  the 
opening  as  soon  as  possible,  in  times  when  telegraphy 
was  almost  unknown,  it  was  announced  by  the  firing  of 
cannon.  The  distance  between  Buffalo  and  Sandy 
Hook  is  550  miles,  and  yet  intelligence  of  the  opening 
of  the  Erie  Canal  was  transmitted  in  eighty-one  mimites. 
It  was  done  b}'  sound,  and  cannon  placed  at  intervals  of 
ten  miles  between  the  two  points  was  the  mode  of 
conveying  it,  Governor  Clinton,  with  a  large  party  of 
State  officials  and  scientists,  being  at  Sand}-  Hook,  where 
he  emptied  a  keg  of  Lake  Erie  water  into  the  ocean, 
which  was  symbolical  of  the  imion  of  the  two  bodies 
of  water,  one  fresh,  the  other  salt.  The  opening  of 
the  Erie  Canal  really  marked  the  beginning  of  the  era 
of  New  York's  present  status  and  unexaaipled  prosperity. 
Up  to  that  time  she  had  comi)eted  on  comparatively 
equal  terms  with  Boston  and  Philadelphia,  but  in  the 
Erie  she  fot;nd  a  gateway  to  the  rapidly  growing  West 
which  enabled  her  to  set  all  competition  at  defiance. 
Then,  when  railroads  were  introduced,  New'  York  enjoyed  such  control  over  the  commerce  between  the  East 
and  West  as  to  make  her  the  unquestioned  railway  centre  of  the  country  —  the  point  from  which  all 
trunk  lines  should  radiate  if  they  would  command  a  just  proportion  of  traffic.  In  1834  Cornelius  W. 
Lawrence  was  elected  Mayor  of  the  city.  He  was  the  fir.st  to  fill  that  position  by  the  vote  of  the  people, 
and  an  amendment  to  the  State  constitution  was  enacted  to  bring  about  such  a  consummation.  The  same 
year  the  construction  of  the  Croton  aqueduct  was  begun,  and  in  1842  it  was  finished.  The  length  of  the 
aqueduct  is  forty  miles,  the  cost  of  construction  was  $9,000,000,  a  cheap  enterprise  when  it  is  remembered  that 
a  fire  which  broke  out  in  1835  consumed  $18,000,000  worth  of  joroperty.  Had  the  Croton  aqueduct  been  in 
existence  at  the  time  it  is  probable  that  the  damage  would  not  have  been  a  tithe  of  what  it  actually  was.  It 
was  a  lack  of  water  that  prevented  the  firemen  bringing  a  conflagration  under  control  which  resulted  in  the 
destruction  of  643  stores  and  dwelling  houses. 

Increasing  commerce  and  immigration  necessitated  a  proportionate  increase  in  the  Merchant  Marine.  In 
1 841  the  great  Atlantic  lines  began  to  ply  bet^veen  this  city  and  Liverpool,  gradually  superseding  the  famous 
clipper  ships  of  such  lines  as  the  Black  Ball  and  the  Red  Star,  which  had  carried  the  fame  of  the  new  city 
growing  up  in  the  Western  World,  even  to  the  remote  confines  of  Asia.    The  "  Sirius  "  and  the  "Great  Western  " 
arrived  in  port  on  April  23d,  1841,  and  four  years  later  (1845)  the  telegraph  line  connecting  New  York  with  the 
National  Capital  was  opened,  followed  by  lines  to  Boston,  Philadelphia,  Albany  and  other  centres  of  population 
in  rapid  successi(jn.    With  the  growth  of  New  York  great  newspapers  came  into  existence  and  great  editors 
tf)ok  their  places  among  the  coimtry's  men  of  affairs.    The  University  of  the  City  of  New'  York  was  founded  in 
1 83 1,  the  Astor  Library  in  1848,  and  the  World's  Fair 
opened  in  the  Crystal  Palace  in  1853.    In  1849  occurred 
what  is  known  as  the  Astor  Place  Riot.    Edwin  Forrest 
had  been  playing  in  England  a  few  years  before  and  had 
met  with  a  poor  reception,  as  was  supposed,  because  of 
his  being  an  American.    When,  therefore,  the  English 
actor  Macready  appeared  in  the  Astor  Place  Opera 
House  in  the  role  of  Macbeth,  the  populace  20,000 
strong  wrecked  the  theatre.    The  Seventh  Regiment 
was  called  out,  and  in  the  struggle  that  ensued  a  large 
ntunber  of  the  police,  the  mob,  and  the  militia  were 
killed  and  wounded.    In  this  riot  was  also  interjected 
a  little  of  the  Know-Nothing  .spirit  that,  in  1852,  led 
to  still  more  bloodshed  in  the  troubles  that  history- 
connects   with   the  name  of  a  new  and  short  lived 
p(jlitical  party,  sometimes  known  as  the  American. 
And  now  approaches  the  dread  shadow  of  a  civil  war 
which  commercial  New^  York  beheld  with  fear  and 
trembling,  but  which  patriotic  New  York  braced  itself 
to  meet  in  a  manner  commensurate  with  its  dignity  as 
the  greatest  American  city. 


I'ARK  AND  BROADWAY,  1830. 


JVEIV  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


XIX 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


THE  CIVIL  WAR  PERIOD. 

WHEN  South  Carolina  passed  its  secession  ordinance  Fernando  Wood  was  Mayor  of  New  York.  He  was  a  » 
Copperhead,  and  when  he  outlined  a  plan  to  make  this  a  free  city  or  port,  like  Bremen  and  Hamburg, 
with  merely  nominal  duties,  so  as  to  attract  the  commerce  of  the  world,  he  thought  he  was  giving  birth  to  a 
great  and  original  idea.  But  he  reckoned  without  the  people  who  elected  him.  And  when  the  first  gun  was 
fired  on  Fort  Sumter  it  woke  the  people  to  a  sense  of  their  duty  as  Americans,  and  set  their  hearts  beating 
wildly  in  the  National  cause,  so  wildl)-  iind  so  loyally  that  had  Fernando  Wood  tried  to  put  his  theory  into 
practice  the  men  of  New  York  City  might  have  su.spended  him  from  a  telegraph  pole.  When  the  finst  call  for 
troops  was  issued  by  President  Lincoln,  New  York  sent  8,000  men  to  the  front,  among  whom  were  the  Sixth, 
Seventh,  Eleventh,  Twelfth  and  Sixty-ninth  Regiments,  and  from  that  time  till  the  close  of  the  Rebellion  this 
city  alone  placed  116,000  men  in  the  field  for  the  Union.     Wall  Street  furnished  the  sinews  of  war  and  here 

important  and  useful 
United  States  Sanitary 
States  Christian  Com- 
De  fence  Committee, 
upwards  of  40,000  men 
The  Union  League 
ence  for  the  express 
in  supplying  men  and 
Government  and  other- 
flag  flying  until  it  would 
tically  over  Fort  Sumter, 
graced  by  the  draft 
1,000  men  were  killed 
$2,000,000  worth  of 
The  foreign  born 
interest  in  the  suppres- 
resisted  the  draft,  while 
further  inflamed  their 
it  was  illegal  and  point- 
strictly  triie,  that  while 
immunity  by  paying  so 
stitute,  the  poor  had  to 
of  what  was  to  many  of 
campaign.  This  was 
was  good  enough  for  the 
tlie  "niggers"  as  the 
troubles,  proceeded  to 
they  were  to  be  found, 
{ )rphan  Asylum,  and  for 
the  city.  All  the  roughs 
hung  in  the  wake  of  the 
fearful  outrages.  The 
d  o  m  i  n  a  t  e  d ,  but  not 
found  necessary  to 
During    the    riot  the 

Provost  Marshal's  Office  was  sacked,  the  grain  elevators  on  the  Atlantic  docks  were  burned  and  the  Tribune 
office  almost  destroyed.  Governor  Seymour,  who  at  first  was  indifi'erent  to  the  action  of  the  mob,  became 
alarmed  as  the  riot  progressed  and  did  his  best  in  person  to  disperse  it,  as  did  the  Mayor  and  Archbishop  Hughes. 

After  the  war,  the  era  of  ])rosperity  which  it  had  interrui)ted  was  resumed  and  the  wave  of  immigration 
increased  in  volume,  the  German  taking  the  place  of  the  Irish  as  its  principal  stream.  The  next  great 
disturbing  element  of  this  prosperity  was  the  Tweed  operations,  by  which  the  city  was  robbed  of  upwards  of 
§20,000,000  and  its  good  name  tarni.shed.  William  Tweed  was  simply  on  evolution  from  the  elements  that 
governed  New  York  at  this  period.  He  was  a  ward  politician,  possessed  of  great  shrewdness  and  cunning, 
utterly  without  scruple  or  principle,  who  was  generous  enough,  at  the  city  treasury's  expense,  to  attract  a  large 
following.  He  bribed  every  one  open  to  bribery,  intimidated  others,  and  was  ultimately  crushed  by  some  of  the 
best  elements  in  his  own  party,  including  Governor  Tilden  and  other  dislingui.shed  men.  To  the  Xcic  York 
Tillies,  however,  must  be  attrilnited  the  chief  credit  of  exposing  his  methods,  after  which  the  other  city  papers 
took  part  in  the  cru.sade  against  the  greatest  scoundrel' that  ever  disgraced  the  city.  "  Boss  "  Tweed  was  City 
Chamberlain  when  he  began  his  system  of  wholesale  robbery,  and  it  is  estimated  that  the  contract  for  the 
County  C(nirt  House  alone  gave  an  o])portunity  for  the  robbery  of  $7,000,000.  At  first  the  malefactor  assumed 
an  impudent  attitude  and  inquired  of  his  accusers,  "  What  arc  vou  going  to  do  about  it  ?  "  But  as  the  meshes  of 
the  law  closed  around  him,  and  the  committee  of  seventy  distingui.shed  citizens,  appointed  for  investigating 
purposes,  stirred  up  popular  feeling  against  him,  he  grew  frightened  and  fled  to  Spain,  but  was  extradited, 


were  organized  such 
auxiliary  societies  as  the 
Commission,  the  United 
mission,  and  the  Union 
through  whose  efforts 
were  placed  in  the  field. 
Club,  called  into  exist- 
purpose,  also  did  nobly 
money  to  the  National 
wise  keeping  the  Union 
once  more  wave  majes- 
In  1863  the  city  was  dis- 
riots,  during  which 
and  wounded  an  d 
property  was  destroyed, 
citizens  who  took  little 
sion  of  the  rebellion 
certain  newspapers 
passions  b)^  telling  them 
ing  out,  w  hat  w  a  s 
the  rich  could  purchase 
many  dollars  for  a  sub- 
go  and  bear  the  brunt 
them  an  unpopular 
not  good  logic,  but  it 
rioters,  who,  accusing 
prime  cause  of  all  their 
hang  them  wherever 
burned  the  Colored 
three  days  dominated 
and  thugs  of  the  slums 
mob  and  committed 
rioters  were  finall)^ 
before  an  army  was 
accomplish    the  task. 


I  NIUN  LEAGUE  CI,l 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


xxi 


imprisoned,  escaped,  was  recaptured,  and  finally  died  in  j^rison.  The  financial  panic  on  Black  Friday, 
September  24th,  1869,  shook  not  only  the  commerce  of  New  York,  but  of  the  whole  country,  very  severely. 
This  panic  was  brouj^ht  about  through  the  machinations  of  a  ring  of  unscrupulous  financiers,  whose  object  was 
to  run  gold  up  as  high  as  possible  and  then  sell  in  an  open  market.  The  United  States  Treasury  frustrated  this 
plan,  but  not  before  a  financial  panic  had  been  produced  that  ruined  thousands  of  people.  Another  panic 
occurred  in  1873,  but  this  time  the  cause  was  too  much  expansion.  The  establi.shment  of  the  Clearing  House, 
though  it  does  not  prevent  panics,  diminishes  the  liability  for  their  occasion  and  the  danger  arising  from  them, 
and  helps  tliose  whose  embarrassment  should  be  only  temporary.  The  Brooklyn  or  East  River  Bridge,  begun 
in  Januar}',  1870,  and  opened  for  traffic  in  May,,  1884,  was  the  next  important  enterprise,  in  which  the  cities  of 
New  York  and  Brooklyn  became  conjointly  engaged.  As  the  great  volume  of  European  immigration  rolled  in, 
the  city  became  congested.  Tens  of  thousands  of  men  who  did  business  in  New  York  were  obliged  to  live  in 
Brooklyn  and  cities  adjacent.  Notwithstanding  the  numerous  ferries  connecting  the  two  cities,  those  ferries 
were  found  inadequate,  and  the  problem  of  transport  in  the  mornings  and  evenings  presented  itself  in  a 
pressing  manner  for  solution.  As  early  as  1819  Mr.  Pope,  a  civil  engineer,  advocated  a  Suspension  Bridge 
across  the  East  River.    He  hardly  succeeded  in  obtaining  a  hearing,  and  when  in  1829  a  corporation  proposed 

to  Brooklyn  Heights  the  scheme 
deserved.  In  i860  John  A.  Roebling 
to  the  mayors  of  the  two  cities,  but 
execution.  Still  he  did  not  despair, 
brought  it  forward  once  more,  and 
formed,  consisting  of  Mr.  Roebling, 
John  T.  Hoffman,  John  Roach,  the 
W.  C.  Kingsley  and  others,  and  the 
as  chief  engineer,  and  his  son.  Wash- 
engineer.  Mr.  Roebling  died  in 
his  son  took  his  place.  After  thirteen 
obstacles  that  were  at  one  time 
mother,  who  took  a  keen  and  seien- 
had  the  .satisfaction  of  seeing  it 
termination.  The  younger  Roebling 
invalid  while  the  work  was  in  pro- 
time  out  to  direct  it  from  his  window, 
and  if,  as  an  engineering  feat,  it 
is  because  the  great  work  of  Ferdi- 
a  cosmopolitan  character.  Its  con- 
original  estimate  was  $8,000,000. 
towards  the  cost  of  construction  and 
thirds.  In  187 1,  on  July  12th,  another 
celebration  by  the  Orangemen  of  the 
fought  as  long  ago  as  in  1690,  by 
William  III.  The  Irish  Catholics 
which  they  consider  an  insult  to 
and  prevent  it  whenever  and  wher- 
position  to  do  so.  They  a.ssembled 
and  attacked  the  procession  with 
to  protect  the  procession,  and  in  the 
policemen  and  soldiers  were  killed 
rioters  and  paraders.  It  was  the 
disgraced  New  York  City,  and  it  is 
In  1886  we  have  to  chronicle  a 
unveiling  of  the  great  Bartholdi 
then  called  Liberty  Island.  Bar- 
renown,  whose  ancestors  fought  in 
Lafayette,  and  he  and  a  few  other 
idea  of  placing  the  statue  of 
"Liberty  enlightening  the  World"  at  the  entrance  of  New  York  Harbor,  as  a  lasting  monument  to  the  friend- 
ship that  exists,  or  should  exist,  between  the  world's  two  great  Republics.  The  statue  was  presented  to  the 
City  of  New  York,  and  the  people  subscribed  for  a  pedestal  on  which  to  place  it.  The  French  built  the  statue 
at  a  cost  of  $200,000,  and  the  Americans  the  pedestal,  at  a  cost  of  $250,000.  It  is  one  of  the  world's  greatest 
colossi,  and  is  certainly  the  largest  since  the  colossus  of  Rhodes  was  destroj^ed.  Its  proportions  are  mag- 
nificent in  the  extreme.  This  statue  weighs  twenty-five  tons  of  bronze,  and  is  151  feet  in  height.  Its  right 
forefinger  alone  is  eight  feet  in  length.  The  pedestal  is  of  granite  and  is  155  feet  high.  The  statue  is  lighted 
at  night  by  electricity,  the  illumination  coming  from  the  torch  it  holds  upright  to  enlighten  the  world.  It  may 
be  stated  here,  incidentally,  that  the  spot  on  which  the  statue  stands  was  formerly  dedicated  to  the  execution  of 
pirates.  It  is  said  that  Bartholdi  modelled  the  statue  of  Liberty  from  his  mother,  and,  if  so,  he  must  be 
credited  with  two  qualities  that  do  him  credit — love  of  liberty  and  filial  affection. 

Something  like  an  aftermath  of  Tweedism  was  discovered  in  1886.  Jake  Sharp,  a  wealthy  contractor, 
who  had  for  years  been  trying  to  obtain  a  charter  from  the  city  to  build  a  surface  railroad  on  Broadwaj'',  by 
which  he  would  realize  enormously,  spent  half  a  million  dollars  bribing  the  Board  of  Aldermen,  but  the  fraud 


to  throw  a  bridge  from  Maiden  Lane 
was  not  received  with  the  favor  it 
outlined  a  plan  which  he  submitted 
the  Civil  War  interfered  with  its 
Waiting  until  the  war  was  over  he 
this  time  a  private  company  was 
Henry  C.  Murphy,  Mayor  of  Brooklyn, 
Shipbuilder,  Henry  E.  Pierrepont, 
work  was  begun,  with  Mr.  Roebling 
ington  A.  Roebling,  as  assistant 
1869,  but  actual  work  was  begun  and 
years  of  hard  work  and  encountering 
deemed  insurmountable,  he  and  his 
tific  interest  in  the  grand  enterprise, 
brought  to  a  glorious  and  successful 
had,  through  exposure,  become  an 
gress,  and  was  forced  from  that 
It  is  one  of  the  wonders  of  the  world, 
takes  rank  after  the  Suez  Canal,  it 
.  nand  de  Lesseps  partakes  more  of 
struction  cost  $15,000,000,  and  the 
New  York  contributed  one-third 
Brooklyn  assvimed  the  other  two- 
riot  broke  out,  consequent  on  the 
anniversary  of  the  battle  of  Aghrim, 
the  armies  of  King  James  II.  and 
have  always  resented  this  parade, 
their  national  and  religious  feelings, 
ever  they  find  themselves  in  a 
on  the  occasion  in  large  numbers 
vigor.  The  militia  were  called  out 
melee  that  ensued  t  w  e  n  t  y-n  i  n  e 
and  wounded,  as  well  as  104  of  the 
last  of  the  big  riots  that  have 
to  be  hoped  it  will  remain  the  last, 
more  pleasant  event,  which  was  the 
Statue  on  Bedloe's  Island,  since 
tholdi  is  a  French  s  c  u  1  pt  o  r  of 
our  Revolutionary  war  tmder 
patriotic  Frenchmen  conceived  the 


ADMIRAL  FARRAGUT-.M.'\DISON  SQUARE. 


xxu 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


was  discovered,  many  of  the  aldermen  arrested  and  a  few  of  them  convicted  and  sent  to  prison.  Sharp  was 
also  arrested,  convicted,  and  died  while  awaiting  the  decision  of  the  Court  for  a  new  trial.  '  He  had  been  seek- 
ing after  the  Broadway  franchise  for  thirty  years,  and  when  he  got  it  found  it  a  fatal  purchase. 

The  city  is  growing  so  rapidly  as  to  make  the  demand  for  rapid  transit  one  of  vital  importance. 
740,000  people  are  carried  over  the  Brooklyn  Bridge  alone  every  day,  and  although  the  trustees  are  enlarging 
its  capacity  each  year,  and  the  ferries  are  taxed  to  their  utmost  morning  and  evening,  the  necessity  for  more 
accommodation  grows  with  the  growth  of  the  city.  Plans  have  been  prepared  for  throwing  a  bridge  across  the 
Hudson  River  from  New  York  to  Jersey  City,  and  ground  was  broken  for  the  work  on  December  both  in 
Weehawken  and  New  York  (307  and  309  West  67th  Street).  Efforts  are  being  made  to  obtain  charters  for 
at  least  two  other  bridges  over  the  East  River,  one  from  New, York  to  Brooklyn,  somewhere  above  Sixty-fourth 
street,  and  another  from  New  York  to  Long  Island  City,  still  higher  up.  There  is  no  doubt  but  that  the 
increasing  population  of  the  city  will  make  the  construction  of  the.se  proposed  bridges  an  imperative  necessity, 
and  that  too  at  a  very  early  date.  And  so  with  rapid  transit,  which  is  called  for  still  more  loudly.  Because  of 
conflicting  interests  and  divergent  opinions  as  to  utility  and  practicability,  the  commission  appointed  by  Mayor 
Grant  are,  as  we  write,  negotiating  with  the  Manhattan  Elevated  Company  for  a  solution  of  the  question  that 
has  to  be  solved  before  the  question  of  the  Greater  New  York  comes  up  for  practical  settlement.  This  Greater 
New  York  is  to  take  in  Brooklyn  and  its  dependencies,  Yonkers,  Long  Island  City,  Astoria,  and  other 
suburbs.  The  Legislature  created  a  commission  in  1890  to  enquire  into  the  expediency  of  consolidation,  of 
which  Andrew  H.  Green,  the  father  of  the  scheme,  is  President,  and  although  the  politicians  and  officials  of  the 
districts  to  be  annexed  or  amalgamated  with  New  York  are  opposed  to  it,  the  people  generally  are  in  favor  of 
it,  as  a  vote,  when  one  shall  have  been  taken  on  the  subject,  will  in  all  probability  conclusively  show.  Accord- 
ing to  the  Federal  census  taken  in  1890  the  population  of  the  cit)' was  1,513,501 ;  according  to  the  enumeration 
of  the  local  police  a  few  months  later  1,710, 715  ;  and  according  to  the  State  census  of  1892,  1,800,891. 

If,  however,  a  census  were  taken  of  that  New  York  of  which  the  City  Hall  is  the  centre  and  were  made 
to  include  the  population  who  do  business  in  the -city,  but  a  portion  of  which  sleep  outside,  even  now  New  York 
would,  so  far  as  population  is  concerned,  outrank  Paris  and  come  next  to  London  in  importance. 


KNTRANCE  TO  CENTRAL   PARK,  FIFTH  AVENUE  AND  FIFTY-NINTH  STREET. 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOIJS. 


xxiii 


CITY  GOVERNMENT. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


CITY  GOVERNMENT. 

THE  corporation  of  New  York,  the  city  and  county  being  identical,  is  composed  of  the  Mayor,  Aldermen, 
and  Commonalty.  This  corporation  has  charge  of  all  local  administration,  and  although  the  Mayor,  as 
executive,  has  had  great  power  intrusted  in  him  lately,  the  city  is  for  more  home  rule  and  freedom  from  State 
legislative  restriction.  The  legislative  department  of  the  city  is  vested  in  the  Board  of  Aldermen,  which, 
including  a  president  and  vice-president,  consists  of  thirty-two  members.  The  president  receives  a  salary  of 
$3,000  a  year,  and  all  the  others  $2,000  each,  and  they  are  elected  for  two  years.  The  Comptroller,  Corporation 
Counsel,  Commissioner  of  Public  Works,  and  the  President  of  the  Board  of  Commissioners  of  each  department 
are  entitled  to  participate  in  the  discussions  of  the  Board,  but  not  to  vote.    Any  resolution  involving  the 


CnV  H.M.L. 

expenditure  of  money  for  celebrations,  processions  or  formal  ceremonies  must  have  four-tifths  majority,  and  a 
three-fourths  vote  is  necessary  for  money  relating  to  real  estate  ])urchase,  lease  or  franchise.  The  Mayor  has 
the  power  of  vetoing  any  resolution  or  ordinance,  but  a  two-thirds  majority  of  the  entire  Board  can  override 
the  veto.  The  Mayor  is  elected  for  two  years,  and  has  a  salary  of  $10,000.  He  is  a  magistrate,  and  by 
virtue  of  his  office  one  of  the  Commissioners  of  Immigration.  By  an  act  of  the  Legislature  recently  passed,  he 
has  the  power  of  appointing  not  only  the  heads  of  departments,  but  the  four  commissioners  comprising  the 
Police  Board,  and  the  fifteen  ])olice  justices. 

The  most  imjjortant  of  the  civic  departments  is  naturally  that  of  finance,  and  its  head  is  the  Comptroller, 
with  §10,000  a  year  salary.  The  department  is  divided  int(j  five  bureaus,  each  having  its  own  particular  duties. 
Two  montlis  before  the  election  of  charter  officers  the  Comptroller  publishes  in  City  Record,  the  official 
journal,  a  full  and  detailed  statement  of  the  city's  finances  during  the  year  ending  the  first  day  of  the 
preceding  month.  According  to  this  statement  the  rate  of  taxation  for  1892  was  $1.90  per  $100,  upon  a 
valuation  of  real  and  personal  estate  of  $1,707,868,828,  and  the  rate  upon  the  assessed  valuation  of  such  cor- 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


XXV 


porations  as  are  subject  to  local  taxation  was  $1.68  per  $100.  The  amount  thus  valued  was  $77,988,510.  The 
entire  amount  of  taxes  levied  by  the  Board  of  Aldermen  for  the  year  was  $33,764,394.  The  total  funded  debt 
of  the  city  and  county,  on  December  31,  1891,  was  $150,298,870,  which,  deducting^  cash  and  sinking  fund 
investments,  amounting  to  $52,783,424,  leaves  a  funded  debt  of  $97,515,436.  The  general  tax  rate  for  1892  was 
$1.85,  which  is  lower  than  that  of  any  other  city  in  the  United  States.  The  sum  voted  for  taxation  purposes  in 
1892  was  $33,725,556,  besides  which  the  city  has  an  income  $3,000,000  from  fees,  licenses  and  other  sources. 
The  total  vali:ation  of  the  city,  real  and  personal,  was  $1,828,264,275,  an  increase  of  $42,000,000  over  1891,  of 
which  amount  $71,306,402  is  corporation  property  exempt  from  State  taxes  and  paying  a  city  rate  of  $1.71  on 
the  $100.  For  the  general  expense  of  the  city  the  amount  paid  out  in  1892  was  over  $35,000,000.  The  revenue 
derived  from  taxes  for  1891  was  $32,861,779,  from  other  sources  $6,656,255,  money  borrowed  $27,289,497,  total 
receipts  $66,849,769,  which  is  a  larger  revenue  than  that  of  the  Sultan  of  Turkey,  with  dominions  on  three 
continents.  For  1892  the  final  estimate  of  appropriations  allowed  amounted  to  $35,881,205.  Of  that  sum 
$3,000,000  is  provided  for  by  receipts  from  miscellaneous  sources,  leaving  $32,881,205  to  be  raised  by  taxation. 
Of  this  $5,151,771  was  for  interest  on  the  city  debt,  $1,190,428  for  the  redemption  and  installments  of  the 
principal  of  the  cit)'  debt,  $2,398,505  for  State  taxes  and  public  schools,  $3,148,770  for  Department  of  Public 
Works,  $1,003,150  for  public  parks,  $2,170,125  for  public  charities  and  correction,  $5,045,468  for  the  police 
department,  $1,978,540  for  department  of  street  cleaning,  $2,301,282  for  fire  department,  $4,448,356  for  Board 
of  Education,  $1,098,810  for  judiciar}-  .salaries  and  $1,232,716  for  charitable  institutions. 

The  Department  of  Public  Works  is  next  in  importance,  at  all  events  it  spends  the  most  money  and  is 
divided  into  eight  bureaus,  each  having  its  own  dvities,  such  as  the  water  supply,  altering,  paving  and  lighting 
the  streets,  and  taking  care  of  sewerage  and  drainage.  This  department  spends  millions  of  dollars  annually  in 
improvements.  The  other  departments  are  Public  Parks,  Police,  Docks,  Street  Cleaning,  Excise  Law  and 
Health.  The  Health  Department  has  its  hands  full  always,  from  tenement  house  districts,  and  ships  bringing 
cholera  and  other  contagious  diseases  into  port  from  Europe.  Last  year  (1892)  was  an  unusuallj'  busy  one  for 
its  officers,  but  they  were  equal  to  the  occasion  and  were  very  successful  in  their  efforts  to  keep  the  cholera  out- 
side the  city.  The  department  recorded  for  1892  43,659  deaths,  46,904  births  and  15,764  marriages.  The 
Police  Department  is  another  important  one  and  efficiently  handled.  The  police  of  New  York  number  3,654  all 
told,  and  physically  fully  deserve  the  title  of  "  Finest'.'  which  they  have  received.  While  it  is  true  that  politics 
has  a  good  deal  to  do  with  police  appointments,  it  is  also  true  that  they  make  New  Yoi'k,  for  a  large  city,  one  of 
the  safest  places,  as  regards  life  and  property,  in  the  world.  They  are  well  paid  patrolmen,  the  lowest  grade 
receiving  from  $800  to  $1200  and  so  on  upwards.    During  1892  the  Metropolitan  police  made  89,920  arrests. 

In  politics  New  York  City  is  strongly  Democratic,  and  always  has  been.  The  Democrats  have  a  better 
organization  than  the  Republicans.  Tammany  Hall,  the  great  Democratic  society,  is  said  to  be  the  most  per- 
fect political  organization  of  the  country,  and,  although  sometimes  beaten  at  the  polls  by  a  combination,  it  has 
generally  been  fotmd  triumphant.  It  is  just  now  completely  in  control  of  the  city.  The  patronage  at  the  dis- 
posal of  Tammany  is  enormous.  An  organization  that  has  the  handling  of  $35,000,000  every  year  can  afford  to 
be  independent.  The  city  sends  ten  members  to  Congress.  As  regards  the  Sixteenth  Congrcs.sional  District, 
however,  part  of  it  is  outside  the  city  limits,  in  Westchester  County.  It  sends  nine  Senators  to  Albany,  or  rather 
eight  and  a  half,  for  Westchester  and  Putnam  counties,  as  well  as  the  Twenty-fourth  Ward,  have  claims  on  the 
Senator  from  the  Fifteenth  District.  The  last  apportionment  provides  for  thirty  Assembly  districts  in  the  city. 
The  elected  judges  of  the  city  are:  Supreme  Court,  seven,  at  a  salary  of  $11,500  each;  Superior  Court,  six, 
salary  $15,000  each;  Common  Pleas,  six,  at  $10,000  each;  .General  Sessions,  four,  at  $12,000  each;  Surrogate, 
two,  one  at  $15,000,  the  other  at  $10,000;  Sheriff,  one,  $12,000;  District  Attorney,  one,  $12,000.  The  appointed 
judges  are  Police  Justices,  fifteen  in  all,  at  $8,000  each. 

The  Federal  Government  has  very  important  interests  in  New  York.  Here  is  the  main  port  of  entry  for 
the  foreign  trade  of  the  whole  country,  and  the  Custom  House  returns  for  1890  show  the  following 
figures:  Dutiable  imports,  $349, 2 17, 107  ;  free  imports,  $193, 155, 77 1  ;  specie,  $20,369,499;  total,  $562,735,987. 
On  these  imports  a  duty  of  $163,238,278  was  collected.  In  the  same  year  the  exports  were  :  Domestic  goods, 
$339,458,578;  foreign  goods,  $8, 184, 783  ;  specie,  $41,646,121  ;  making  a  total  of  $389,289,482.  Thereceipts  from 
alf  sources  by  the  Sub-Treasury  (in  1890)  were  $1,227,000,000.  The  immigration  department  is  also  under 
Federal  control,  with  offices  and  an  executive  on  Ellis  Island,  where  all  immigrants  are  now  landed.  From  1881 
to  1891,  both  years  inclusive,  4,107,250  immigrants  entered  the  port  of  New  York,  and  824,008  cabin  passengers 
were  Americans  who  had  been  travelling  in  Europe,  and  who  in  all  probability  had  spent  a  billion  dollars  abroad 
in  the  eleven  years.  Owing  to  the  cholera  scare  and  the  restrictions  on  immigration,  recently  imposed,  the  num- 
ber of  arrivals,  cabin  and  steerage,  last  year  was  comparatively  small.  The  Federal,  Naval  and  Military  depart- 
ments of  this  city  are  also  important.  The  Brooklyn  Navy  Yard,  which  employs  2,000  men,  maybe  said  to  be 
part  of  the  Greater  New  York.  The  Custom  House,  the  Assay  Office,  the  Sub-Treasury  Office,  and  the  Barge 
Office  are  Federal  buildings,  and  the  Post  Office,  already  referred  to,  is  an  immense  structure  between  Broadway 
and  Park  Row.  This  building  is  after  the  manner  of  the  Italian  Renaissance,  and  cost  from  six  to  seven  mil- 
lions in  construction.  Upwards  of  3,000  people  are  employed  in  it.  In  1892  it  received  nearly  400,000,000 
pieces  of  mail  matter,  and  the  business  of  the  money  order  department  alone  reaches  a  total  of  nearly 
$120,000,000.  The  Post  Office  receipts  for  the  fiscal  year  of  1892  were  $6,783,202,  and  the  expenditures 
$2,568,700,  leaving  a  net  revenue  of  $4,214,502. 

After  the  Brooklyn  Bridge,  and  before  it  in  importance  if  imperative  necessity  be  considered,  is  the 
great  Croton  Aqueduct  which  supplies  the  city  with  water.  It  is  the  greatest  and  costliest  tunnel  in  the  world. 
It  is  thirty-three  miles  in  length,  took  ten  years  to  construct,  and  cost  $19,612,000. 

The  Croton  River,  a  small  stream  in  Westchester  County,  about  forty  miles  from  the  city,  with  a  number 
of  small  lakes  in  the  vicinity,  is  the  source  of  the  supply.  In  1842  an  aqueduct  was  constructed  from  the  lake 
to  the  city,  built  of  stone,  brick  and  cement,  arched  above  and  below  so  as  to  form  an  ellipse,  measuring  8^4 


XXVI 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


JUSTICE. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


XXVII 


feet  perpendicularly  and  yi-^^  horizontally.  It  slopes  about  13  inches  to  the  mile,  and  now  carries  75,000,000 
gallons  a  day.  It  runs  to  New  York  in  a  southeasterly  direction,  and  across  the  Harlem  River  on  the  High 
Bridge.  In  the  Central  Park,  four  miles  or  so  below  High  Bridge,  is  the  retaining  reservoir,  with  a  capacity  of 
1,030,000,000  gallons,  and  immediately  below  this  is  located  the  receiving  reservoir,  which  holds  150,000,000 
more.  This  supply  as  the  city  increased  in  ]X)pulation  was  found  to  be  altogether  inadequate,  and  in  1883  a 
commission  was  appointed  by  the  Legislature  to  construct  the  new  aqueduct,  which  starts  from  Croton  Lake, 
350  feet  above  the  dam,  and  follows  a  general  southerly  course  through  Westchester  County  and  the  Twenty- 
fourth  Ward  to  a  point  7,000  feet  north  of  Jerome  Park.  The  estimated  capacity  is  318,000,000  gallons  every 
twenty-four  hours.  LTnder  the  new  system  the  estimated  capacity  of  the  large  reservoir  in  Central  Park  is 
1,000,000,000,  and  at  Jerome  Park  1,300,000,000.  The  new  aqueduct,  first  used  on  July  15,  1890,  was  closed  for 
repairs  from  August  6th  to  25th,  and  was  then  pi;t  into  permanent  use.  Down  to  June  of  this  year  (1893)  the 
estimated  cost  will  have  been  upwards  of  $30,000,000.  It  is  calculated  that  the  present  reservoir  when 
completed  will  be  good  for  seventy-five  years.  The  water  revenue  from  all  sources  amounts  to  over  four  mil- 
lion dollars  annually. 

The  Parks  are  another  of  the  grand  features  of  New  York,  and  Central  Park  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
in  the  world.  It  is  bounded  by  Fifth  and  Eighth  avenues  and  59th  and  i  loth  streets,  is  two  and  a  half  miles  in 
length  by  a  half  mile  in  width,  and  contains  an  area  of  862  acres.  The  Park,  of  which  New  Yorkers  are  justly 
proud,  was  begun  in  1857,  under  the  mayoralty  of  Fernando  Wood,  and  has  cost,  including  repairs  and  salaries, 
$17,100,000.  It  is  exceeded  in  size  by  the  Phoenix  Park  of  Dublin,  the  Gardens  of  Versailles,  the  Bois  de 
Bologne  in  Paris,  the  Prater  of  Vienna,  Windsor  Great  Park,  and  the  historic  grounds  of  Richmond,  near  Lon- 
don ;  while  in  beauty  it  is  the  equal  of  them  all.  There  are  thirty  buildings  of  various  kinds  in  the  Park,  seats 
provided  for  over  10,000  people,  600  of  the  seats  being  in  vine  covered  arbors  or  wooded  groves.'  There  are 
forty-eight  bridges,  archways  and  tunnels,  all  of  them  of  carved  stone  and  highly  ornamental.  Close  to  Fifty- 
ninth  Street  is  the  Ball  Ground,  the  boys'  paradise.  It  is  an  immense  lawn  of  ten  acres,  devoted  to  baseball, 
cricket,  croquet  and  lawn  tennis.  The  entrance  is  through  the  Seventh  Avenue  gate.  Close  by  is  the  Dairy, 
where  the  tired  urchin  can  refresh  himself  with  cool  drinks.  Just  to  the  northeast  is  the  Carrousel,  with 
swings,  roundabouts  and  amusements  for  girls  and  little  children,  and  the  nearest  entrance  through  the  Sixth 
Avenue  gate.  Adjoining  there  are  sixteen  acres  of  Common  or  Green,  with  good  pasturage  for  a  fine  flock 
of  sheep,  which  are  kept  in  admirable  discipline  by  a  clever  "  collie"  dog.  At  Fifth  Avenue  and  Sixty-fourth 
Street,  on  the  extreme  east,  is  a  favorite  lounging  place  and  rendezvous,  the  Menagerie,  in  which  is  included  the 
old  Arsenal,  and  which  contains  a  large  and  varied  zoological  collection,  including  elephants,  lions,  hippopotami, 
tigers,  camels,  bears,  monkeys,  seals,  birds  and  wild  animals  of  all  kinds.  Another  favorite  resort  is  the  Mall, 
a  path  200  feet  wide,  extending  from  the  Marble  Arch  to  the  Terrace,  a  distance  of  about  one-third  of  a  mile, 
and  bordered  by  a  double  row  of  magnificent  elm  trees.  At  the  northern  end  is  a  large  music  pavilion,  where 
concerts  are  given  every  Saturday  and  Sunday  afternoons  during  the  summer  months.  It  is  estimated  that 
often  over  100,000  people  throng  this  beautiful  promenade  to  listen  to  the  in.spiriting  strains  of  the  band,  and  to 
drink  in  the  balmy  and  health  giving  breezes.  Opposite  the  band  pavilion  the  goat  carriages  are  kept,  and 
they  are  a  source  of  enjoyment  and  delight  to  the  little  ones.  Ascending  the  cliff  on  the  left,  the  Arbor  is 
reached;  this  is  covered  with  a  splendid  wistaria  vine,  whose  purple  blossoms  make  a  fine  show  in  the  spring 
time.    Close  by  is  the  Casino,  an  excellent  restaurant,     here  the  weary  traveller  can  be  refreshed  and  rested. 

The  northern  termination  of  the  Mall  is  the  Terrace,  the  principal  architectural  beauty  of  the  Park.  It 
is  built  of  light-brown  freestone,  elaborately  carved  with  birds  and  animals.  On  the  shore  of  the  Lake  is  an 
esplanade,  beneath  which  is  a  tiled  hall,  with  arched  roof  and  handsome  flights  of  steps  leading  to  the 
Bethesda  fountain.  This  brings  the  traveller  to  the  Lake.  The  total  area  of  water  in  the  Park  is 
forty-three  and  a  quarter  acres.  The  Lake  covers  twenty  acres,  and  is  divided  by  a  small  strait.  It  is  cov- 
ered with  pleasure  boats  in  summer,  and  myriads  of  agile  skaters  in  winter.  The  Lily  Pond  is  full  of  beautiful 
and  rare  specimens  of  water  flowers,  including  the  Egyptian  Lotus  and  tropical  plants.  The  Conservatory  Lake, 
of  two  and  one-half  acres,  is  at  Seventy-fourth  Street,  and  is  used  for  miniature  yacht  races;  the  Pool  is  at  One 
Hundredth  Street  and  Eighth  Avenue,  and  Harlem  Meer,  covering  twelve  and  one-half  acres,  is  at  the  extreme 
northeast.  The  Loch  is  the  smallest  sheet  of  water,  and  is  northeast  of  the  Pool.  Beyond  the  Lake  is  the 
Ramble,  then  the  Receiving  Reservoir  for  the  city  water,  and  the  highest  point  of  the  Park  is  reached  at  the 
Belvedere,  with  its  picturesqi:e  tower,  fifty  feet  high  The  new  Croton  Reservoir  divides  the  North  from  the 
South  Park.  In  the  northern  part  nature  has  not  yet  been  improved  upon  by  the  landscape  gardener  and  archi- 
tect, and  this  section  is  both  picturesque  and  historical.  The  features  are  Great  Hill,  the  Carriage  Circle,  Har- 
lem Meer,  and  McGown's  Pass  Tavern,  the  scene  of  many  skirmishes  between  British  and  Continental  troops  in 
1776.    It  is  estimated  that  15,000,000  people  visit  Central  Park  in  a  year. 

Riverside  Park  has  an  area  of  178  acres;  it  extends  along  the  east  bank  of  the  Hudson,  from  Sevent)'- 
second  Street  to  130th  Street,  a  distance  of  three  miles.  Its  salient  attractions  are  the  shrine  of  the  late  General 
U.  S.  Grant,  a  magnificent  drive,  and  the  splendid  residences  of  some  New  York  millionaires.  The  other 
parks,  which  are  small  and  scattered  through  the  city,  are  Morningside,  Madison  Square,  Union  Square,  Wash- 
ington Square,  City  Hall,  Bryant,  East  River,  High  Bridge,  Manhattan,  Mount  Morris,  Gramercy,  Stuyvesant 
Square,  and  Mulberry  Bend.  Pelham  Bay  Park,  outside  the  city  limits,  in  Westchester  County,  contains  1,756 
acres  on  Long  Island  Soimd,  and  Van  Courtlandt  Park,  also  outside  the  city,  contains  1,132  acres.  Bronx 
Park,  of  660  acres,  situated  also  in  Westchester  County,  is  a  favorite  resort  of  New  York  artists.  There  are 
numerous  other  parks  in  the  city,  many  of  them  so  small  as  to  be  merely  flower  gardens  and  shrubberies. 

The  bridges,  apart  from  the  East  River  or  Brooklyn  Bridge,  which  connect  the  Island  of  Manhattan  with  its 
outlying  offshoots  and  tributaries,  are :  The  Washington,  a  noble  structure  spanning  the  Harlem  River,  connecting 
Washington  Heights  with  what  is  known  as  the  Annexed  District ;  much  admired  for  its  architectural  beaiity 
and  proportion.    High  Bridge,  which  also  spans  the  Harlem  River  at  175th  street  and  Tenth  avenue,  a  third  of 


xxviii 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


a  mile  below  Washington  Bridge.  It  was  built  to  carry  the  old  Croton  Aqueduct  across  the  Harlem,  and  is 
1,460  feet  long  from  bluff  to  bluff.  The  MeComb's  Dam  Bridge,  an  old  wooden  structure  spanning  the  Hudson 
at  the  northern  terminus  of  Seventh  avenue,  is  a  drawbridge,  and  is  soon  to  be  replaced  by  a  structure  which 
will  cost  $2,000,000.  There  are  many  other  bridges  over  the  Harlem,  but,  although  all  are  highly  useful,  none 
is  of  importance  in  comparison  with  those  named.    The  bridges  in  contemplation  or  already  begun  are  the 


HIGH  BRIDGE. 

North  River  Bridge  between  New  Jersey  and  New  York,  the  Citizens'  Bridge  between  New  York  and  Brook- 
lyn, the  Corbin  Bridge  from  New  York  to  Long  Island  City,  the  Blackwell's  Island  Bridge,  and  the  Astoria 
Suspension  Bridge.  '  Two  tunnels  are  also  projected,  one  under  the  Narrows  between  Staten  Island  and  Brook- 
lyn, and  the  Hudson  River  Tunnel  between  Jersey  City  and  New  York,  which,  begun  in  1874,  has  been  sus- 
pended many  times  for  lack  of  funds.  Its  last  suspension  was  in  1892,  still  1,750  feet  of  the  tunnel  have 
been  bored,  and  no  doubt  it  will  ultimately  be  finished. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


XXIX 


EDUCATION. 

'T""HERE  was  a  time  when  Boston  competed  with  New  York  for  commercial  supremacy,  and  the  cpiestion  of 
1  superiority  in  ethical  culture  is  still  in  dispute.  Boston  is  called  the  American  Athens,  and  until  of  late  it  was 
the  centre,  if  not  of  American,  certainly  of  New  England  culture.  The  colleges,  the  newspapers,  the  theatres, 
the  conservation  of  wealth  generally,  in  this  city,,  have  drawn  hither  as  permanent  residents  famous  authors, 
painters,  journalists,  sculptors,  dramatic  writers,  and  professors  and  preachers.  And  again,  in  New  York 
talent  and  genius  find  a  better  market  than  is  to  be  found  anywhere  else  in  the  country.  Even  though  such 
great  Universities  as  Harvard,  Yale  and  Princeton  are  not  in  New  York,  it  is  to  the  Metropolis  their  dis- 
tinguished graduates  gravitate  in  the  search  for  fields  of  fame  and  emolument. 

New  York  possesses  two  noble  Universities,  namely,  Columbia  College  and  the  University  of  the  City  of 
New  York.  From  the  Law  vSchool  of  Columbia  College  the  majority  of  the  city's  lawyers  have  received  their 
diplomas,  while  in  the  college  itself  many  of  the  city's  most  famou,s  men  of  all  departments  have  been  trained  and 
educated.  Columbia  College  is  the  legitimate  offspring  of  King's  College,  chartered  in  1754,  with  the  Arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury  as  one  of  the  Governors.  From  the  beginning,  'Trinity  Church  was  its  friend  and 
benefactor,  and   made  it  many   grants  of  great  value.    Its  first  President  was  Dr.  Samuel  Johnson,  of 


UNIVERSITY  OF  THE  CITY  OF  NEW  YORK. 


Connecticut,  who  was  succeeded  in  1763  by  the  Reverend  Myles  Cooper,  an  ardent  Royalist,  sent  over  by  the 
Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  and  instrt:cted  to  have  the  Episcopalian  religion  and  loyalty  to  the  reigning  monarch 
inculcated  in  the  minds  of  the  students.  The  Reverend  Doctor  faithfully  carried  out  those  instructions,  and 
when  the  Revolutionary  cloud  began  to  lower  busied  himself  more  in  writing  tirades  against  rebels  than 
teaching  classics.  In  1775  a  mob  attacked  his  lodgings  in  the  College,  and  he  escaped  to  England  with 
difficulty.  vSuch  famous  men  as  Alexander  Hamilton,  Gouverneur  Morris,  John  Jay  and  Robert  R.  Livingston 
were  educated  in  King's  College.  During  the  war  that  followed,  the  college  building,  then  located  on  a  height 
overlooking  the  Hudson  River,  served  as  military  hospital  and  its  library  and  furniture  was  scattered  to  the  winds. 
After  the  war  the  institution  was  revived  under  the  more  American  title  of  Columbia  College,  and  has  gone 
on  prospering  and  flourishing,  tmtil  now  it  has  226  professors  and  1,600  students,  with  a  library  of  120,000 
volumes.  It  is  one  of  the  most  thoroughly  equipped  universities  in  the  world.  During  the  presidency  of 
Charles  King,  from  1849  to  1864,  the  institution  was  removed  from  College  Place  to  its  present  location  on 
Madison  Avenue  and  Forty-ninth  Street,  and  the  Law  School  was  founded  and  the  School  of  ]\Iines  established. 
In  1 8 14  the  State  had  granted  to  the  college  what  is  known  as  the  Elgin  estate,  now  yielding  it  princely 
revenues.  It  was  at  one  time  the  intention  to  build  a  new  college  on  the  Elgin  estate,  but  after  plans  were 
submitted  by  the  celebrated  architect  Upjohn,  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  caused  the  idea  to  be  abandoned. 
But  although  the  Elgin  estate  location  has  been  abandoned  the  University  is  to  have  a  new  site,  and  a  piece  of 
ground  covering  seventeen  and  a  half  acres  at  Bloomingdale  has  been  selected.  The  land  has  been  purchased, 
and  Charles  A.  McKim,  Charles  C.  Haight  and  Richard  M.  Hunt,  well  known  architects,  have  been  appointed 
commissioners  to  plan  the  new  buildings.  The  faculties  of  law.  medicine,  mines,  political  science  and  political 
economy  constitute  the  University. 


XXX 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


The  University  of  the  Cit}'  of  New  York  was  called  into  existence  in  1830  by  public  spirited  citizens,  com- 
posed of  merchants,  lawyers,  manufacturers  and  clergymen.  Notwithstanding  the  Revolution  Episcopalianism 
still  in  a  measure  permeated  Columbia  College;  a  non-denominational  college  was  wanted,  and  the  University 
was  established  with  this  object  in  view.  Until  1883  part  of  the  Council  was  elected  by  the  City  Legislature, 
and  it  was  forbidden  that  an)'  religious  denomination  should  have  a  majority.  Since  then  Columbia  has  broad- 
ened out  in  its  views,  but  nevertheless  the  establishment  of  the  Universit)'  was  a  necessity.  New  York  needs 
two  such  institutions,  as  the  number  of  students  in  the  University,  as  well  as  in  its  co-laborer,  go  to  show.  The 
University  has  1,400  students.  The  buildings  of  the  corporation  are  located  in  two  different  places,  Wa.shing- 
ton  Square  East,  between  Washington  and  Waverley  Places,  and  East  Twenty-sixth  Street,  between  First  Ave- 
nue and  the  East  River.  The  Washington  Square  building  contains  the  Council  room,  the  class  rooms,  labora- 
tories, society  rooms,  museum,  and  the  observatory  belonging  to  the  department  of  Arts  and  Science,  also  the 
lecture  room  and  library  of  the  department  of  law.  This  building  is  a  handsome  Gothic  structure,  which  was 
erected  between  1832  and  1835,  and  for  years  was  the  resort  of  many  celebrated  artists  and  literati,  who  had 
their  chambers  in  the  building.  The  Twenty-sixth  Street  building  was  erected  in  1879,  and  an  addition  in  the 
shape  of  a  West  wing  added  the  year  following.    The  East  wing  was  put  up  in  1887.    In  this  building  is  located 


MUSEUM  OK  NATUR.M.  HISHfRV. 

the  department  of  Medicine,  the  administrative  offices,  the  professors'  private  rooms,  the  dissecting  rooms,  and 
the  upi)er  and  lower  amphitheatres,  each  of  which  seats  about  500  students.  The  East  wing,  or  Laboratory 
building,  contains  on  its  five  floors  the  laboratories  of  Chemistry,  Physiology.  Pathology,  Biology  and  Matcna 
Midica.  An  unknown  friend  donated  $100,000  for  the  erection  of  the  laboratory,  with  tlic  provi.so  that  his  name 
was  to  be  kept  a  secret,  and  that  the  wing  was  to  be  known  as  the  "  Loomis  Laboratory."  It  was  through  the 
hands  of  Dr.  Loomis  this  donation  came  to  the  University.  The  West  wing  is  the  Clinical  building,  and  contains 
a  dispensary  which  treats  nine  or  ten  thousand  patients  each  year  gratuitously.  The  Bellevue  Hospital  is 
where  the  students  receive  much  of  their  instruction.  The  total  value  of  the  buildings  and  grounds  belonging 
to  the  University  is  about  $750,000,  and  its  wealth  altogether  nearly  $2,000,000.  Like  Columbia  College,  it 
will  soon  remove  to  a  new  location,  on  the  east  side  of  the  Harlem  River,  between  Morris  Dock  and  Kings- 
bridge.  The  intention  at  present  is  take  the  Washington  Scpiare  building  to  pieces  and  reconstruct  them  on 
the  new  site. 

The  first  faculty  of  the  University  was  that  of  Arts  and  Science,  which  is  coeval  with  the  college,  but  in 
J  866  regular  University  work  was  begun  by  twelve  chairs,  all  of  which  but  one  enrolled  members.    This  work 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


XXXI 


MEDICAL. 


XXXll 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


was  expected  to  equal  in  magnitude  that  for  undergraduate  students;  but  Universit.v  work,  so  far  as  it  aims  to 
diffuse  knowledge,  has  been  achieved  b}-  this  faculty  in  a  great  degree  from  the' beginning.  Fourteen  pro- 
fessors are  engaged  in  undergraduates'  work,  but  are  not  so  closely  occupied  as  to  prevent  them  giving  much  time 
to  advanced  students.  It  was  in  a  room  of  this  department  that  Samuel  F.  B.  Morse  invented  the  recording 
telegraph,  and  that  Dr.  John  W.  Draper  first  invented  the  art  of  utilizing  photography  in  taking  a  likeness  of 
the  human  countenance. 

The  faculty  of  ^Medicine  was  organized  in  1841  with  a  corps  of  six  professors,  of  whom  Drs.  Valentine 
Mott  and  John  W.  Draper  are  the  best  known.  In  1889-90  633  .students  were  enrolled,  nearlv  a  hundred  of 
whom  were  foreigners.  The  faculty  of  Law  was  planned  in  1835  by  the  Hon.  B.  F.  Butler,  Atto'rnev  General  of 
the  United  States,  Init  a  quarter  of  a  century  elapsed  before  it  took  definite  shape.  It  has  now  about  150  law 
students.  The  University  of  the  City  of  New  York  may  be  said,  speaking  very  roughly,  to  partake  of  a  medical 
character,  while  Columbia  is  more  legal  in  its  scope. 

Neither  in  Columbia  College  nor  in  the  University  are  there  any  dormitories  or  accommodation  for  resi- 
dents.    It  is  thought  that  the  new  buildings  of  both  institutions  will  have  such  dormitories,  but  not  to  any 


NOk.M.M.  COLLIiGK   FOR  WOMEN. 


great  extent.  Connected  with  Columbia  College  in  one  way  or  another,  although  not  forming  an  integral 
part  of  it,  are  the  School  of  Arts  on  Madi.son  Avenue,  with  50  professors  and  300  students;  the  School  of  Mines, 
founded  in  1864;  the  School  of  Law,  of  which  the  late  Professor  Dwight  was  for  so  many  years  the  President; 
the  vSchool  of  Political  Science,  an  outgrowth  of  the  School  of  Law;  the  School  of  Philosophy,  founded  in  1S90; 
the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  which  is  the  medical  department  of  the  college,  and  was  chartered  in 
1807,  the  School  of  Medicine  having  been  united  with  it  in  late  years.  William  H.  \'andcrbilt  donated  half  a 
million  dollars  to  this  department  in  1884,  and  with  this  gift  a  building  on  Fifty-nintii  Street  and  Tenth  Avenue 
was  erected.  A  few  months  later  Mrs.  William  I).  Sloanc,  daugliter  of  Mrs.  Vandcrbilt,  conjointly  with  lier 
husband,  presented  §250,000  towards  the  construction  of  a  Sloane  Maternity  Hospital,  and  still  later  Mr.  Van- 
derbilt's  four  .sons  gave  a  like  sum  towards  the  erection  of  a  \'anderbilt  Clinic  and  Dispensary.  Barnard  Col- 
lege, 343  Madison  Avenue,  has  i)rofessf)rs  approved  by  Columbia  College,  and  has  the  same  privilege  as  regards 
granting  a  degree  as  a  parent  or  sponsor.  Another  oflfshoot  of  Columbia  is  the  New  York  College  for  the  train- 
ing of  teachers,  the  first  of  its  kind  ever  established  in  America.  It  has  students  from  eighteen  different  States. 
Its  object  is  to  bring  modern  life  and  the  modern  school  more  in  touch  with  each  other  by  organization,  practice 


NEW    YORK,  THE  M /■//'KUJ'OLJ S. 


XXXlll 


GKA(,I:  t.llL'Ki.li 


XXXIV 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


and  observation.  This  college  is  empowered  to  confer  the  degrees  of  Bachelor,  Master  and  Doctor  of  Peda- 
gogy. The  two  great  collegiate  institutions  of  New  York  have  comparatively  little  undergraduate  work,  and 
concentrate  themselves  mosth'  on  high  academic  studies  and  professional  work.  Out  of  the  3,000  or  more  stu- 
dents not  more  than  550  are  undergraduates,  and  more  than  one-fourth  are  graduates  of  other  colleges.  They 
are  more  utilitarian  than  Harvard  and  Yale  and,  perhaps,  more  cosmopolitan  in  their  character. 

The  College  of  the  City  of  New  York,  located  on  Lexington  Avenue  and  Twenty-third  Street,  takes 
the  place  of  a  high  school  realU',  though  its  range  of  studies  is  higher  than  that  of  the  high  school  generally. 
It  was  established  in  1848  under  the  name  of  Free  Academy,  but  in  1868  received  its  present  name,  with  the 
powers  and  privileges  of  a  college.  It  contains  a  large  workshop,  engineering  facilities,  and  a  library  of  28,000 
volumes.     The  city  grants  $160,000  a  year  towards  its  maintenance. 

The  Normal  College  for  Women  is  also  supported  by  a  grant  from  the  city  of  $100,000  a  vear.  The 
building,  which  cost  $500,000  in  construction,  stands  between  Park  and  Lexington  Avenues,  and  Sixty-eighth  and 
Sixty-ninth  vStreets.  It  has  a  large  hall,  three  lecture  rooms  and  thirty  recitation  rooms.  It  has  generally 
2.  500  to  3.000  students,  and  about  80  per  cent,  of  its  graduates  have  become  teachers  in  the  public  schools. 

The  Cooper  L^nion,  founded  by  the  late  Peter  Cooper,  is  one  of  New  York's  free  educational  establish- 
ments, of  which  any  city  in  the  world  might  be  pi'oud.  The  scope  of  this  institution  takes  in  free  schools  of 
Science  and  Art,  a  free  reading  room  and  library,  all  of  w^hich  are  taken  advantage  of  by  those  anxious  for  an 
education,  but  who  cannot  afford  to  pay  for  it  in  the  regular  college.  It  is  chiefly,  however,  dedicated  to  the 
teaching  of  technique.  It  has  evening  schools  of  Science  and  Art,  having  an  average  annual  attendance  of 
3,500  students.  The  (jiialification  for  admission  are  a  rudimentary  education  and  an  age  above  fifteen.  Women 
are  admitted  to  the  lectures  and  scientific  classes,  and  a  .special  art  school  is  provided  for  them  in  the  day.  The 
regular  course  of  five  years'  study  includes  algebra,  geometry,  trigonometry,  analytical  and  descriptive  geom- 
etry, differential  and  integral  calcuhis,  natural  philosoph}',  elementary  and  analytical  chemistry,  mechanical 
drawing  and  mechanics.  Many  annual  prizes  are  given  by  individuals,  and  the  institution  confers  medals  and 
diplomas.  There  is  an  English  department  with  Belles  Lettres,  rhetoric  and  elocution,  a  department  for 
instructing  women  in  telegraph}-,  phonography  and  typewriting.  The  Art  School  is  divided  into  classes  in 
drawing,  photo-crayon,  photo-color,  painting,  retouching,  wood  engraving  and  pattern  painting.  While  still 
imder  instruction  many  of  the  students  in  these  departments  earn  such  good  wages,  and  the  pressure  for  admis- 
sion is  consequently  so  great,  that  an  amateur  class  has  been  formed,  for  which  admission  fee  for  the  course  is 
charged. 

There  are  many  Catholic  educational  institutions  in  and  around  New  York  devoted  to  higher  education, 
chief  among  them  being  St.  John's  College,  in  Fordham,  founded  in  1841  by  Archbishop  Hughes.  It  is  now 
under  the  control  of  the  Jesuits,  and  has  turned  out  many  clever  young  men  who  have  made  names  for  them- 
selves in  the  various  professions.  The  College  of  St.  Francis  Xavier,  also  under  the  Jesuits,  is  in  possession  of 
an  imposing  pile  of  buildings  on  Fifteenth  and  Sixteenth  Streets,  near  Sixth  Avenue.  Manhattan  College  is 
another  great  Catholic  institution,  in  control  of  the  Chri.stian  Brothers,  with  extensive  buildings  in  Manhattan- 
ville.  The  College  of  St,  Francis  Xavier  has  300  .students,  St.  John's  College  350,  and  Manhattan  about  300. 
The  Academy  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  in  charge  of  the  vSisters  of  that  name,  has  250  pupils,  and  there  are  numer- 
ous other  Catholic  educational  establishments  scattered  through  the  city,  mostly  in  the  suburbs. 

As  regards  higher  education  the  Ceneral  Theological  Seminary  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  stands 
in  the  front  rank  of  colleges  for  religious  thought  and  training.  Its  existence  is  a  ble.s.sing  to  civilization.  It 
was  established  in  1817  and  incorporated  in  1822,  since  which  year  it  has  graduated  1,200  men,  thirty-four  of 
whom  became  bishops.  It  has  twelve  professors  and  instructors  and  125  students  in  holy  orders,  ninety-two  of 
whom  are  college  graduates,  man)'-  of  them  from  Canadian,  Swedish,  Per.sian  and  Turkish  Colleges.  Its  hand- 
some row  of  buildings  is  on  Chelsea  Square,  and  it  has  a  library  of  22,000  volumes.  The  Union  Theological 
Seminary,  an  institution  of  similar  character,  is  situated  on  Lenox  Hill  along  Park  Avenue,  between  Sixty-ninth 
and  Seventieth  vStreets.  This  seminary  was  founded  in  1836  imdcr  Presbyterian  au.spices,  and  has  a  library  of 
60,000  volumes  and  50,000  pamplilets.  It  has  seven  professors,  160  students,  and  the  course  of  study  covers  three 
years. 

The  Jewish  element,  now  .so  numerous  and  so  influential  in  New  York  City  life,  is  fully  abreast  of  the 
times  as  respects  higher  education,  and  though  naturally  many  of  the  youth  are  sent  to  the  secular  colleges, 
where  they  hold  their  own,  they  have  a  Theological  Seminary  on  Lexington  Avenue  for  the  training  of  Jewi.sh 
rabbles  and  teachers.  This  seminary  is  maintained  for  the  most  part  by  the  New  York,  Philadelphia  and  Balti- 
more Synagogues.    It  has  at  present  three  preceptors  and  fifteen  students. 

Chief  among  the  private  schools  of  New  York  are  the  Audubon  Institute.  Berkeley  School.  Ik-rlitz  School 
of  Languages.  Collegiate  Institute.  Colleqiate  vSchool.  Columbia  (irammar  School.  Columbia  Military  Institute. 
Dahn's  Institute,  De  la  Salle  Institute,  Friends  Seminary.  Heywood  Institute.  Lenox  Institute.  Model  Kinder- 
garten, New  York  School  of  Languages,  New  York  School  of  Oratory,  New  York  Trade  Schools,  Rutgers 
Female  Institute,  Packard's  Business  College  and  the  West  End  Avenue  School.  When  it  is  stated  that  New 
York  spends  nearly  five  million  dollars  a  year  on  the  education  of  its  youth,  that  all  the  jjublic  schools  are  free 
and  that  children  can  pass  from  their  ABC  Class,  grade  by  grade,  until  they  go  into  the  College  of  the  City 
of  New  York,  where  a  finished  education  may  be  had,  the  importance  of  this  branch  of  the  city's  government 
can  be  ap])reciated.  The  public  school  teachers  number  4,206.  The  number  of  jjublic  schools  under  charge  of 
the  Commissioners  of  Education  are  306,  which  are  attended  by  250.000  pupils.  The  attendance  of  children 
between  eight  and  fourteen  is  comjiulsor}-.  and  twelve  truancy  agents  are  paid  to  .see  that  the  statute  is  observed. 
Besides  the  i)ublic  schools  many  corporate  schools  participate  in  the  benefits  of  the  school  fund.  French  and 
German  are  taught  in  the  liighest  grades,  so  is  music,"and  such  a  system  carried  out  that  the  poorest  child  in  the 
city  may  obtain  an  education  at  the  public  expense. 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


XXXV 


COOPER  UNION. 


XXXVl 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROTOLIS. 


ARCiii  ri:(:rLiRH 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS.  xxxvii 


ARCHITECTURE. 

TT  is  a  trite  saying  that  yon  qi\\\  tell  a  city  by  its  architecture,  in  the  same  way  as  you  can  judge  a  man  by  the 
1  friends  he  keeps.  This  wise  saw  may  be  true  so  far  as  the  old  Continental  cities  of  bygone  centuries  are 
concerned,  when  each  country  has  its  distinctive  style  and  each  century  its  peculiar  fashion.  But  in  a  city  like 
New  York,  the  Metropolis  of  the  Western  Hemisphere,  and  the  gateway  of  this  great  Republic,  the  old  aphorism 
is  blown  to  the  winds.  Every  nationality  on  the  face  of  the  globe  comes  to  New  York,  and  the  majority  of  the 
strangers  comes  to  stay,  and  stay  long  enough  to  leave  some  impression  of  their  manners  and  customs.  Hence, 
with  a  great,  throbbing,  ever  increasing,  cosmopolitan  population  and  a  congiomeratic^n  of  races  and  ideas,  a 
diversity  in  the  architecture  is  a  natural  result. 

Every  great  city  has  its  principal  thoroughfare,  its  main  artery,  as  it  were.     New  York,  however,  has 
Broadway,  which  is  quoted  as  a  great  street  all  over  the  world.    Broadway  is,  in  fact,  the  spinal  column  of  the 


ACADEMY  OF  DESIGN. 


Metropolis.  It  is  more  to  New  York  than  Regent  vStreet  is  to  London,  than  Unter  den  Linden  is  to  Ilerlin, 
than  thePrader  is  to  Vienna.  In  fact,  Broadway  is  one  of  the  longest  and  grandest  business  thoroughfares  in  the 
world,  and  diversified  and  ever  changing  as  it  is,  it  is  the  pride  of  every  good  American,  and  justly  so.  While  it 
is  not  imposing  to 'the  eye  from  a  bird's  eye  view,  it  is  mighty  interesting  and  impressive  from  its  business 
aspect,  and  peculiarly  entertaining  from  its  uptown  social  and  society  point  of  view.  There  are  no  loiterers 
downtown,  everybody  rushes  along  for  dear  life,  the  streets  are  crowded  with  a  ceaseless  procession  of  wagons, 
trucks,  cars,  and  every  kind  and  style  of  vehicle.  All  is  business,  bustle,  and  a  race  for  wealth.  Halfway 
uptown  there  is  the  antithesis  to  all  this  hurry,  in  the  loiterers  of  the  squares,  the  deliberative  laziness  of  the 
nurse  girls  and  the  sleepy  beatitude  of  the  babies.  Higher  up,  again,  come  the  sauntering  actor,  out  of  work, 
and  the  pert  actress  with  flashing  eyes,  setting  traps  for  the  susceptible  and  easily  victimized  stage  masher;  and 
lastly  come  the  dolce-far-niente  manner  of  the  society  swell,  the  drawl  and  crawl  of  the  chappie,  and  the  self- 
satisfied  amble  of  the  unconscious  lovers  strolling  around  the  Park. 

But  to  return  to  Broadway  and  its  great  buildings.  It  is  a  perfect  chaos  of  style,  color  and  material. 
Every  State,  country  and  territory  on  earth  has  contributed  to  its  makeup.  There  are  marble  from  Westchester 
County,  Vermont  and  Pennsylvania ;  stone  from  France  and  Nova  Scotia ;  granite  from  Scotland  and  New  England; 


.V£Jl'   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


brownstone  from  New  York  and  surrounding  States ;  timber  from  the  "  Sunny  South  "  and  West ;  firebricks  from 
New  Jersey  :  brick  from  Philadelphia  and  Milwaukee,  and  iron  from  Pennsylvania.  For  variety  of  style  even-  taste 
can  be  accommodated.  There  are  Greek.  Doric.  Ionic.  Gothic.  Corinthian,  Roman,  Italian,  Tudor,  Renaissance, 
modern  French.  Early  English  and  our  own  Colonial.  A  walk  up  Broadway  is  a  great  object  lesson.  Beginning 
at  the  Battery,  there  is  the  representative  of  Xew  York's  callow  days  of  youth  in  old  Castle  Garden,  a 
notidescript  building  without  form  or  beauty.  Then  there  is  the  more  modem  and  picturesque  Barge  Office, 
\\-ith  solid  granife  front  and  fantastic  campanile. 

Crossing  Battery  Park  the  traveller  comes  to  the  first  great  building  of  Broadway  proper,  in  the  great 
Washington  Building,  one  of  the  finest  structures  in  America.  It  is  built  on  a  historic  site,  and  commands  a 
grand  view  of  the  harbor.  The  building  contains  34S  offices.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the  road  are  the  Foreign 
Consul  and  Shipping  offices,  and  then  there  is  the  Produce  Exchange,  one  of  the  largest  and  finest  structures  in 
the  world,  and  cost  for  land,  building  and  fittings  over  $3,000,000.  Proceeding  northward,  there  are  the  Welles 
Building,  the  Standard  Oil  Company's  palatial  offices,  Aldrich  Court,  built  on  the  spot  where  the  first  habitation 
of  a  white  man  was  ever  erected  on  Manhattan  Island;  the  Columbia  Building,  thirteen  stories  high;  the  Tower 
Building,  the  New  Manhattan  Life  Insurance  Building;  the  Consolidated  Stock  &  Petroleum  Exchange,  the  Union 
Trust  Company,  and  then  the  stately  Gothic  Trinity  Church,  with  its  graceful  spire  and  melodious  chime  of  bells. 

Crossing  over  to  the  comer  of  Wall  Street,  there  are  the  United  Bank  Building,  containing  the  National 
Bank  of  the  RepubUc  and  the  First  National  Bank ;  the  Equitable  Life  Assurance  Society,  in  which  is  the  office 


bKOoKL\.N  liKiLlot. 


of  the  Department  of  Agriculture's  Bureau  for  Meteorological  Observations :  the  Borcel  Building ;  the  Western 
Union  Telegraph  offices,  the  Corbin  Building  and  Mercantile  National  Bank  Building;  the  handsome  new 
Mail  Sc  Express  Building,  built  by  the  late  Elliott  F.  Shepard;  the  National  Park  Bank  (an  illustration  of  which 
is  on  another  page);  the  fine  old  and  historic  St.  Paul's  Church;  the  old  Herald  office  building,  soon  to  be 
replaced  by  a  magnificent  pile  of  iron  and  brick ;  and  opposite  the  well  known  hostlery,  dear  to  the  hearts  of  all 
country-  folk,  the  Astor  House  (see  description  on  another  page). 

Then  on  the  angle  of  Park  Row  and  Broadway  is  the  Post  Office,  completed  in  1S75  at  a  cost  of  nearly 
$7,000,000.  Next  the  pedestrian  comes  to  an  imposing  edifice  at  the  corner  of  Murray  Street,  built  by  the 
Postal  Telegraph  &  Cable  Company.  It  is  of  Indiana  limestone,  brick  and  terra-ct>tta  trimmings,  and  is 
considered  one  of  the  handsomest  buildings  in  the  city.  Joining  the  Postal  Telegraph  Cable  Company's  building 
is  the  building  of  the  Home  Life  Insurance  Company,  and  it  is  purely  early  Ittihan  Renaissance  in  its  architec- 
ture. Then  comes  the  conspicuously  red  office  of  the  United  States  Life.  At  the  comer  of  Chambers  Street 
is  the  new  home  of  the  National  Shoe  and  Leather  Bank,  also  a  grand  specimen  of  modem  architecture. 

Crossing  Broadway  once  more,  the  objects  of  interest  architecturally  are  the  City  Hall,  the  municipal 
offices  and  Law  Courts  and  the  City  Hall  Park,  one  of  the  lower  lungs  of  the  city.  Proceeding  onward  there  is 
the  great  Stewart  Building,  at  the  northeast  comer  of  Chambers  Street,  an  immense  pile  of  marble  and  iron. 


N£IV   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


XXXIX 


ST.    PATRICK'S  CATHEDRAL. 


xl 


NEIV   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


Then  comes  another  new  and  lofty  edifice  in  the  Mutual  Reserve  Fund  Life  Association,  at  the  northwest 
comer  of  Duane  Street.  It  is  fourteen  stcjries  high  and  a  most  massive  and  imposing- building-.  On  the  opposite  side 
of  the  street  is  an  old  friend  in  the  handsome  home  of  the  New  York  Life  Insurance  Company,  a  fine  marble 
edifice,  as  solid  as  the  corporation  that  owns  it.  Still  moving  northward,  the  traveller  arrives  at  the  Ninth  National 
Bank ;  the  great  Rouss  Building,  a  splendid  monument  of  one  man's  pluck,  push  and  perseverance ;  the  solid 
Metropolitan  Hotel  and  old  Niblo's  Garden,  originally  kept  by  the  Lelands.  Then  on  the  west  side  is  the 
massive  stone  and  granite  enclosure  for  machinery  called  the  Power  House  of  the  New  York  Cable  Company, 
and  at  the  corner  of  Bleecker  Street  is  the  handsome  and  ornate  office  of  the  Manhattan  Savings  Institution. 
Proceeding  onward,  the  newly  constructed  and  arranged  Broadway  Central  Hotel  is  arrived  at,  and  then  one  of  the 
landmarks  of  the  great  thoroughfare,  in  A.  T.  Stewart's -great  iron  drygoods  store,  occupying  an  entire  block. 

Lower  Broadway  ends  just  here,  and  it  is  ornamentally  and  gracefully  concluded  by  the  beautiful, 
decorated  Gothic  erection  of  Grace  Church,  with  its  absolutely  perfect  spire  and  pretty  groups  of  buildings, 
built  through  the  benevolence  of  Miss  Catharine  L.  Wolfe  and  the  Hon.  Levi  P.  Morton.  Opposite  is  the  well 
known  caravansary,  the  St.  Denis  Hotel ;  and  then  the  old  and  favored  Star  Theatre,  made  bright  by  the 
genius  of  Lester  Wallack,  brings  the  rover  to  Union  Square  which  is  surrovmded  by  large  buildings  and 
handsome  stores.  At  the  northwest  corner  of  Fourteenth  Street  is  the  handsome  Lincoln  Office  Building,  and  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  square  the  Hotel  Dam  and  Union  .Square  Hotel.  Then  the  historic  and  world-famed 
Tiffany's,  with  its  millions  upon  millions'  worth  of  precious  stones  and  ornamental  bric-a-brac.  The  new 
emporium  for  pianos  of  Decker  Brothers  towers  above  the  surrounding  buildings,  and  on  the  opposite  corner 
is  the  conspicuously  handsome  and  solid  Century  Building,  from  whence  the  well  known  Coititry  Magazine  is 
edited  and  published. 

Proceeding  now  through  the  more  fashionable  bi;siness  portion  of  Broadwa}',  the  great  stores  of  Arnold 
&  Constable  and  J.  W.  Sloane  loom  up  grandly,  almost  obliterating  the  more  modest  but  solid  Aberdeen  and 
Continental  Hotels.  Three  blocks  more  and  Madison  Square  is  reached,  the  most  beautiful,  popular,  and  ornate 
breathing  place  of  this  city.  At  the  southeast  corner  of  Broadway  and  Twenty-third  Street  is  the  Bartholdi 
Hotel,  and  a  few  doors  eastward  is  the  magnificent  white  marble  home  of  the  Metropolitan  Life  Insurance  Com- 
pany, one  of  the  most  expen.sive  and  conspicuous  buildings  in  the  city.  Another  great  pile  of  brick  and  terra 
cotta  is  the  Madison  Square  Garden,  the  largest  amusement  building  in  America,  architecturally  magnificent, 
yet  simple  in  construction,  and  erected  at  a  cost  of  about  ^3,000,000.  Crossing  ^ladison  Square  there  comes  a 
list  of  hotels,  all  of  them  known  all  over  the  world — the  Fifth  Avenue,  Albemarle,  Hoffman  House,  St.  James, 
Delmonico's,  the  Victoria,  the  Sturtevant  and  Gilsey  House.  There  is  the  vast  Gilsey  building,  which  is  the 
only  building  in  the  world  with  two  theatres  under  the  one  roof;  these  are  the  Fifth  Avenue  and  Herrmann's 
Theatres.  Then  a  batch  of  amusement  palaces  is  dotted  on  each  side  of  the  way.  Palmer's,  Daly's,  the  Bijou, 
and  the  Standard  a  little  way  tip. 

Still  moving  upward,  there  are  the  comfortable  Grand  Hotel  and  the  .stately  Imperial,  and  at  the  angle  of 
Broadway  and  Sixth  Avenue  is  the  L^nion  Dime  Savings  Bank,  conspicuous  for  its  white  facade  and  illuminated 
clock.  At  the  opposite  angle,  where  Sixth  Avenue  intersects  Broadway,  is  an  important  factor  in  the  ornament- 
ation of  Upper  Broadway  in  the  new  Herald  Building,  which  is  as  beautiful  as  it  is  unique.  It  does  not  soar 
to  the  skies,  but  is  only  two  stories  high,  and  is  exclusivelj'  for  the  use  of  one  of  America's  great  journals. 

Moving  on,  another  batch  of  hotels  and  theatres  strikes  the  eye  of  the  passer  by.  There  are  the  hand- 
some hostelries,  the  Marlborough,  the  Normandie,  the  Oriental,  the  Gedney  House,  the  Vendome,  the  Metro- 
pole,  the  St.  Cloud,  and  the  Barrett  House,  and  the  new  and  pretty  playhouses,  including  the  fire-scarred 
Metropolitan  Opera  House,  Abbey's  new  Theatre,  the  Casino,  the  Empire,  and  the  Broadway  Theatre.  Above 
Forty-second  Street  nothing  of  importance  is  to  be  seen  until  the  park  is  reached,  and  the  Gladstone  at  Fifty- 
ninth  Street  ends  the  long  list  of  big  and  handsome  buildings  on  New  York's  greatest  thoroughfare. 

All  around  Central  Park  and  along  the  fine  Boulevard,  which  is  really  an  extension  of  Broadway,  are  a 
number  of  fine  specimens  of  Gotham's  latest  fad,  the  flat  and  apartment  hou.ses.  These  monumental  structures 
tower  their  lofty  heads  above  everything  else,  and  some  of  them  arc  as  splendid  and  lavish  in  their  appoint- 
ments as  they  are  expensive  and  alarming  in  the  rentals  asked.  Every  day  adds  to  these  enormous  residential 
palaces,  and  to  give  a  full  list  would  be  impossible  in  these  limited  pages.  The  most  important  and  splendid 
of  them,  however,  are  the  Dakota,  at  Central  Park  West  and  Seventy-second  vStreet,  built  in  the  style  of  a 
French  chateau;  the  Navarro  Flats,  at  Fifty-ninth  Street  and  Seventli  Avenue,  which  cost  $7,000,000  to  erect, 
and  comprise  in  one  great  group  of  handsome  homes,  the  Madrid,  the  (iranada,  the  Lisbon,  the  Cordova,  the 
Barcelona,  the  Valencia,  the  Salamanca,  and  the  Tolosa. 

Scattered  along  Upper  Broadway  and  the  West  Side  of  the  Park  are  tlie  Strathmore,  Windsor,  Rutland, 
Albany,  Pocantico,  Osborne,  Grenoble,  Wyoming,  and  Van  Colaer;  the  Beresford,  San  Remo,  La  Grange, 
Endicott  and  Rutledge  in  Central  Park  West,  and  the  splendid  Nevada,  high  up  on  the  Boulevard.  ^Mention 
must  be  made  of  the  high  class  establi.shments  on  Madison  Avenue,  known  as  the  Earlscourt,  St.  Catharine,  St. 
Honore,  Hoffman  Arms,  and  Santa  Marguerita;  on  Columbus  Avenue  are  the  Brockholst  and  Cireylock ;  on 
Fifth  Avenue  the  Hamilton  and  the  Knickerbocker;  and  in  the  central  part  of  the  city  the  Gramercy  Park, 
Anglesea,  Chel.sea,  Florence,  Westmoreland,  Douglas,  Beeclnvood,  etc..  and  last,  but  not  least  in  size  or  beauty, 
the  bachelor  ajjartment  houses  Croisie,  Benedict  and  Alpine. 

The  Tenement  Houses,  which  tell  of  tiie  dark  side  of  New  York  City,  are  dotted  on  nearly  all  the  streets 
below  Fourteenth  Street.  They  hang  on  to  the  edges  of  both  rivers,  east  and  west,  and  reach  up  as  far  as  Fifty- 
ninth  Street.  In  these  cheaply  constructed  buildings,  the  squalor  and  mi.sery  inseparable  to  a  great  city  are 
hidden,  and  in  some  sections  the  tenants  are  packed  together  at  the  rate  of  many  thousands  to  the  square. 

Having  taken  the  explorer  through  princii)al  business  and  amusement  thoroughfares  of  the  city,  and  ten- 
derly guided  him  over  the  abodes  of  poverty  and  vice,  it  will  be  well  to  return  once  more  to  all  that  is  bright 
and  pleasing.     Fifth  Avenue,  the  splendid  residence  .street  of  the  city,  the  abode  of  the  aristocrat  and  the  mil- 


xlii 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


lionaire,  is  pre-eminently  the  finest  avenue  in  the  country ;  it  rivals  Broadway  in  big  hotels,  and  it  far  outvies  it  in 
clubs,  churches,  and  the  residences  of  wealth  and  luxury.  Fifth  Avenue  extends  from  Washington  Square 
for  four  miles  northward.  Taking  its  public  buildings  and  beginning  at  the  Park,  there  are  the  splendid  Metro- 
politan Museum  of  Art,  containing  a  magnificent  collection  of  paintings,  statues,  and  ancient  relics  loaned  and 
presented  by  prominent  and  wealthy  citizens,  the  Lenox  Library,  St.  Luke's  Hospital,  the  Roman  Catholic 
Orphan  Asylum,  and  lower  down  Chickering  Hall.  The  most  recently  erected  structures  are  the  Judge  Build- 
ing, Methodist  Book  Concern,  and  the  Mohawk  Building. 

The  private  residences  and  millionaires'  palaces  are  unsurpassed  by  any  other  avenue  in  the  world. 
Among  them  are  Robert  L.  Stuart's  mansion,  the  splendid  homes  of  Henry  O.  Havemeyer,  William  Rocke- 
feller, Chauncey  M.  Depew,  Russell  Sage,  Ogden  Goelet,  Henry  M.  Flagler,  Darius  ().  Mills,  R.  F.  Cutting, 
Robert  Goelet.  and  the  C.  P.  Huntington  mansion.  The  Stevens  house,  owned  and  occupied  by  ex-Secretary 
of  the  Navy  William  C.  Whitney,  and  the  series  of  splendid  edifices  occupied  by  Cornelius  Vanderbilt.  William 
K.  Vanderbilt,  Mrs.  William  H.  Vanderbilt,  William  D.  Sloane,  and  ^Irs.  Elliott  F.  Shepard.  The  avenue  is 
the  principal  resort  of  the  clubs,  among  them  being  the  Progress,  at  Sixty-third  Street:  the  Metropolitan  and 
the  New,  at  Fifty-eighth  Street ;  the  Democratic,  near  Fiftieth  Street ;  the  Republican,  at  Fortieth ;  the  Union 
League  and  the  Delta  Kappa  Epsilon,  at  Thirty-ninth  Street;  the  St.  Nicholas,  at  Thirty-sixth  Street;  the  New 


<  Ki:.:iN.\i.  (  I  U  RT. 


York,  at  Thirty-fiftli  Street;  the  Manhattan,  at  Thirty-fourth  Street,  the  late  A.  T.  Stewart's  residence :  the 
Knickerbocker,  at  Thirty-second  Street;  the  Calumet,  at  Twenty-ninth  Street;  the  Reform,  at  Twenty-seventh 
Street;  the  Sorosis,  near  Twenty-fifth  Street,  and  the  Lotus  and  L^nion,  at  Twenty-first  Street.  Among  the 
other  important  clubs  in  the  city  are  the  Century,  7  West  Forty-third  Street;  the  University,  Madison  Avenue 
and  Twenty-sixth  vStreet ;  the  Colonial,  Seventy-second  Street  and  Boulevard ;  the  Harmonic,  45  West  Forty-second 
wStreet;  the  Grolier,  29  East  Thirty-second  Street ;  the  Players',  Gramercy  Park,  and  the  Press  Club.  Nassau  vStreet. 

But  it  is  in  magnificent  and  luxurious  hotels  that  Fifth  Avenue  is  especially  favored,  big  millionaires 
vying  with  each  other  in  their  efforts  to  erect  the  loftiest  and  most  splendid  buildings.  At  the  Plaza  is.  per- 
haps, the  mo.st  perfect,  and  certainly  the  newest,  in  W.  W.  Astor's  beautiful  structure,  the  New  Netherland. 
erected  at  a  cost  of  $3,000,000.  On  the  opposite  corner  of  Fifty-ninth  Street  is  the  Savoy,  another  palace  of 
steel  and  limestone,  built  by  Judge  Dugro,  at  a  cost  of  over  §2,000.000.  The  "  Plaza  "  is  at  the  Fifty-ninth 
Street  and  Fifth  Avenue  entrance  of  Central  Park.  It  contains  400  rooms,  and  is  owned  by  the  New  York  Life 
Insurance  Company.  The  Langham  is  at  Fifty-second  Street;  the  Buckingham,  at  Fiftieth  vStreet;  the 
Windsor,  at  Forty-sixth  Street;  the  Sherwood,  at  Forty-fourth  Street;  the  Hamilton  and  Bristol,  at  Forty-second 
Street;  the  St.  Marc  at  Thirty-ninth  Street. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


xliii 


L)Bbhk\  A  l  uR^  — lHNTRAL  park. 


xliv 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


At  Thirty-third  Street  is  another  splendid  palace  in  the  Waldorf,  built  by  William  Waldorf  Astor,  on  the 
site  of  the  old  Astor  mansion.  It  contains  over  500  rooms  and  is  said  to  be  the'finest  hotel  in  the  world  for  com- 
fort and  appointments.  The  Cambrido^e  is  also  at  Thirty-third  vStreet;  the  Holland,  at  Thirtieth  Street;  the  Vic- 
toria, at  Twenty-seventh  Street;  the  Brunswick,  at  Twenty-fifth  Street,  and  Delmonico's  oppo.site.  Crossing 
Madison  Square,  the  rover  comes  to  the  Glenham,  at  Twenty-second  Street;  the  Logerot.  at  Twentieth  Street; 
the.  Lenox,  at  Twelfth  Street,  the  Berkeley,  at  Ninth  Street,  and  the  popular  old  fashioned  Brevoort  House,  at 
Clinton  Place.  ' 

Fifth  Avenue  is  a  thorout^hfare  of  magnificent  churches,  which  arc  considered  as  numerous  and  as  splen- 
did as  in  any  other  street  in  the  world.  Mrst  comes  the  fine  Jewish  Temple  Bethel,  at  Seventv-sixth  Street; 
then  the  splendid  Gothic  structure,  the  Fifth  Avenue  Pre.s-byterian,  at  Fiftv-sixth  Street,  w-hose  pastor  is  the 
popular  Dr.  John  Hall;  St.  Thtmias  (Episcopal),  at  Fifty-third  Street.  'The  magnificent  Roman  Catholic 
Cathedral  of  St.  Patrick,  occupying  a  whole  block  between  Fiftieth  and  Fifty-first  Streets,  one  of  the  finest 
ecclesiastical  buildings  in  the  country.  Then  comes  the  Collegiate  Reformed,  at  Forty-fifth  Street;  the  Heav- 
enly Rest  (Episcopal),  near  Forty-fifth  Street;  the  Divine  Paternity  (Universalist),  at  Fortv-fifth  Street;  the 
Jewish  Temple  limanuel,  at  Forty-third  Street;  the  Brick  Presbyterian,  at  Thirtv-seventh  Street ;  the  Collegiate 
Reformed,  at  Twenty-ninth  Street,  the  First  Presbyterian,  at  Twelfth  Street,  and  the  Church  of  the  Ascension 
(Episcopal),  at  Tenth  vStreet. 

Madison  Avenue  from  an  architectural  and  residential  point  of  view  cannot  be  pa.ssed  over  without  a  few 
words.     It  contains  many  fine  mansions,  the  handsomest  being  those  of  Charles  F.  Clark  and  John  King,  at 


.Ml-:  IK' M.l  I  s  N    Ml  M.l  M    cJi     A  K  I'    I  1.  N  1  l<  A  1 .  I'AKK. 


Sixty-ninth  Street;  Whilelaw  Reids  beautiful  Florentine  palace  ;  and  the  picturcstjuc  Tiffany  house.  The 
churches  are  also  numerous,  the  finest  being  vSt.  James  (Protestant  Episcopal),  at  Seventy-first  Street  ;  All  Souls' 
(Episcopal),  at  Sixty-sixth  Street  ;  Madison  Avenue (J^Iethodist  Episcoi)al),  at  Sixtieth  Street  ;  St.  Bartholomew's, 
at  Forty-fourth  Street  ;  the  Church  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  at  Forty-second  wStreet  ;  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation, 
at  Thirty-fifth  Street  ;  Madison  Avenue  Baptist  Church,  at  Thirty-first  Street,  and  the  Madison  Square  Presby- 
terian Church,  at  Twenty-fourth  Street.  The  popular  Church  of  the  Transfiguration,  known  as  "The  Little 
Church  around  the  Corner,"  nestles  ([uietly  and  modestly  on  Twenty-ninth  vStreet,  between  Fifth  and  Madison 
Avenues. 

Among  the  other  ])n)niin(.iU  arcliitcctural  adornments  of  the  Metropolis  scattered  over  the  Northern  and 
Eastern  part  of  the  city  arc,  the  magnificent  Cathedral  of  St.  John  the  Divine  (Protestant  E])iscopal).  now  in 
course  of  erection,  which  will  cost,  when  finished,  over  §6,000,000.  It  will  be  the  highest  building  in  the  world 
next  to  the  Eiffel  Tower,  and  the  noblest  fane  in  America.  It  is  splendidly  situated  on  Morningside  Park, 
between  i  loth  and  1 13th  Streets.  Then  tliere  are  Mount  St.  Vincent  Academy,  at  Riverdale  ;  the  Convent  of  the 
Sacred  Heart,  St.  Nicholas  Avenue  and  1.30th  Street  ;  New  York  Cancer  Hospital,  Central  Park  West  and  io6th 
Street  ;  the  Grant  Monument,  now  being  erected  at  Riverside  Park  ;  the  Columbia  College  buildings,  at  River- 
dale  ;  the  Carnegie  Music  Hall,  at  Fifty-seventh  Street  ;  the  Normal  College,  at  Lexington  Avenue  and  Sixty- 
ninth  Street;  the  American  Fine  Arts  Building,  on  Fifty-eighth  Street;  the  American  Museum  of  Natural 
History,  at  Seventy-seventh  Street,  and  the  Union  Theological  Seminary,  on  Park  Avenue. 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


\\-.\\    ^oKK  lloSl'llAL. 


xlvi 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


Working  downtown  the  explorer  of  the  architectural  beauties  will  find  the  College  of  the  Citv  of  New 
York,  at  Lexington  Avenue  and  Twenty-third  Street  ;  the  Academy  of  Design,  also  on  Twenty-third  Street  ;  the 
Masonic  Hall,  on  Twenty-third  Street;  the  Jefferson  Market  Court  House,  on  Sixth  Avenue.'  Then  crossing  to 
the  Bowery,  there  are  the  dear  old  Cooper  Union,  the  Astor  Library  Building,  the  Tombs  and  the  new  Crimrnal 
Court  House  adjoining.  With  a  jump  to  Nassau,  the  great  office  buildings  loom  up  again,  and  there  are  the 
great  iron  and  brick  piles  known  as  the  Vanderbilt,  the  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Building  and  the  Clearing  House; 
on  Wall  Street,  are  the  Sub-Treasury,  the  Assay  Office  and  the  Custom  House,  also  some  magnificent  office 
buildings,  including  the  Schermerhorn,  the  Astor,  the  Manhattan  Company  and  Merchants'  National  Bank,  the 


1 


U  ASHI.\GTO.\  .ARCH. 


Bank  of  America,  the  New  York  Life  Insurance  and  Trust  Company,  the  Central  Trust  Company,  the  Gallatin 
P>ank  P>uilding  and  Drcxel's.    On  Broad  Street,  the  Mills,  the  Edison,  the  Morris  and  the  Stock  Exchange. 

The  la.st  but  certainly  not  the  least  important  in  the  list  of  big  buildings  are  collected  along  Newspaper 
(or  Park^  Row  and  Printing  House  Square,  at  the  north  end  of  Nassau  wStreet.  There  will  be  found  the  magni- 
ficent working  abodes  of  the  World,  the  Sun,  the  Tribune,  the  Times  and  the  Press,  and  the  fine  office  buildings, 
the  Morse,  the  Potter  and  Temple  Court.  The  New  York  Recorder  has  a  sub.stantial  eight  story  building  on 
Spruce  Street.  On  the  West  side  mention  should  be  made  of  the  great  Havemeyer  Building  on  Cortlandt 
Street,  the  IMetropolitan  Telephone  and  Tclegrajih  Building,  the  Coal  and  Iron  ICxchange,  and  the  Offices  of  the 
Central  Railroad  of  New  Jersey. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


xlvii 


ORNAMENTAL  STRUCTURES  AND  STATUARY. 


/CONSIDERING  its  age,  Gotham  is  well  favored  in  Statuary,  Fountains,  Memorial  Arches,  and  Oljelisks. 

The  heads  of  the  City  Government  have  wisely  followed  the  French  models  in  their  selections  of  objects  to 
please  the  public  eye,  and  vary  the  monotony  of  dwelling  houses  and  factories.  As  a  rule  the  statues  are  artistic, 
and  they  represent  not  only  local  celebrities,  but'  the  great  men  of  the  world,  and  the  variety  of  nationalities 
represented  amply  proves  the  cosmopolitan  character  of  the  city.  The  collection,  taken  as  a  whole,  reflects 
credit  on  the  designers  and  compares  favorably  with  any  other  city  in  the  world  for  its  age  and  size.  There  are  in 
all  about  sixty  statues, 
of  sculpture,  two 
obelisks  and  a 
every  park  or  square, 
most  important  and 
creation  which  greets 
floats  up  the  bay  is 
cent  monument  to 
Enlightening  the 
situated  on  Bedloe's 
bor.  The  figure  is 
page  xxi  of  this  work, 
tery  the  first  statue 
John  Ericsson,  finely 
Scott  Hartley  ;  the 
and  three  inches  in 
J.  Q.  A.  Ward's  colossal 
ington,  at  the  entrance 
Wall  St.,  on  the  actual 
took  the  oath  of  office 
the  United  States  in 
way  is  the  earliest 
art  in  the  city.  It  is 
of  Governor  Peter 
timber  leg  and  austere 
ler  arrives  at  Printing 
Benjamin  Franklin  is 
and  Horace  Greeley 
smiles  down  upon  the 
the  Tribune  Building. 
City  Hall  Park  is 
Nathan  Hale,  presented 
Sons  of  the  Revolution, 
building  are  Gutenberg 
ing  the  march  uptown 
Astor  Place,  where  the 
Congressman  Samuel 
arm  over  the  populace. 
Miss  Louisa  Lawson. 
Washington  Square, 
morial  arches  forms 
Avenue.  It  is  the 
erected  in  1889  to 
nial  of  the  inauguration 
President  of  the  United 
designed  by  Stanford 


THE  OBELISK-CENTRAI.  PARK. 


bu.sts  and  ideal  works 
triumphal  arches,  two 
handsome  fountain  in 
To  begin  with,  the 
best  known  artistic 
e  \-  e  r  y  visitor  who 
Bartholdi's  magnifi- 
f reedom ,  "Liberty 
W  o  r  1  d,"  sjjlendidly 
Island,  New  York  Har- 
fully  described  on 
Landing  at  the  Bat- 
is  a  bronze  effigy  of 
modelled  by  Julian 
figure  is  eight  feet 
height.  Next  comes 
bronze  statue  of  Wash- 
of  the  Sub-Treasury  on 
site  where  Washington 
as  first  President  of 
1789.  At  165  Broad- 
example  of  statuary 
the  wooden  image 
Stuyvesant,  with  his 
mien.  Then  the  travel- 
Mouse  vSquare,  where 
in  heroic  size  in  bronze, 
seated  in  an  arm  chair 
thousands  passing 
Crossing  to  the 
iMcMonnie's  statue  of 
to  the  City  by  the 
( )n  the  Slants  Zcitioig 
and  Franklin.  Continu- 
thc  traveller  arrives  at 
letter  carrier's,friend, 
S.  Cox,  lifts  his  right 
'I'his  is  the  work  of 
Xext  in  order  comes 
where  one  of  the  me- 
ihe  entrance  to  Fifth 
W'ash  ington  Arch, 
(.elebratc  the  centen- 
i)f  AVashington  as  first 
States.  The  arch  was 
White  and  is  of  white 


marble.  It  is  considered  the  handsomest  structure  of  its  kind  in  the  country.  It  was  completed  in  1892  and  cost 
$128,000.  Washington  Square  is  also  adorned  with  heroic  representations  in  bronze  of  Garibaldi  and  Alexander 
L.  Holley.  On  reaching  Union  Square  the  wanderer  has  a  feast  of  art,  patriotism  and  beauty  before  him.  There  is 
a  pretty  fountain  and  a  handsome  drinking  fountain  surmounted  by  a  woman  and  two  children.  At  the  junction 
of  Fourth  Avenue  and  Fourteenth  Street  is  the  finest  of  the  Washington  .statues,  depicting  "the  Father  of 
his  Country"  on  horseback.  It  is  of  heroic  size  and  was  finely  sculptured  l)y  Henry  K.  Browne.  Immediately 
opposite  is  a  bronze  figure  of  Lafayette,  beautifully  executed  by  Bartholdi  and  presented  by  the  French  residents 
of  New  York.  At  the  Broadway  angle  of  the  square  is  a  fine  representation  of  the  martyr  President  Lincoln. 
It  is  surrounded  by  a  low  curb  of  granite,  on  which  are  chiselled  his  famous  Gettysburg  words,  "  With  malice 
toward  none,  with  charity  for  all."  Then  Madison  Square  is  arrived  at  and  another  galaxy  of  art  delights  the 
eye  of  the  visitor.    First  and  foremost  is  the  handsome  granite  obelisk  to  perpetuate  the  memory^  of  General 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


I 


Worth;  it  is  finely  adorned  with  bronze  ornaments  and  was  erected  b}'  the  eit}^  in  1857.  Opposite  is  the  finest 
example  of  American  scnlptm'c  art  in  the  country.  It  is  the  Farra<i^ut  statue,  by  Auj^fustus  St.  Gaudens,  and  was 
presented  to  the  city  by  the  Farragut  Memorial  Association.  The  great  naval  hero  is  represented  as  standing  on 
the  deck  of  his  vessel,  field  glass  in  hand.  A  heavy  curved  pedestal  forms  a  seat  and  it  is  adorned  with  appro- 
priate marine  emblems.  The  William  H.  Seward  Statue  is  a  heroic  bronze  representation  of  the  famous  vSecre- 
tary  of  State  seated.  It  was  designed  by  Randolph  Rogers.  There  are  also  some  handsome  ornamental  and 
drinking  ftmntains.  Moving  further  northwtird  the  pedestrian  comes  to  the  Dodge  Statue,  at  the  junction  of 
Broadway,  Sixth  Avenue  and  Thirty-fifth  Street,  and  at  Bryant  Park  are  found  handsome  representations  of 
Washington  Irving  and  William  Cullen  Brj-ant. 

The  last  and  most  fertile  field  of  statuary  art  is.  Central  Park.  At  the  Eighth  Avenue  and  Fifty- 
ninth  vStreet  entrance  is  the  new  and  beautiful  mtmumcnt  to  Columbus,  unveiled  at  the  quadricentennial 
and  presented  by  the  Italian  Government. 

carved  in  marble  and 
column  ornamented 
emblems,  and  with 
figures  at  the  base, 
described  as  "the  no- 
Xew  York's  many  sculp- 
to  the  Mall,  a  number 
discovered,  dotted 
elms.  There  are  Bee- 
Sir  Walter  Scott,  Fitz- 
poet ;  Shakespeare,  the 
Columbus,  the  Indian 
and  Goat.  North  of 
Bethesda  Fountain, the 
designed  by  ]Miss 
representing  a  winged 
waters  of  the  Pool  of 
being  supported  by  four 
Temperance,  Purity, 
West  Drive  is  rich  in 
ccjuestrian  statue  of 
the  Liberator  of  South 
first  Street;  Daniel 
bronze;  then  there  are 
memorial  to  the  mem- 
Regiment  who  fell 
and  an  ideal  bronze 
In  various  picturesque 
Park,  the  wanderer 
representation  of 
by  Boscjuet  ;  A  1  e  x- 
granite.  Professor  S.  F. 
Alexander  Von  Hum- 
Schiller,  the  Still  Hunt, 
and  another  Columbus 
llie  Arsenal  Building, 
artistic  relic  is  the 
near  the  Museum  of 
by  Ismail  Pasha,  Khe- 
brought  over  at  an 
W.  H.  Vanderbilt  and 
present  position,  and  is 
years  old.  The  mo- 
seventy  feet  high,  and 
The  heroic  bronze 
artistic  example  to  be 
aces  around  this  citv 


Columbus  is  finely 
stands  upon  a  tall 
with  bronze  marine 
some  fine  bronze 
It  has  been  fittingly 
blest  work  of  art  "  mid 
tures.  Walking  along 
of  fine  examples  are 
about  imder  the  stately 
thoven,  Robert  Burns, 
Greene  Halleck,  the 
Sunol  Statue  of 
Hunter,  and  the  Ragles 
the  Mall  is  the  beautiful 
finest  in  the  country, 
Emma  Stebbins,  and 
angel  blessing  the 
Bethesda,  the  basin 
figures  sy m  b  o  1  i  z i  n g 
Health  and  Peace.  The 
works  of  art.  An 
Gen.  Simon  Bolivar, 
America,  is  at  Eighty- 
Webster  is  in  heroic 
Mazzini,  the  handsome 
bers  of  the  vSeventh 
during  the  civil  war, 
figure,  The  Falconer, 
works  all  over  the 
will  find  an  allegorical 
Commerce  in  bronze, 
ander  Plamilton,  in 
B.  Morse,  the  Pilgrim, 
boldt,  Thomas  Moore, 
the  Tigress  and  Young, 
Statue,  in  marble,  in 
The  oldest  and  most 
Egyptian  Obelisk, 
Art,  presented  in  1877 
dive  of  Egypt.  It  wa^ 
immense  expense  by 
placed  by  him  in  its 
said  to  be  about  4,000  ^'J^r . 
nolith  is  of  granite, 
it  weigh  s  200  tons, 
statue  of  Archbishop  Huglies,  in  Ihc 
met  with.  At  least  fifteen  new 
during  the  next  few  m<)nlh^ 
recently  formed  Municijxil 
Central  Park  by  ])ublic 
composed  of  prominent 
of  selecting  designs. 

Among  them  will  be  an  equestrian 
Columlius 
zuela 


( OLUMBUS  COLUMN-CENTRAL  VXKK. 


ground  of  vSt.  lohn's  College,  Fordham,  is  the  last 
and    costly  statues   will  be  erected  in  public  pi 
They  will  aid  greatly  to  adorn  the  Greater  New  York  of  the  future  The 
Art  Society  of  this  city  is  now  i)lanning  several  new  statues  to  be  erected  in 
spirited    citizens    and    local    societies.      The  Municipal  Art  vSociety.   which  is 
irchitects  and  artists,   will   act  as  an  advi.sory  council  of  experts  in  the  matter 


statue  of  General  W.  T.  Sherman,  the  Sunol  bronze  statue  of 
and  replicas  in  bronze  of  Robert  Fulton,  Valentine  Mott  and  John  Jay,  General  Bolivar  of  Vcne- 
Roscoe  Conkling,  Thorwaldsen,  the  famous  Danish  sculptor,  Chester  A.  Arthur,  Louis  Kossuth,  Queen 
Isabella  of  Spain,  and  the  Holland  Society  are  about  to  erect  three  statues  in  memory  of  the  early  Dutch 
settlers,  the  plans  for  which  are  not  yet  given  out. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS.  xlix 


ART,  LITERATURE  AND  THE  DRAMA. 

NEW  YORK  has  reason  to  be  proud  of  her  advances  in  Art,  Science,  and  Literature,  althcnii^-h  it  is  not  to  be 
expected  she  can  rival  London  or  Paris  for  some  time  to  come,  but  its  extraordinary  pro^-ress  up  to  this 
warrants  the  hope  that  before  the  close  of  the  next  century  New  York  will  equal  the  great  cities  of  Europe  in 
many  respects.  It  is  true  that,  while  a  great  city,  or  even  an  empire,  may,  through  favorable  circumstances  or 
the  genius  of  man,  be  founded  in  a  few  years,  relatively,  it  takes  many  centuries  to  collect  a  library  like  the 
BihliotJicquc  Nationalc  of  Paris,  the  Vatican  collection  in  Rome,  or  the  British  Museum  and  National  Gallery  of 
London,  which  are  simply  stupendous  in  scope  and  size.  Great  conquerors,  rulers  of  mighty  empires,  have  for 
many  centuries  contributed  to  the  founding  and  swelling  of  those  Old  World  institutions.  European  monarchs 
have  vied  with  one  another  in  attracting  men  of  genius  to  their  capitals,  almost  as  strongly  as  they  have  con- 
tended for  victory  on  the  battlefield,  and  the  result  is  what  the  world  beholds  and  admires.  New  York  is  not 
even  the  capital  of  this  grand  Republic,  though  it  is  its  commercial  Metropolis,  and  the  National  treasury  has 
never  expended  a  dollar  for  its  artistic  or  literar\'  enrichment.  Within  the  past  cjuarter  of  a  century  private 
citizens  have,  of  their  own  free  will,  done  as  much  for  this  city  in  the  way  of  art  encouragement  as  ever  did,  in 
the  same  time,  any  imperial  ruler  for  London,  Paris,  Berlin,  Rome,  or  Vienna.  We  have  only  to  mention  the 
Astors,  the  Vandcrbilts,  James  Lenox,  the  late  A.  T.  vStewart,  Henry  G.  Manpiand,  Miss  Catharine  Lorillard 
Wolfe,  Peter  Cooper,  and  others. 

It  has  been  said  recently,  by  a  periodical,  that  to-day  New  York's  private  citizens  possess  some  of  the 
finest  art  collections  in  the  world.  Not  a  summer  passes  that  her  millionaires  do  not  bring  with  them  from 
Europe  magnificent  paintings,  many  of  them  by  the  great  masters,  purchased  in  art  galleries,  at  auctions,  from 
noblemen,  whose  ancestors  collected  them  for  generations,  at  great  cost,  and  anywhere,  in  fact,  where  they  are 
to  be  had  for  money.  In  the  nature  of  things,  many  of  these  paintings  and  sculptures  will  in  time  pass  into 
the  public  galleries,  and  America  will  possess  specimens  of  the  works  of  such  men  as  Michael  Angelo,  Raphael, 
Guido,  Rubens,  Leonardo  da  Vinci,  and  other  great  masters,  which  are  jealously  stored  away  in  the  great  galle- 
ries and  palaces  of  Europe.  New  York  has  made  a  good  beginning,  however.  Without  speaking  of  the  public 
collections  as  seen  in  the  Lenox  Library,  the  Metropolitan  Museum  of  Art,  and  elsewhere,  many  fine  works  of 
art  are  in  the  hands  of  private  citizens.  Included  among  such  collections  we  may  mention  those  of  the  Astors, 
J.  A.  Bostwick,  Samuel  P.  Avery,  James  B.  Colgate,  R.  L.  Cutting,  Oswald  Ottendorfer,  Sydney  Dillon,  W.  B. 
Dinsmore,  George  J.  Gould,  Charles  A.  Dana,  Henry  Hilton,  J.  Pierpont  Morgan,  C.  P.  Huntington,  Mrs. 
P&ran  Stevens,  G.  C.  Haven,  J.  W.  Pinchot,  Mrs.  W.  H.  Vanderbilt,  Cornelius  Vanderbilt,  Heber  R.  Bishop,  W. 
K.  Vanderbilt,  Charles  Stewart  Smith,  C.  F.  Woerischoffer,  Darius  O.  Mills,  Levi  P.  Morton,  Mrs,  Marshal  ().  Rob- 
erts, William  Schaus,  Thomas  B.  Clarke,  and  E.  D.  Adams.  The  Seney  collection  alone  cost  $650,000,  that  of 
Mary  Jane  Morgan  $1,205,153,  A.  T.  Stewart's  $575,000,  Brayton  Ives  $275,000,  from  which  it  may  be  estimated 
that  the  city  contains  already  vast  treasures  in  art.  All  these  treasures,  ho\v  ever,  have  hitherto  done  very  little 
toward  the  creation  of  an  American  School  of  Art  and  Artists.  To-day  there  is  no  American  school,  and  there  are 
very  few  American  artists,  aspirants  for  fame,  who  do  not  go  to  Europe  for  education  and  training.  American 
students  are  to  be  seen  in  large  numbers  in  all  the  galleries  and  schools  of  the  Continent.  Still  the  city  is  not  with- 
out artists,  and  good  ones,  too,  such  as  J.  Q.  A.  Ward,  the  sculptor,  and  Albert  Bierstadt,  the  painter,  while  there 
are  many  men  and  women  of  rare  merit,  whose  names  are  daily  becoming  more  familiar  to  the  public.  The  Metro- 
politan Museum  of  Art  contains  the  best  collection  of  art  in  America,  of  either  a  private  or  ]niblic  nature.  The 
Metropolitan  Museum  of  Art  was  founded  in  October,  1869,  and  the  Art  Committee  of  the  Union  League  Club 
was  mainl)^  instrumental  in  calling  it  into  existence.  It  was  incorporated,  and  in  1872  its  trustees  purchased 
from  General  P.  di  Cesnola  the  antiquities  imearthed  by  him  in  the  island  of  Cyprus.  After  this,  gifts  in  money 
and  art  came  in  very  frequently.  The  Park  Commissioners  ofiiered  to  erect  a  building  in  Central  Park,  if  the 
trustees  would  locate  the  museum  there,  which  was  accepted,  and  the  Metropolitan  Museum  of  Art  was  incor- 
porated by  act  of  the  Legislature.  At  first  the  Museum  was  opened  to  the  people  four  days  in  the  week  free  of 
charge,  but  in  1890  the  trustees,  in  deference  to  public  opinion,  threw  it  open  on  Sundays,  and  made  that  day 
also  free,  though  the  step  involved  a  large  pecuniary  sacrifice,  for  out  of  901,203  visitors,  nearly  200,000  came 
on  Sundays,  from  March  31st  to  December  31st.  The  ccTlection  in  the  museum  is  very  fine  and  rare,  and  the 
Cyprus  department  is  particularly  valuable,  including,  as  it  does,  sarcophagi,  inscriptions,  alabasters,  ivories, 
pottery,  statuary,  bronzes,  jewelry,  Assyrian,  Egyptian,  Phoenician,  Greek  and  Roman  objects  in  gold  and 
silver,  from  the  earliest  times  to  the  Christian  era.  The  glass  collection  presented  by  Mr.  Marquand  is  also 
very  costly  and,  taken  with  the  collection  of  J.  J.  Jarves,  is  the  most  valuable  in  the  country.  There  are  also 
collections  of  Assyrian  and  Babylonian  cylinders,  Egyptian,  Greek,  Roman,  and  Indian  antiquities,  the  Coles 
collection  of  tapestries  and  vases,  the  Lazarus  collection  of  miniatures,  enamels  and  gems;  the  Drexel  collection 
of  art  objects  in  gold  and  silver ;  the  King  collection;  ancient  gems  presented  by  John  Taylor  Johnston ;  S.  P. 
Avery's  collection  of  Oriental  Porcelain;  Japanese  swords  from  the  Ives  collection;  musical  instniments  of  all 
nations,  presented  by  Mrs.  John  Crosbie  Brown,  with  a  similar  collection  presented  by  J.  W.  Drexel;  the  Baker 
collection  of  textile  fabrics  from  Fayoum ;  Ericsson's  model  inventions;  the  McCullum,  Stewart  and  Astor  laces; 
sculptured  casts  worth  $100,000,  bequeathed  by  the  late  Levi  H.  Willard;  a  collection  of  Renaissance  iron  work; 
the  Delia  Robbia  altar-piece;  metallic  reproductions  of  gold  and  silver  objects  in  the  Imperial  Russian  Museum, 
and  a  very  valuable  collection  from  the  Dutch  and  Flemish  masters,  presented  by  Mr.  Marquand,  who  has  done 
more  for  the  museum  than  any  other  person;  drawings  from  the  old  masters,  presented  by  Cornelius  Vander- 
bilt; a  collection  of  the  same  class,  the  gift  of  Cephas  G.  Thompson;  a  collection  of  English  paintings,  also 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


MADISON   SgUARL  GARDtN. 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


li 


jriven  by  Mr.  Martiuand ;  a  splendid  collection,  presented  by  Miss  Wolfe;  Rosa  Bonlieur's  masterjiiece,  "The 
Horse  Fair,"  presented  b}'  Cornelius  Vanderbilt,  and  some  works  of  Meissonicr,  the  g-ift  of  Henry  Hilton.  The 
building  containing  this  magnificent  collection,  as  well  as  the  American  Museum  of  Natural  History  in  Central 
Park,  are  themselves  models  of  architectural  beauty.  Central  Park  with  its  inestimable  treasures  will  in  time 
be  looked  i:pon  with  wonder,  as  embodying  democratic  America's  aspirations  after  the  artistic  and  beautiful. 

The  National  Academy  of  Design,  on  Twenty-third  Street  and  Fourth  Avenue,  was  founded  in  1826  and 
incorporated  in  1828.  It  is  the  foremost  institution  of  its  kind  in  America.  Members  of  the  Academy 
consist  of  the  Academicians,  who  are  a  corporate  body,  and  the  Associates,  all  of  necessity  artists.  The 
National  Academy  of  Design  is  modelled  after  the  English  Royal  Academy,  chiefly,  and  the  Paris  Salon,  but 
in  respect  of  government,  discipline  and  curriculum,  it  is  entirely  original  and  American.  Among  many 
other  aids  to  art  in  the  city  are  the  Art  Students'  League,  organized  in  1878  ;  the  Kit-Kat  Club,  founded  in 
188 1,  composed  of  a  working  club  of  artists  ;  the  American  Water  Color  Society,  organized  in  1866  ;  the  new 
Etching  Club,  the  American  Fine  Arts  Societ}%  the  Architectural  League,  Society  of  American  Artists,  Society 
of  Decorative  Art,  and  the  American  Art  Association,  founded  by  James  F.  Sutton,  Thomas  E.  Kirby  and  R. 
Austin  Robinson,  all  business  men  with  a  broad  artistic  spirit.  The  galleries  of  this  association  are  filled  with 
pictures  by  American  artists,  and,  altogether,  it  is  the  best  art  gallery  on  this  continent.  Here  may  be  met 
the  artists  and  literati  of  the  United  States,  with  a  good  many,  also,  from  Europe  emd  the  South  and  Central 
American  Republics,  who  make  of  it  a  headquarters,  or  rendezvous  for  the  discussion  of  questions  affecting 
their  craft,  as  well  as  to  see  what  is  new  in  American  painting  and  sculpture,  and  here  also  are  found,  now 
and  then,  the  millionaire,  the  connoisseur,  the  jihilosopher,  the  scientist  and  poet  ;  in  a  word,  men  celebrated 
in  all  departments  of  the  literary  or  artistic  world. 


AMUSEMENTS— LIBRARIES. 

NEW  YORK  as  a  theatrical  city  ranks  very  high.  It  is  the  great  clearing  house  for  the  theatrical  enterprises 
of  the  entire  country,  and  in  season  brings  forward  as  many  new  plays  as  either  Paris  or  Londcjn. 
Anything  successful  and  bright  in  either  of  these  cities  is  eagerly  caught  up,  and,  besides,  the  managers  have 
lots  of  American  talent  to  assist  them.  There  are  in  the  city  thirty-eight  regular  theatres.  The  people  of  New 
York  pay  upwards  of  $5,000,000  a  year  to  be  amused  in  the  theatres,  and  the  theatrical  managers  pay  to  the 
newspapers  $400,000  out  of  this  sum  for  advertisements.  Besides  amusing  New  York,  the  managers  drill  and 
equip  hi:ndreds  of  theatrical  companies,  which  they  send  over  the  country  to  entertain  those  people  of  the 
United  States  who  have  not  the  good  fortune  to  live  in  this  city. 

The  first  theatre  erected  in  New  York,  as  a  theatre,  was  on  Nassau  wStreet,  between  John  Street  and 
Maiden  Lane,  and  was  opened  on  March  5,  1750.  It  was  a  wooden  struc'ure,  in  which  the  elder  Kean  played 
Richard  III.  twice  a  week  during  a  five  months'  season.  In  1761  a  theatre  was  raised  on  the  site  of  the  present 
Temple  Court  at  an  expense  of  $1,625.  The  next,  the  John  Street  Theatre,  near  Broadway,  constructed  in 
1767,  was  New  York's  leading  theatre  for  thirty  years,  followed,  in  1798,  by  the  Park  Theatre,  which  was  the 
first  to  open  every  night  excepting  Sunday.  As  the  city  grew  in  importance  so  did  its  theatres,  and  we  find  the 
Castle  Garden  Theatre,  which  had  once  been  a  fortress,  with  a  capacity  for  6,000  people,  though  it  often 
contained  10,000.  It  was  here  the  famous  Jenny  Lind  made  her  first  appearance  in  this  country,  which  event 
took  place  in  1850,  under  the  auspices  of  the  equally  famous  P.  T.  Barnum,  who  advertised  her  as  no  man  or 
woman  had  ever  been  advertised  before.  The  Castle  Garden  Theatre  was  essentially  the  home  of  opera,  and  it 
was  hei^e,  in  1847,  the  Havana  company  gave  "  Ernani,"  "Norma"  and  "  La  Sonnambula. "  It  was  turned  into 
an  immigrant  depot  in  1855.  The  Old  Bowery  Theatre  was  erected  in  1826,  and  was  the  first  in  the  city  lighted 
with  gas.  Burton's  Chambers  Street  Theatre  was  opened  in  1844,  and  was  occupied  by  the  Christie  Minstrels 
during  the  season  of  1846.  It  was  sold  to  the  American  News  Company  in  1876.  Barnum's,  or  the  great 
"  Moral  Lecture  Room,"  was  successful  for  many  years,  and  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1865.  Barnum,  after  this, 
opened  out  in  three  different  places,  but  they  were  all  burned  down  in  succession,  whereupon  he  organized  his 
Great  Moral  vShow.  The  Astor  Place  Opera  House,  memorable  as  the  scene  of  the  fierce  riots  of  1849, 
was  opened  in  1847,  ^.nd  in  1854  sold  to  the  Mercantile  Library  Association.  More  than  thirty  New  York 
theatres  have  been  burned  down  since  the  opening  of  the  present  century.  vSo  frequent  have  these  fires  been, 
and  so  destructive  of  life,  that  very  stringent  laws  have  been  enacted  guarding  against  them,  or,  that  being 
impossible,  providing  that,  in  case  a  fire  does  break  out,  there  shall  be  ample  avenues  of  escape.  Thus, 
according  to  law,  a  fireman  in  the  city's  employ  is  now  detailed  to  stay  behind  the  scenes  of  every  theatre,  so  as 
to  give  proper  alarm,  or  to  report  to  his  department  anything  which,  in  his  opinion,  may  be  negligence  likely  to 
cause  a  conflagration.  The  principal  theatres  in  New  York  to-day  are,  Madison  Sqi:are  Garden,  the  largest 
in  America,  the  Music  Hall,  on  Seventh  Avenue,  the  Metropolitan  Opera  House,  the  Academy  of  Music,  the 
vStar,  the  People's,  the  Casino,  Palmer's,  Fifth  Aveni:e,  Daly's,  the  vStandard,  Empire,  Broadway,  American, 
Bijou,  Proctor's,  Harrigan's,  the  Grand  Opera  House,  Union  Square,  Lyceum,  Abbey's,  Niblo's  and  the 
Manhattan,  while  as  for  minor  theatres,  halls  and  places  of  music  generally,  the}'  are  almost  innumerable. 

Before  closing  this  chapter  it  may  be  appropriate  to  say  something  about  the  city's  libraries,  in  which 
respect — taking  its  pre-eminence  in  trade,  commerce,  art  and  literature  into  consideration — it  is  somewhat 
deficient.  The  Astor  Library,  the  largest  and  best  in  the  city,  contains  238,000  volumes.  It  is  the  most  select 
library  in  New  York,  although  any  respectable  person  is  at  perfect  liberty  to  enter,  ask  for  what  books  he 


lii 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


THE   GRANT  MONUMENT— RIVERSIDE  PARK. 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLJS. 


liii 


pleases,  and  he  is  served  with  orcat  civiUty  and  promptness.  Its  habituds  are  mostly  students,  who  j^o  there 
for  referenee,  and  it  is  notieeable  that  anionj^-  such  students  are  many  younj^  women.  It  is  a  model  library, 
perfect  in  all  its  departments.  It  is  a  splendid  place  in  which  to  study';  the  .silence  is  profound,  and  everything 
is  in  harmony  with  the  place  as  a  great  library.  The  alcoves  are  frequented  all  day  with  silent  students,  busy 
taking  notes.  Among  such  students  and  alcove  frequenters  many  of  the  distinguished  literati  of  the  day  may 
be  noticed.  The  Lenox  Library  is  an  art  gallery  as  well.  It  is  necessary  to  have  a  ticket  in  order  to  gain 
admission,  but  tickets  can  be  easily  obtained.  The  building,  which  is  of  white  stone,  with  two  projecting  wings, 
is  situated  on  Fifth  Avenue,  between  Seventieth  and  vSeventy-first  .Streets,  opposite  Central  I'ark.  It  is  as 
beautiful  and  as  durable  a  structure  as  money  and  architectural  genius  could  make  it,  and  cost,  with  the  site, 
upwards  of  $1,000,000.  Mr.  Lenox,  its  founder,  was  rather  a  singular  man.  He  was  passionately  fond  of 
books — a  bibliomaniac,  in  fact — and  dedicated  his  great  wealth  for  many  years  to  the  gathering  in  of  rare  books, 
manuscripts  and  i)ictures,  sculpture  and  ceramics,  until  he  had  one  of  the  finest  private  collections  in  the  world. 
He  was  a  veritable  miser  in  regard  to  this  collection.  He  guarded  it  with  such  extreme  jealousy  that  he  refused 
to  let  the  historian  Prescott  glance  over  his  Mexican  MSvS.  When  the  public  heard  of  this  it  waxed  angry,  and 
the  press  of  the  time  abused  him  roundly  for  his  selfish  conduct.  One  day,  however,  he  treated  the  same  press 
to  a  pleasant  sensation  by  presenting  his  priceless  library  and  collection  to  the  public,  and  building  a  palace 
in  which  to  receive  them  when  they  had  a  mind  to  inspect  their  property.  Besides  the  books — most  of  them 
rare,  many  of  them,  as  time  wears  on,  growing  simply  inestimable — there  are  ceramics,  glassware,  paintings 
by  Reynolds,  Turner,  Landseer,  Bierstadt,  Delaroche,  Stuart,  Munkacsy,  Pcale,  Ruysdael,  Horace  \'ernet  and 
Gilbert  Stuart.     There  is  one  manuscript  alone  worth  i^i  2,000,  containing,  as  it  does,  six  superlj  paintings  by 


The  Cooper  Union,  founded  by  the  well-known  philanthropist  of  that  name,  is  at  the  junction  of  Third 
and  Fourth  Avenues,  and  is  a  massive  stone  structure  of  imposing  appearance.  It  is  essentially  the  popular 
library  of  the  city,  and  its  free  reading  room  is  always  full.  It  has  upwards  of  five  hundred  newspapers  on  file, 
printed  in  many  languages.  Its  catalogues  are  simple,  and  the  books,  mostly  suitable  for  the  masses,  are  very 
accessible.  Peter  Cooper  donated  $63,000  towards  the  building  and  the  purchase  of  books,  and  half  that  sum 
as  an  endowment  fund,  which,  with  the  rental  of  offices  in  the  building,  yield  a  revenue  of  $50,000.  Sixteen 
hundred  persons  avail  themselves  of  the  advantages  of  the  library  and  reading  room  daily. 

The  Mercantile  Library  charges  five  dollars  annual  dues  for  member.ship,  and  is  in  most  respects  like  the 
Cooper  Union.  It  has  50,000  volumes,  and  takes  in  a  reading  room.  The  New  York  Library  is  the  oldest  in 
the  city.  It  was  founded  in  1700,  during  the  rule  of  Lord  Bellomont.  It  was  presented  to  the  cit}^  but  owing 
to  bad  management  was,  in  1754,  consolidated  with  a  few  other  libraries,  the  gift  of  public-spirited  citizen.s,  and 
placed  in  charge  of  trustees.  The  library  is  really  the  property  of  a  stock  company,  in  which  a  great  number 
of  the  city's  old  families  have  shares.  It  is  not  open  to  the  general  public.  The  Apprentice  Library,  on 
'East  Sixteenth  Street,  is  also  an  old  institution,  and  is  free.  It  has  93,000  volumes,  and  lends  out  250,000 
yearly.  The  New  York  Historical  .Society,  on  Second  Avenue,  has  75,000  volumes  besides  a  niunber  of 
pamphlets  and  manuscripts.  Among  other  fine  libraries  are  those  of  the  Young  Men's  Chnstian  A.ssociation  ; 
the  Maimonides  Library,  East  Fifty-.seventh  street,  40,000  volumes  ;  the  Free  Circulating  Library,  75,000 
volumes  ;  the  Columbia  College,  145,000  volumes  ;  the  Law  Library,  38,000  volumes  ;  Theological  Seminary, 
88,000  volumes  ;  medical  libraries,  30,000  volumes,  and  the  special  libraries  of  the  Numismatic  and  Arch;eo- 
logical  Societies,  the  Geographical  Society  (20,000  volumes),  Gaelic  Society,  Biographical  and  Genealogical 
Society,  the  Masonic,  Seamen's  Libraries,  and  hundreds  of  others  of  a  less  pretentious  nature. 


HE    Clubs    of    New    York    constitute    an    interesting    feature    in    its    history.      The    first  social 


*  communities  mentioned  in  the  records  of  New  Amsterdam  were  held  in  taverns,  and  an 
early  meeting  place  was  the  brewery  of  old  Wouter  Van  Twiller,  where  the  ruling  spirits  of 
Manhattan  Island  would  meet  to  empty  the  huge  tankards  of  foaming  ale,  and  discuss  the  leading 
topics  of  the  da}-.  His  successor  William  Kieft  built  a  tavern  near  Coenties  Slip,  wiiich  was  afterwards 
the  clubhouse  of  the  early  settlers.  Then  the  records  come  down  to  after  the  Revolution,  when 
"Old  Tom's"  was  the  favorite  meeting  place  of  the  poets  of  the  day,  and  at  the  "Pewter  Mug"  the 
prominent  politicians  would  congregate  and  plot  and  plan  for  the  good  of  themselves  and  the  public. 
The  next  recorded  house  of  meeting  was  called  the  Bank  Coffee  House,  kept  by  William  Niblo,  where 
prominent  officials  met  to  discuss  the  city  politics.  Niblo  made  a  fortune,  which  he  afterwards  bequeathed 
to  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  to  form  a  library.  About  181 2,  a  refugee  Frenchman, 
Jerome  Cressac  de  Villagrand,  kept  a  hotel  in  College  Place,  which  was  a  favorite  rendezvous  and 
place  for  discussion.  It  was  here  that  Fitz-Greene  Halleek,  representing  the  Astor  family,  received  and 
entertained  Prince  Louis  Napoleon.  In  1824  the  literary  lights  of  the  day  met  for  consultation  and  chatter 
at  No.  3  Beach  Street,  and  James  Fenimore  Cooper,  Halleek,  Bryant,  Cliancellor  Kent,  Francis  and  Ver- 
planck  founded  the  Bread  and  Cheese  Club,  which  soon  became  famous,  both  politically  and  from  a 
literary  standpoint.  The  rooms  of  this  ancient  organization  were  so  small  that  when  Washington 
Irving  was  entertained,  the  club  hired  Washington  Hall,  at  the  corner  of  Chambers  Street  and  Broadway. 
Coming  down  to  1836  the  next  social  organization  that  has  made  its  mark  in  history  is  the  Hone  Club, 


Giulio  Clovia. 


liv 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


named  after  Mayor  Philip  Hone,  the  rules  of  which  were  that  each  member  should  entertain  the  others 
at  his  own  house  in  turn.  Daniel  Webster  was  a  favorite  g-uest  of  this  Club.  From  that  period  the 
fleeting  phantasmagoria  of  time  has  seen  many  peculiar  and  popular  organizations  appear  and  disappear. 
Those  that  are  most  likely  to  linger  on  the  memory  of  the  oldest  inhabitant  are  the  famous  "Bohemians." 
This  club  met  at  Pfaff's,  on  Twenty-fifth  Street,  and  its  members  were  journalists,  actors  and  the 
real -Bohemians  of  society.  Pfaff  made  his  fortune  through  the  convivialitj'  of  the  Bohemians,  but  the 
club  died  with  him.  Then  there  was  the  "Arcadians,"  which  was  almost  exclusively  for  artists.  It  belied 
its  name  by  building  a  very  costl}'  clubhouse,  and  then  it  disappeared  along  "the  corridors  of  time." 
The  Fellowcraft  Club  was  an  offshoot  of  the  present  Press  Club,  but  its  usefulness  soon  faded  and  it  died 
very  young.  The  Tile  Club  was  both  literar}-  and  artistic,  and  its  doings  will  be  handed  down  to 
posterity  through  the  imperishable  work  of  the  pens  and  pencils  of  its  members. 

But  to  come  down  to  the  present  day  New  York  has  rivalled  all  its  European  sisters  in  the 
rapidity  with  which  it  has  accumulated  social  organizations  in  every  vocation  of  life  and  to  represent 
ever}-  class,  profession,  trade,  art,  or  religion.  There  are  to-day  in  the  Metropolis  over  130  regularly 
organized  and  chartered  clubs,  besides  over  300  social  organizations  and  fraternities  that  are  more  per- 
.sonal  than  public.     But  all  the  same  they  are  for  the  delight  and  recreation  of  man,  as  well  as  for  the 


rill'.   I'Ki  i<.Ri:SS  CLL'U  HUUSli. 

instruction  and  enlightenment  of  youth.  In  these  progressive  times,  of  cour.se,  the  ladies  have  not  been 
forgotten,  although  it  is  entirely  due  to  their  own  energy  that  there  exist  such  clubs  as  the  Sorosis,  the 
Ladies'  New  York  Club,  the  Women's  Pre.ss  Club,  the  Berkeley  Ladies'  Athletic  Club,  and  the  Professional 
Woman's  League.  The  oldest  and  one  of  the  most  influential  of  the  regularly  organized  clubs  is  the 
Union  Club,  on  Fifth  Avenue,  organized  in  1836  and  having  for  its  charter  members  such  names  as 
Astor,  Beekman,  Schuyler,  Livingston,  Stuyvesant,  (iriswold  and  Van  Buren.  The  membership  amounts 
to  1,500  of  the  noblest  and  wealthiest  in  the  land.  The  Union  League  Club,  at  the  corner  of  Fifth 
Avenue  and  Thirty-ninth  .Street,  was  incorporated  in  1865.  The  President  is  Chauncey  M.  Depcw  and 
there  are  1,500  members.  The  clubhouse  is  a  magnificent  s])ecimen  of  Oueen  Anne  architecture  and 
contains  a  most  valuable  library  and  a  superb  art  gallery.  The  income  of  this  club  is  over  §300,000 
a  year.  It  is  strongly  Republican  in  its  proclivities,  and  was  organized  in  the  darkest  days  of  the  Republic 
to  give  aid  and  assistance  to  the  Union  cause.  The  ^Linhattan  Club,  at  Fifth  Avenue  and  Thirty-fourth 
Street,  was  organized  in  1865,  "to  advocate  Democratic  principles,  to  promote  social  intercourse  among 
its  members,  and  to  ])rovide  them  with  the  convenience  of  a  clubhouse."  It  has  p;ilatial  (juarters  in 
the  splendid  marble  mansion  of  the  late  A.  T.  Stewart.     It  is  celebrated   for  its  cuisine  and  has  1,200 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


Iv 


members.  The  President  is  Frederic  R.  Coudert, 
and  the  income  is  between  $400,000  and  $500,000 
a  year.  The  Progress  Club,  at  Fifth  Avenue  and 
Sixty-third  Street,  was  organized  in  1864.  It  is  com- 
posed entirely  of  Hebrews.  The  beautiful  clubhouse 
is  in  the  style  of  the  Italian  Renaissance  and  was 
inaugurated  in  March,  1890.  This  club  has  a  power- 
ful and  widespreading  influence.  The  Metropolitan 
Club  has  its  home  in  the  mansion  formerl}"  bcl.ong- 
ing  to  the  Dowager  Duchess  of  Marlborough ;  it  has 
a  Ladies'  Annex,  organized  in  1891,  and  is  known  as 
the  Millionaires'  Ciub.  The  New  York  Club  was 
organized  in  1845  and  is  on  Fifth  Avenue  at  the 
corner  of  Thirty-fifth  Street.  The  rest  of  the  Fifth 
Avenue  clubs  are,  the  Knickerbocker,  the  St.  Nicholas, 
the  Calumet,  the  New,  the  Century  and  the  Lotus. 
Mention  must  also  be  made  of  the  Gotham  Club,  on 
Madison  Avenue,  the  West  End,  the  Authors',  the 
Harlem,  the  University  and  the  Colonial,  with  a 
splendid  clubhouse  on  the  Boulevard  and  Seventy- 
second  Street. 

The  Germans  are  noted  for  the  number  and 
splendor  of  their  social  clubs.  In  addition  to  the 
Progress,  already  mentioned,  there  are  the  Har- 
monic, the  Deutscher-Verein,  the  Freundschaft-Verein 
and  the  Fidelio.  Among  the  literary  and  artistic 
organizations  may  be  mentioned  the  Press  Club  (a 
history  of  which  is  given  on  another  page) ;  the  Lambs, 
for  actors  and  musicians;  the  vSalmagundi,  the  St.  Anthony,  the  Quill,  the  Grolier,  the  Cosmos,  the  Shake- 
speare Society,  the  Holland  vSociety  and  the  Players',  which  owes  its  prosperity  to  the  generosity  of  the 
late  Edwin  Booth.  To  conclude,  there  are  a  number  of  political,  religious,  university,  athletic  and 
sporting  organizations  for  the  delectation  and  comfort  of  every  class,  the  more  prominent  being  the 
Catholic  Club,  the  New  York  Bar  Association,  the  Down  Town  Association,  the  Old  Guard,  Tammany, 
the  Sagamore,  the  Republican,  the  New  York  Athletic  Club,  the  Racquet  and  Tennis  Club,  the  New 
York  Turn-Verein,  the  New  York  Yacht  Club,  the  League  of  American  Wheelmen,  the  Thirteen  Club 
and  the  American  Actors'  Amateur  Athletic  Association,  known  as  the  Five  A's. 


THE    MANH.'\TT.'\N  CLUH  HOUSE. 


SOCIETIES. 

NEW  YORK  has  several  societies  whose  main  objects  are  to  perpetuate  the  names  and  acts  of  the  ancestors 
of  their  members.  Those  societies  hold  regular  meetings  and  reunions  and  keep  alive  the  patriotism  of  their 
forefathers.  Many  of  them  have  contributed  largely  to  the  support  of  indigent  members,  and  others  devote 
considerable  time  and  expense  in  collecting  and  preserving  old  relics  of  former  times.  Nearly  every  promi- 
nent philanthropist,  our  leading  jurists  and  lawyers,  our  school  advocates  and  bank  officers  are 
members  of  one  or  more  of  these  organizations.  The  oldest,  and  perhaps  the  first  in  importance  is  the  Society  of 
the  Cincinnati,  formed  in  1783  by  officers  who  had  foiight  on  the  American  side  in  the  great  Revolutionary 
War;  the  great  financier.  General  Alexander  Hamilton,  being  one  of  the  leading  .spirits  in  its  organization.  It 
is  certainly  the  most  exclusive  society  of  the  country,  as  no  one  is  admitted  to  membership  unless  he  is  the 
eldest  male  descendant  of  an  American  Officer  of  the  Revolution  who  had  also  become  a  member  of  this 
Society.  The  Hon.  Hamilton  Fi.sh,  Ex-President  Grant's  Secretary  of  State,  has  been  the  President  of  the 
New  York  Society  since  1854,  and  Mr.  John  Schuyler,  the  well  known  civil  engineer,  is  Secretary  and  Treasurer- 
General. 

"The  St.  Nicholas  Society  of  the  City  of  New  York"  is  composed  of  gentlemen  "in  respectable 
standing  in  society  and  of  good  moral  character  who  were  natives  or  residents  of  the  City  of  New  York 
prior  to  the  year  1785,  or  who  are  descendants  of  members  of  this  Association."  In  other  words,  it  is 
the  Society  of  the  "  Knickerbockers" — the  old  New  Yorkers,  who  are  proud  to  say  they  are  nothing  but  New 
Yorkers,  and  it  counts  among  its  members  very  many  of  the  brightest  and  foremost  men  of  this  great  cit)'. 
A  glance  over  its  roster  at  once  dispels  the  impression  that  the  Knickerbockers  are  lost  or  in  danger  of 
being  lost  in  the  immense  and  thoroughly  Cosmopolitan  City,  for  here  we  see  the  names  of  the  greatest  and 
most  honored  financiers,  the  leading  railroad  magnates,  the  most  learned  judges,  the  most  brilliant  lawyers  and 
the  brightest  spirits  in  other  professions  and  commercial  circles.  The  schools,  the  libraries,  the  well-conducted 
savings  banks,  the  dispensaries,  the  hospitals,  the  leading  benevolent  and  charitable  institutions  of  the  city  are 
in  a  great  measure  controlled  by  them,  and  very  much  of  the  substantial  prosperity  of  the  cit}'  in  everj'  worthy 
particular  is  due  to  the  intelligent  and  able  management  and  direction  of  those  "to  the  manor  born." 


Ivi 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


Yet  it  was  the  thoiig-ht  that  the  old  New  Yorkers  might  be  lost  sight  of  in  the  rapid  growth  of  the  cit}' 
which  led  to  the  formation  of  this  society  in  1835  by  such  men  as  Abraham  Bloodgood,  Peter  Schermerhorn, 
Washington  Irving,  A.  R.  Wyckoff,  Hamilton  Fish,  Ogden  Hoffman,  General  Laight,  Cornelius  Heyer, 
General  Jones  and  others.  The  Society  was  incorporated  in  1841,  and  its  permanent  fund  has  steadily  grown 
until  it  now  reaches  nearly  $50,000,  notwithstanding  its  annual  dinners  and  festivals,  the  large  amount  paid 
out  in  affording  pecuniary  relief  to  indigent  or  reduced  members  and  their  widows  and  children,  and  money 
expended  "in  collecting  and  preserving  information  respecting  the  history,  settlement,  manners  and  such 
other  matters  relating  thereto  of  the  City  of  New  York."  It  has  on  its  roll  many  of  the  wealthiest  citizens,  but 
it  is  by  no  means  an  exclusive  society  of  rich  men,  but  an  association  of  old  New  Yorkers,  rich  and  otherwise, 
who  are  honored  for  their  ancestrj'  and  their  own  good  pioral  character  and  integrity.  Within  its  confines  no 
distinction  is  made  on  account  of  financial  standing,  the  rich  and  poor  sit  down  together  in  common  brother- 
hood and  all  unite  in  keeping  fresh  the  memories  of  their  respected  forefathers,  without  whose  patient  labor, 
persistent  energy,  heroic  endurance  and  brave  patriotism  the  great  City  of  New  York  as  we  know  it  to-day 
would  have  had  no  existence.  Peter  G.  Stuyvesant  was  its  first  President,  and  Hamilton  Fish  its  first  Secre- 
tary, the  first  serving  two  years  and  the  latter  nine  years.  Mr.  Frederic  J.  de  Peyster  was  elected  President 
in  1892  and  again  in  1893,  having  served  during  the  five  preceding  years  as  a  Vice-President  and  four  j-ears, 
prior  to  his  first  election  as  a  Vice-President,  as  a  vSteward.  He  was  also  Assistant  Secretary  for  two  years. 
Mr.  George  G.  Dewitt,  the  present  .Secretary,  was  elected  in  1892  and  again  in  1893,  having  i)reviously  served 
on  the  Board  of  Managers  two  years,  and  as  a  Steward  for  three  years.  Mr.  Charles  A.  Schermerhorn,  the 
present  Treasurer,  has  served  in  that  capacity  for  five  years,  as  .Secretary  for  eight  years.  Mr.  Chauncey 
M.  Depew  is  the  present  First  Vice-President,  and  it  is  his  .sixth  year  as  a  Vice-President.  Previous  to  his 
first  election  as  such  he  served  three  years  on  the  Board  of  Managers  and  five  years  as  a  Steward.  Mr. 
Edward  King,  Second  Vice-President,  is  serving  his  fourth  j-ear  as  a  Vice-President,  and  was  a  Steward 
three  years.  Mr.  S.  Franklin  Stanton,  Third  Vice-President,  has  been  a  Vice-President  three  years  and  was  a 
Steward  three  years.  Mr.  Frederick  de  Peyster  Foster,  Fourth  Vice-President,  is  serving  his  second  year  as 
such,  after  three  years  a  Steward.  Mr.  E.  Benedict  Oakley,  Assistant  .Secretary,  has  held  that  position 
five  years,  was  of  the  Board  of  Managers  one  year,  and  .Steward  .six  years.  Rev.  Thomas  E.  Vermilye,  D.  D., 
was  Chaplain  continuously  from  1842  to  1893,  a  period  of  fifty-two  j'ears,  and  the  Rt.  Rev.  Henry  C.  Potter,  D.  D. , 
is  now  filling  his  eighth  year  in  the  same  office.  The  present  Physicians  and  Consulting  Physicians,  Stuyve- 
sant Fish  Morris,  M.D.,  has  served  four  years,  Edward  Quintard,  j\I.D.,  two  ^-ears,  Stephen  V.  R.  Bogert, 
M.U. ,  twelve  years  and  Gouverneur  M.  Smith,  M.D.,  seven  years. 

The  Holland  Society  of  New  York  was  formed  February  21,  1885,  to  gather  together  the  representatives 
of  the  men  who  lived  in  New  Netherland  under  the  dominion  of  the  Dutch,  or,  in  other  words,  who  were  citizens 
of  New  York  and  vicinity  prior  to  1675,  when  the  English  gained  the  ascendency  over  this  territory.  The 
desire  to  prove  eligit)ility  to  membership  has  .stimulated  researches  into  family  history  that  might  never  have 
been  made  if  the  society  had  not  been  formed;  and  in  establishing  his  right  to  belong  thereto,  a  member  proves 
that  from  the  very  dawn  of  our  countr\''s  existence  his  forefathers  have  been  identified  with  its  steady  growth. 
America  derives  from  Holland  the  three  ideas  which  have  made  this  country  the  most  prosperous  of  nations  : 
Liberty  of  Conscience,  the  free  School  .System  and  the  expediency  of  giving  a  warm  welcome  to  the  exile  and 
the  stranger.  It  is  no  wonder,  then,  that  the  Holland  Society  has  grown  as  rapidly  as  it  has,  the  original  six  of 
February,  1885,  now  having  increased  to  over  six  hundred.  The  object  of  the  .Society  is  to  collect  and  preserve 
information  respecting  the  early  history  and  settlement  of  the  City  and  State  of  New  York  b\'  the  Dutch  and  to 
discover,  collect  and  preserve  all  existing  documents,  monuments,  etc.,  relating  to  their  genealogy  and  history, 
to  perpetuate  the  memor}'  and  foster  and  promote  the  principles  and  virtues  of  the  Dutch  Ancestors  of  its 
members  and  to  promote  Social  intercourse  among  the  latter,  and  to  gather  by  degrees  a  library  for  the  use  of 
the  .Society,  composed  of  all  obtainable  books,  monographs,  pamphlets,  manuscripts,  etc.,  relating  to  the  Dutch 
in  America,  etc.,  etc.  Judge  Augustus  Van  Wyck  is  now  President,  and  Theodore  Melvin  Banta,  .Secretary  of 
the  Society. 

The  New  England  Society  of  the  City  of  New  York  was  organized  May  6,  1805,  to  commemorate  the 
landing  of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  on  Plymouth  Rock;  to  promote  friendship,  charity  and  mutual  a.ssi.stance,  and 
for  literary  purposes.  It  was  incorporated  April  15,  1833.  Any  descendant  of  a  New  Englander,  of  good  moral 
character,  from  and  after  the  age  of  18,  is  eligible,  wherever  he  may  reside.  The  widow  or  child  of  a  member, 
if  in  need  of  it,  is  entitled  to  five  times  as  much  as  he  may  have  paid  the  society.  Such  well  known  citizens  as 
Ebenezer  Stevens,  Moses  H.  Grinnell,  Senator  William  M.  Evarts,  Cieo.  E.  I).  Morgan,  Joseph  H.  Choate, 
Daniel  F.  Appleton,  Jas.  C.  Carter,  Josiah  M.  Fiske,  Marvelle  W.  Cooper,  Stewart  L.  Woodford.  Horace  Russell, 
Cornelius  M.  Bliss  and  J.  Pierrepont  Morgan  have  been  presidents  of  this  Society.  The  officers  for  the  past  two 
years  are,  Hon.  Daniel  G.  Rollins,  President,  Elihu  Root,  Vice-President,  and  Luther  Prcscott  Hubbard,  Secretary. 

The  .Society  of  the  Colonial  Wars  was  established  in  October,  1892,  Mr.  .S.  Victor  Constant  and  Howland 
Pell  being  the  first  active  promoters  thereof.  The  object  of  this  society  is  to  collect  and  preserve  data  of  the 
American  wars  prior  to  the  Revolution,  and  revere  the  memory  of  participants  therein.  Only  those  who  can 
show  themselves  to  be  descendants  of  men  who  served  in  the  Colonial  Militia  or  the  I^ngli.sh  Army  or  Navy  of 
the  American  (Colonies  prior  to  the  Revolution  are  eligible  to  membership,  yet  in  less  than  a  year  this  organi- 
zation has  grown  so  wonderfully  in  numbers  that  it  already  takes  high  rank  among  the  societies  who  take  pride 
in  their  American  ancestry.  Mr.  Frederic  J.  de  Peyster  is  its  (Governor ;  James  ^I.  \'arnum,  Dejiuty  (jovernor; 
T.  J.  Oakley  Rhinelander,  Lieutenant-Governor;  S.  Victor  Constant,  Treasurer;  Howland  Pell.  Secretary;  R. 
Horace  Gallatin,  Deputy  Secretary;  Thomas  Ludlow  Ogden,  Historian;  Rev.  Maun.sell  Van  Rensselaer, 
Chaplain ;  and  Fred.  E.  Haigh,  Registrar. 

The  Sons  of  the  Revolution  of  the  State  of  New  York  was  reorganized  December  4.  1883,  by  John 
Austin  Stevens,  John  Cochrane,  Fred.  .S.  Talmadgc,  and  others,  and  was  incorporated  under  the  laws  of  the 


NEIV  YORK,  THE  METROPOJJS. 


Ivii 


State  on  May  3,  1884.  The  objects  of  the  society  arc  social  and  patriotic,  and  exists  for  the  purpose  of 
perpctuatinq;  among  their  descendants  the  memory  of  the  brave  men  who  perilled  their  lives  and  interests 
in  the  war  of  the  Revolution  to  wrest  the  American  Colonies  from  British  dominion.  Since  its  reorganization 
it  has  extended  a  cordial  welcome  to  every  one  who  was  qualified  by  pedigree,  and  the  result  up  to  the 
beginning  of  the  present  year  (1893)  has  been  a  membership  of  2,364  in  ten  State  societies,  of  which  this  society 
in  the  State  of  New  York  has  an  aggregate  of  1,144.  It  has  celebrated  events  of  the  Revolution;  has  published 
addresses  on  Revolutionary  topics;  has  erected  at  large  expense  memorial  tablets  to  the  memory  of  the  men 
and  events  of  1776  ;  has  held  commemorative  church  services  on  Washington's  Birthday  and  erected  in  the  City  <  f 
New  York  a  statue  in  bronze  to  the  memory  of  Captain  Nathan  Hale.  It  has  also  accumulated  a  large  fund 
for  the  development  of  the  general  purposes  of  the  society.  Any  male  descendant  of  a  Military,  Naval  or 
Marine  Officer,  Soldier,  Sailor  or  Marine  or  Official  in  the  service  of  any  one  of  the  thirteen  original  Colonies  or 
States,  or  of  the  National  Government,  who  assisted  in  establishing  American  Independence  during  the  war  of 
the  Revolution,  is  eligible  to  membership,  provided  he  is  of  good  moral  character  and  judged  worthy  to  receive 
fellowship.  Service  in  the  ordinary  duties  of  a  civil  office,  the  performance  of  which  did  not  effectively  aid  the 
American  cause,  does  not  constitute  eligibility.  The  present  officers  are,  Frederick  S.  Talmadge,  President; 
Floyd  Clarkson,  Vice-President;  James  M.  Montgomery,  vSecretary. 

The  Sons  of  the  American  Revolution  is  similar  to  the  Sons  of  the  Revolution,  having  the  same  objects 
and  the  same  qualifications  for  membership.  It  is  said  to  be  more  liberal  in  its  requirements  regarding  the 
pedigree  of  applicants,  admitting  descendants  in  collateral  lines  which  are  not  recognized  by  the  other  society. 
An  effort  was  made  in  1892  to  consolidate  the  two  organizations,  but  failed  of  effect  for  this  reason.  It  is 
probable,  however,  that  the  two  will  be  united  upon  an  equitable  and  satisfactory  basis  in  the  near  future. 


HE  nv:mber  of   hospitals,  churches  and  charitable  institutions  in  New  York  is  commensurate  with  its 


1  character  as  the  Metropolis  of  a  great  country.  Its  hospitals  and  its  medical  schools  shed  lustre  on 
the  city  on  account  of  their  magnitude  and  the  vast  opportunities  they  afford  for  imparting  a  practical 
education.  Hundreds  of  America's  leading  physicians  live  in  New  York,  and  as  a  consecpience  thousands 
of  patients  requiring  the  care  of  specialists  come  hither  for  attendance  from  all  parts  of  the  country. 
Every  religious  denomination,  almost,  has  a  hospital  of  its  own  where  patients  may  be  treated,  free  of  charge. 
Bellevue  Hospital,  on  Twenty-sixth  Street,  near  the  East  River,  is  essentially  a  public  institution  and 
is  imder  the  supervision  of  the  Commissioners  of  Charities  and  Correction.  The  Medical  staff  of  Belle- 
■^ue  is  composed  of  thirty-two  surgeons  and  physicians,  including  assistants.  In  the  free  dispensary  con- 
nected with  Bellevvie,  100,000  patients  are  treated  every  year.  The  New  York  Hospital,  the  oldest 
institution  of  its  kind  in  the  city,  is  also  a  free  institution,  and  is  said  to  be  the  most  thcroughly  equipped 
in  the  country.  The  Roosevelt,  the  Presbyterian,  the  Moiint  Sinai  (Jewish),  St.  Luke's  (Protestant  Epis- 
copal), St.  Vincent's  (Roman  Catholic),  the  Hahnemann,  the  German  ^lospital,  St.  Joseph's,  vSt.  Francis, 
and  scores  of  others  in  various  parts  of  the  city,  are  noble  monuments  to  public  and  private 
philanthropy.  There  are  man}-  insane  asylums  in  the  .city  or  tmder  its  jurisdiction,  asylums  for  the 
blind,  for  the  deaf  and  dumb,  orphan  asylums,  cancer  hospitals,  and  in  effect,  hospitals  and  asylums 
for  every  conceivable  suffering  or  misfortune.  The  pi;rely  charitable  institutions  of  the  city  are  very 
numerous.  There  are  altogether  upwards  of  five  hundred  of  such  institutions,  all  imder  control, 
directly  or  indirectly,  of  the  Commissioners  of  Charities  and  Correction,  who  annually  disburse  among 
them  more  than  $2,000,000  of  the  public  moneys.  In  order  to  give  an  intelligent  direction  to  such  a 
large  expenditure,  as  well  as  for  benevolent  purposes,  the  Charity  Organization  Societ\-  of  the  City  of 
New  York  was  established  in  1882.  The  Roman  Catholics  have  their  own  system  and  methods  of 
relief,  altogether  distinct  from  the  workings  of  the  central  organization.  And  so,  in  fact,  with 
religious  bodies,  such  as  the  Episcopalians,  the  Presbyterians,  and  the  Jews.  The  "King's  Daughters." 
an  association  of  comparatively  recent  growth,  is  doing  an  immense  amount  of  good  in  this  field. 
The  wealthy  men  and  women  of  Gotham  do  much  towards  supporting  the  five  hundred  charitable 
institutions  of  the  city.  The  fresh  air  funds  raised  by  a  few  of  the  Metropolitan  daily  papers  for 
the  benefit  of  poor  children  in  the  hot  season  show^  the  trend  of  public  sympathy. 

Of  the  various  denominations  the  Roman  Catholics  are  the  most  numerous,  though  the  Protestants 
pos.sess  the  most  churches.  Within  the  past  decade  the  Hebrew  element  has  increased  in  a  marked 
manner.  There  are  many  noble  churches  in  the  city,  of  which  St.  Patrick's  Cathedral,  already  mentioned, 
is  one,  and  Grace  Church,  Protestant  Episcopal,  is  another.  The  Cathedral  of  St.  John  the  Divine,  also 
Protestant  Episcopal,  now  in  course  of  erection,  will,  it  is  said,  when  completed,  be  the  grandest  church 
in  America.  It  is  situated  on  Morningside  Park.  It  is  estimated  to  cost  $6,000,000,  of  which  sum 
$200,000  or  more  will  be  expended  yearly  until  it  is  finished. 

A  fine  church  already  in  existence  is  the  First  Presbyterian  on  Fifth  Avenue,  between  West 
Eleventh  and  Twelfth  Streets,  and  other  noble  edifices  dedicated  to  Presbyterian  worship  are  the 
Scotch  Presbyterian,  on  West  Fourteenth  vStreet  ;  the  Brick  Presbyterian  Church,  on  Fifth  Avenue,  and 
the  Fifth  Avenue  Presbyterian  Church,  founded  in  1808.  The  historic  churches  of  Trinity  and  .St. 
Paul's  are  monuments  to  Protestant  Episcopal  zeal,  while  the  Methodi.sts  and  Baptists  have  been  equally 
liberal  in  raising  magnificent  churches  all  over  the  city.  The  Church  of  the  Transfiguration,  in  Twenty- 
ninth  Street,  between  Fifth  and  Madison  Avenues,  better  known  as  the  "Little  Church  Around  the 
Corner,"  opens  its  doors  to  all  and  is  well  worthy  of  mention. 


Iviii 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


FINANCIAL. 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


lix 


FINANCE. 


THERE  is  no  feature  of  the  growth  and  deveh)pment  of  New  York  City  more  noteworthy  than 
that  it  has  for  so  long-  a  period  been  the  recognized  financial  centre  of  the  nations.  Many 
causes  have  contributed  to  this,  and  foremost'  among  them  the  ability,  energy  and  enterprise  of  the 
financial  community.  "Wall  Street,"  as  the  latter  is  known  throughout  the  world,  is  a  power  in  the 
land,  and  a  potent  factor  in  the  development  of  the  country's  resources.  Intricate  as  is  the  science  of 
banking,  the  New  York  financier  of  to-day,  by  a  strict  and  rigid  adherence  to  its  fundamental  principles, 
demonstrates  his  ability  to  meet  its  every  requirement.  The  typical  New  York  banker  is  a  man  of 
more  than  ordinar}'  culture  and  attainments  and  blends  suavity  of  manner  with  fixedness  of  purpose. 
In  him  there  miist  needs  be  a  c(mipletc  supjaression  of  all  sentiment  which  would  tempt  one  to  help 
one's  friend  merely  because  he  is  a  friend.  He  needs  the  cool  and  matured  judgment  to  discriminate 
without  prejudice  ;  the  patient  attention  to  details  and  the  power  to  weigh  facts  and  measure  surround- 
ing conditions  ;  the  clear  insight  into  afi^airs  which  penetrates  veneer  and  enables  him  to  exercise  an 
intelligent  appreciation  of  events  and  of  causes  as  well  as  results.  He  possesses  the  tact  to  refuse 
without  giving  offense  and  the  calculating  power  which  is  cautious  because  born  of  experience,  never 
too  doubtful  nor  too  hopeful,  confident  in  times  of  crisis,  cautious  when  others  are  reckless.  Credit 
and  its  development  are  the  prime  objects  of  his  solicitude  and  study.  He  discourages  speculation 
while  aiding  legitimate  enterprise.  In  him  conservatism  involving  general  scepticism  is  tempered  with 
the  liberality  insuring  progress.  These  are  the  predominant  traits  of  our  bankers,  and  upon  sucli 
traits  rests  the  foundation  of  our  financial  concerns.  The  careful  selection  of  officials  has  placed  men 
at  the  helm  of  the  ship  of  finance  whose  reputations  are  unblemished,  whose  records  are  unstained 
and  whose  names  are  synonyms  for  honor  and  probity.  With  such  sponsors  the  banking  interests  of 
the  Metropolis  have  grown  and  flourished  and  their  solidity  to-da}'  is  unexcelled  by  that  of  any  other 
city  in  the  world.  In  history  they  stand  coeval  with  the  Republic  itself.  The  financial  importance 
of  New  York  has  kept  pace  from  year  to  year  with  the  country's  growth  and  general  improvement. 
It  is  to  New  York  that  all  new  enterprises  look  for  encouragement  and  practical  assistance  and  its 
coff"ers  are  always  ready  and  willing  in  response.  Thirty  years  ago,  when  the  government  in  its 
darkest  hour  of  peril  and  dire  necessity  demanded  the  reconstruction  of  the  banking  system  and  the 
establishment  of  National  Banks,  New  York  was  the  first  to  come  forward,  a  step  which  assured  the 
complete  success  of  Chase's  plan.  And  so  down  to  the  present  day,  the  high  and  unassailable  posi- 
tion of  the  banking  interests  of  New  York  has  always  been  maintained.  There  have  been  times  of 
trouble  and  cloud,  but  the  dangers  have  been  averted  and  the  storms  ridden  out  safely. 

The  proportionate  amount  of  capital  invested  in  banking  in  this  city  is  imusually  great,  and 
divided  as  it  is  among  a  lai'ge  number  of  subscribers,  it  demonstrates  the  fact  that  we  are  essentially 
a  financial  community. 

Not  only  does  the  influence  of  New  York  extend  over  the  United  States,  but  in  the  unprecedented 
development  of  the  country,  the  increasing  demand  from  foreign  countries  for  its  securities,  the 
opportunities  offered  for  investments  nowhere  else  to  be  found,  the  prediction  is  made  that  before 
many  decades  the  pre-eminence  held  by  London  as  the  chief  financial  centre  of  the  world  must  yield  to  York. 

The  first  incorporated  bank  in  New  York  was  chartered  in  1788.  In  the  year  1800  New  York 
had  a  banking  capital  of  $3,000,000.  In  1816  after  the  close  of  the  war  the  banking  capital 
employed  was  about  $16,000,000.  The  Stock  Exchange  was  organized  in  181 7.  As  a  result  of  the 
reckless  speculation  preceding  the  year  of  1837,  the  banks  of  New  York  for  the  first  time  suspended 
specie  payments.  This  disastrous  result  was  followed  in  1838  by  the  enacting  of  the  celebrated  "Free 
Banking  Act,"  placing  the  banks  imder  supervision  of  State  authorities  and  surrounding  them  with 
safeguards  for  the  protection  of  the  holders  of  issues  of  notes.  Upon  this  act  the  present  National 
Banking  Act  was  modelled.  In  1857  overtrading  and  intense  speculation  again  led  to  a  suspension  of 
specie  payments  from  October  16  to  December  14.  In  i860  the  banks  of  New  York  numbered  fifty, 
with  a  capital  of  about  $65,000,000,   deposits  $80,000,000  and  circulation  $70,000,000  to  $80,000,000. 

The  pending  outbreak  of  the  civil  war  fell  with  a  crushing  blow  upon  the  finances  of  New 
York,  and  in  December,  i860,  specie  payments  were  su.spended.  The  enactment  of  the  National  Banking 
Act  in  1865,  the  resumption  of  specie  payments  in  1879,  are  too  well  known  historical  facts  to  need 
comment. 

In  1892  there  were  forty-eight  National  Banks  in  New  York,  with  a  capital  of  $49,600,000, 
surplus  and  undivided  profits  $57,220,098,  total  resources  $646,293,187,  deposits  $534,293,273,  circulation 
$5,824,658;  of  State  Banks,  there  were  forty-five,  with  a  capital  of  $17,372,000,  surplus  and  undivided 
profits  $15,309,837,  total  resources  $181,427,744,  depo.sits  $148,218,863. 

The  financial  operations  of  New  York  are  conducted  through  many  channels,  dependent  upon  each 
other  and  working  harmoniously  for  the  same  end.  The  banks  are  intimateh*  connected  with  the 
operations  of  the  Sub-Treasury  of  the  United  States.  The  foreign  banking  houses  conduct  the 
operations  of  the  New  and  Old  Worlds.  The  great  Trust  Companies  are  repositories  of  immense  wealth 
and  institutions  of  enormous  power.  Through  the  stock  exchanges  the  investing  power  of  the  country 
is  brought  to  the  support  of  all  the  great  enterprises.  Private  bankers  and  brokers  without  number 
deal  in  all  classes  of  securities  as  well  as  commercial  paper. 


THb   NKW   YORK  STOCK  hXCHANGB. 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


Ixi 


The  Clearing  House  Association,  at  14  Pine  Street,  is  tl:e  medium  through  which  city  banks 
exchange  the  amount  of  checks  and  bills  which  each  holds  against  all  the  others  for  the  amount  of 
those  which  all  the  others  hold  against  it.  Every  morning  at  ten  o'clock  the  United  States  Assistant 
Treasurer,  with  representatives  of  forty-four  National  and  nineteen  State  Banks,  meet  in  the  Clearing 
House,  and  there  exchange  bills  and  checks,  upon  which  the  Clearing  House  makes  up  the  balances 
diiring  the  day  and  notifies  the  banks.  In  the  afternoon,  the  bank  representatives  meet  once  more, 
pay  the  balance  against  them,  in  gold  or  legal  tenders,  or  receive  their  credits  as  the  case  may  be. 
This,  of  course,  obviates  the  labor  and  risks  involved  in  sending  those  notes  and  checks  out  for 
collection  by  messengers.  The  Clearing  House  first  began  operations  on  October  11,  1853,  with  a 
membership  of  fifty-two  banks,  representing  a  capital  of  $46,721,262.  There  are  in  the  city  thirty 
banks  not  members  of  the  Association,  which  clear  through  banks  that  are,  but  of  these  four  are 
National.  The  first  day's  transactions  amounted  to  $23,938,682,  and  the  highest  daily  average  for  any 
one  year  was  for  that  ending  October  i,  1881,  which  was  $165,055,201.  The  total  transactions  for  that 
year  were  $50,341,836,373,  and  the  largest  amount  for  any  one  day  was  the  last  day  of  February, 
1881,  when  the  sums  passed  from  bank  to  bank  aggregated  $295,821,422.  The  largest  balance  paid  to 
any  bank  was  $10,385,471,  and  the  largest  amount  ever  paid  the  Clearing  House  by  one  bank  was 
$4,774,039,  which  was  on  April  5,  1872.  In  1891  exchanges  reached  $33,749,322,211,  and  balances 
$1,641,331,027-  _ 

It  is  estimated  that  the  New  York  Sub-Treasury  conducts  fully  two-thirds  of  the  money  dealings 
of  the  Government  with  the  people  of  the  United  States.  In  the  year  ending  June  30,  1891,  the 
total  fiscal  movement  of  the  office  was  $2,800,000,000,  and  the  actual  cash  handled  in  the  same  period 
$1,900,000,000.  It  receives  the  money  paid  into  the  New  York  Custom  House  and  the  money  from 
other  Government  officials,  such  as  postmasters,  and  pays  the  interest  on  the  Government  debt  as  well 
as  pensions  and  Government  payments  of  all  kinds.  It  also  receives  and  redeems  mutilated  paper 
from  the  banks  of  the  city  in  gold  or  notes.  There  is  often  as  much  as  $225,000,000  in  gold  and 
currency  stored  in  its  vaults  at  one  time. 

The  New  York  Stock  Exchange  is  another  great  financial  institution.  It  opens  at  10  A.M. 
and  closes  at  3  P.M.,  and  members  are  forbidden  to  transact  business  in  or  near  the  Exchange 
excepting  within  those  hours.  The  price  of  a  seat  at  present  is  $20,000,  and  when  a  member  dies 
his  family  or  heirs  receive  $10,000.  Any  member  who  becomes  insolvent  or  fails  to  meet  his 
contracts  is  suspended  and  cannot  be  readmitted  tmtil  he  has  settled  with  his  creditors,  failing  which 
his  seat  is  sold  for  their  benefit.  The  total  transactions  on  the  Stock  Exchange  during  1891 
aggregated  66,000,000  shares,  of  an  estimated  value  of  nearly  $4,000,000,000,  but  in  1882  the  total 
was  113,000,000  shares,  valued  at  $7,000,000,000.  The  heaviest  transaction  of  any  day  was  in  February 
II,*  1892,  when  1,446,915  shares  of  stock  changed  hands.  The  greatest  sale  of  bonds  took  place  on 
February  20,  1893.  The  Exchange  is  a  voluntary  Association  and  is  not  incorporated.  It  has  a 
membenshij)  of  1,100.  The  tremendous  amount  of  business  done  by  the  Exchange  being  altogether 
by  word  of  mouth,  veracity  becomes  an  absolute  necessity,  and  any  deviation  from  it  as  between  one 
member  and  another  involves  expulsion.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  there  is  not  in  the  w^orld  a  spot  on 
which  personal  honor  is  taken  more  into  account  than  on  the  New  York  Stock  Exchange. 

The  wealth  concentrated  in  New  York  City  is  almo.st  impossible  to  conceive.  The  forty-eight 
National  Banks  have  a  capital  of  $501,000,000;  the  vState  Banks,  $17,372,000;  the  Savings  Banks, 
$324,000,000;  the  Trust  Companies,  $19,650,000;  while  vast  fortunes  rest  in  the  hands  of  private 
individuals.  A  recent  and  generally  accepted  estimate  of  New  York's  rich  men  show  that 
one  of  them  is  worth  more  than  $100,000,000,  one  $75,000,000,  six  above  $50,000,000,  thirty  between 
$20,000,000  and  $40,000,000  and  325  between  $2,000,000  and  $1 2,000,000. 


HE   foreign   commerce   of  the   port  of    New    York    amounted    in   1891    to    $1,040,667,425,    and  the 


1  Custom  House  receipts  varied  from  $500,000  to  $1,000,000  per  day.  The  largest  class  of  import- 
ations is  drygoods,  and  the  next  is  groceries.  Other  important  articles  imported  are  wool,  silk, 
manufactured  cotton  goods,  flax,  leather,  hides,  skins  and  tin,  raw  and  manufactured,  hemp,  jute, 
furs  and  crockery.  The  chief  exports  consist  of  cotton,  breadstuffs,  provisions,  mineral  oils,  tobacco 
and  cattle. 

Although  a  very  large  proportion  of  the  business  of  New  York,  notably  in  the  clothing  and 
drygoods  trades,  is  transacted  in  separate  stores  and  by  a  system  of  public  auctions,  the  transactions 
in  grain,  provisions,  cotton,  oil,  etc.,  are  made  in  the  various  Exchanges,  where  buyers  and  sellers 
of  commodities  meet  in  person  or  through  their  brokers,  and  prices  are  fixed  by  the  constant  fluctua- 
tion of  supply  and  demand.  Those  Exchanges  are  the  Petroleum,  an  institution  daily  growing  in 
importance  ;  the  Produce  Exchange,  claimed  to  be  the  largest  organization  of  its  kind  in  the  world  ; 
the  Cotton  Exchange,  the  Coffee  Exchange,  the  Metal,  Maritime,  Building,  Real  Estate,  and  Mercan- 
tile Exchanges,  w^hich  do  business  in  a  measure  for  the  whole  country. 


Ixil 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


THK   NHW   YORK   PRODUCE  EXCHANGE. 


NEW  YOBK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


Ixiii 


To  the  New  York  Chamber  of  Commerce  much  of  the  credit  for  New  York's  commercial 
supremacy  is  due.  It  is  one  of  the  most  powerful  of  the  world's  corporate  bodies  and  was  organized 
on  April  5th,  1768.  The  language  convening  the  meeting  to  organize,  couched  as  it  was  in  the 
style  of  the  last  century,  is  worth  quoting: 

"Whereas,  mercantile  societies  have  been  formed  very  useful  in  trading  cities  for  promoting  and 
encouraging  commerce,  adjusting  disputes  relative  to  trade,  and  procuring  such  laws  and  regulations  as 
may  be  found  necessary  for  the  benefit  of  trade  in  general ;  for  such  purpose  and  to  establish  such 
a  society  in  the  City  of  New  York  the  following  persons  convened  on  the  5th  of  April,  1768." 

And  so  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  was  organiz.cd  and  a  president,  John  Crugcr,  elected.  New 
York  City  had  then  a  population  of  only  20,000  and  the  body  just  called  into  existence  little 
dreamed  that  a  century  from  then  it  would  have  increased  to  nearly  a  million  and  a  half,  that  20,000 
immigrants  would  enter  through  its  gates  in  a  single  week,  and  that  their  successors  of  1868  would  be 
recognized  as  representing  the  commercial  interests  of  one  of  the  richest  nations  on  the  face  of  the 
globe. 

The  simplicity  of  the  times  characterized  the  first  Chamber  of  Commerce,  and,  judging  from 
names,  the  Knickerbocker  element  prevailed  at  its  Council  board.  Thus  we  have  V an  Zandt,  Kort- 
right,  Van  Dam,  Beekman,  Roosevelt  and  Hoffman.  The  admi.ssion  fee  was  five  Spani.sh  dollars,  and 
the  quarterly  dues  were  one  Spanish  dollar.  The  treasurer  paid  ^20  a  year  rent  for  its  first  meet- 
ing room  in  the  Exchange,  and  business  was  transacted  in  a  manner  at  once  modest  and  methodical. 
A  member  absent  from  meeting  was  fined  imless  he  could  give  such  a  valid  excuse  as,  for  instance, 
"on  business  in  Connecticut."  The  original  charter  number  of  twenty  was  rapidly  increased  to  one 
hundred  and  nineteen,  but  the  Chamber  was  checked  in  its  expansion  by  the  approaching  Revolu- 
tionary storm.  At  a  meeting  held  on  March  7th,  1769,  the  Secretary  read  a  communication  which 
began,  "I  have  it  in  charge  from  the  General  Assembly  to  give  the  merchants  of  this  city  and 
Colony  thanks  for  their  public  spirited  and  patriotic  conduct  in  declining  the  imposts  on  the 
receiving  of  goods  from  Great  Britain  imtil  such  act  of  Parliament  as  the  General  Assembly  had 
declared  imconstitutional  and  subversive  of  the  rights  of  the  Colony  shall  be  repealed." 

When  the  quarrel  between  England  and  the  Colonies  had  assumed  a  fighting  aspect,  however, 
the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  the  majorit}-  of  which  was  composed  of  Loyalists,  drew  up  resolutions 
now  and  then  condemning  the  attitiide  of  the  "rebels,"  and  kept  itself  in  touch  with  the  Crown,  for 
which  it  professed  warm  attachnient.  Of  the  one  himdred  and  thirty-five  members  of  the  Chamber 
when  the  war  of  Independence  began  twenty-six  were  patriots,  nineteen  had  no  opinions,  twenty-two 
were  neutral  and  sixty-five  were  Loyalists,  more  or  less  pronounced.  President  Cruger  was  one  of  the 
^great  Revolutionary  leaders,  and  Francis  Lewis,  another  chartered  member,  a  signer  of  the  Declara- 
tion of  Independence. 

Soon  after  the  war  had  commenced  the  British  took  possession  of  New  York,  proclaimed 
martial  law  and  held  the  city  until  nearly  the  close  as  a  base  of  supplies.  Orde/s  forbidding  the 
Chamber  of  Commerce  to  meet  were  issued  in  April,  1775,  and  we  hear  no  more  of  that  body  until 
June,  1779,  when  the  Commandant  graciously  granted  its  Loyalist  members  permission  to  convene. 
After  the  Evacuation,  svich  a  step  being  deemed  necessary,  the  Chamber  obtained  a  new  charter 
from  the  vState  Legislature.  Since  then  that  remarkable  body  has  gone  on  expanding  and  progress- 
ing until  to-day  it  has  grown  to  majestic  proportions,  with  a  membership  which  is  up  to  its  statu- 
tory limit  of  1,000.  It  is  no  exaggeration  to  .say  that  it  is  one  of  the  foremost  commercial  corpora- 
tions in  the  world,  and  from  its  humble  function  of  pronouncing,  as  it  did  in  1770,  that  a  barrel 
should  be  of  such  and  such  capacity,  it  now  measures  the  ocean  itself.  It  has  taken  the  initiative 
in  all  great  commercial  enterprises.  As  early  as  1786  it  suggested  the  construction  of  the  Erie 
Canal.  Through  its  instrumentality  New  York  has  grown  in  trade  to  a  greater  degree,  proportionately, 
than  the  rest  of  the  countr}-,  and  has  gained  and  maintained  its  supremacy  as  the  greatest  emporium 
of  Commerce  on  this  Continent.  In  1790  the  total  exports  of  the  Cnited  States  were  $20,205,156,  and 
the  imports  $15,388,308.  Of  the  latter  $3,231,712  were  entered  at  New  York.  In  1890  the  imports 
of  the  whole  coimtry  were  $823,390,201,  and  the  exports  $857,623,677,  of  which  this  city  had  of  the 
import  trade  (exclusive  of  specie  and  bullion)  $542,366,488,  or  65.8  per  cent.,  and  of  the  exports 
$347,643,361,  which  was  nearly  53  per  cent,  of  the  total  trade  of  the  United  States.  This  marvellous 
increase  is  a  glowing  eulogium  on  the  energy,  enterprise  and  foresight  of  the  members  of  New 
York's  Chamber  of  Commerce.  Its  presidents,  from  John  Cruger  to  Charles  S.  Smith,  the  present 
incumbent,  have  been  men  of  national  reputation,  and  among  its  honorary  members  to-day  are  such 
men  as  John  Bigelow,  Ex-Minister  to  France;  Ex-President  Grover  Cleveland,  Ex-United  States 
Senator  William  M.  Evarts,  Thomas  A.  Edison,  the  famous  inventor;  John  Sherman  and  Carl 
Schurz.  The  history  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  is,  apart  from  its  political  and  military  chapters, 
the  history  of  the  countr}'-,  certainly  of  the  country  as  viewed  from  a  commercial  standpoint.  An 
excerpt  from  a  speech  by  President  Smith  in  this  connection  is  worth  quoting: 

"  No  matter  which  of  the  great  political  parties  held  for  the  time  being  the  reins  of  government, 
this  association  was  bound  by  its  traditions  and  precedents  in  all  matters  of  State  and  National 
Legislation  relating  to  commerce  and  industry,  to  promote  good  laws,  to  amend  imperfect,  to  defeat 
bad  ones.  In  the  matter  of  relief  to  sufferers  by  fire,  flood  or  famine,  more  than  two  millions 
in  charity  have  passed  through  the  hands  of  our  treasurer  for  these  commendable  objects  within  the 
last  quarter  of  a  century." 

This  is  a  proud  thing  to  be  able  to  say,  but  the  statistics  compiled  by  George  Wilson,  Secretary 
to  the  Chamber  for  the    past  thirty  years,  published  in  book  form  by  that  brilliant  statist,  are  simplj' 


Ixiv 


JVEIV  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


astomshmji-.  Imagine,  for  instance,  181,000  tons  of  coffee  and  81,000,000  pounds  of  tea  unloaded  at 
this  port  in  1890!  The  statement  reads  like  a  romance,  but  if  President  Smith  and  Secretary  Wilson 
live  until  the  beginning  of  the  next  century  they  will  have  to  record  figures  yet  more  astounding. 

While  we  are  accustomed  to  look  upon  New  York  as  a  commercial  centre,  pure  and  simple 
we  should  not  lose  sight  of  the  fact  that  in  manufactures  its  importance  is  as  marked  as  it  is  in  any 
other  line,  for  while  Philadelphia  may  be  superior  in  one  branch,  and  Boston  in  another  New  York's 
output  is  greater  than  that  of  any  other  city  in  the  United  States.  According  to  the  census  of  1880, 
there  were  in  this  city  11,000  factories,  in  which  '227,342  persons  found  emplovment.  The  capital 
invested  in  those  manufactures  was  $181,206,356,  and  the  wages  paid  were  $97,030,121.  The  value  of 
the  materials  used  was  $288,441,691,  and  the  value  of  products  turned  out  $472,926,437.  The  most 
extensively    manufactured    article    is   clothing,    on  which    upwards    of  60,000     persons     are  emploved. 


NEW   YORK   Ci:.VTk..\L   K.  K.  DKI'OT. 


Printing  and  publishing  take  in  nearly  10,000,  with  a  productive  value  of  $21,000,000.  At  the  present 
time  New  York  has  12,000  factories,  which  give  employment  to  500,000  operatives,  and  show  a  i)roductive 
value  of  $600,000,000. 

The  wholesale  jobbers  in  the  drygoods  trade  occupy  both  sides  of  Broadwav,  from  a  half  to  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  above  the  City  Hall;  the  grocery  trade'  is  carried  on  between'  Broadway  and  the 
North  River,  downtown,  mostly,  and  operations  in  fruit,  butter  and  provisions  are  bevond  and  below 
the  grocery  quarters.  Heavy  hardware  and  metals  are  liandled  on  the  east  side  near'  John  and  Cliff 
Streets,  while  light  hardware  is  sold  on  Chambers  and  Reade  Streets,  and  leather  in  the  Swamp,  a 
district  east  of  the  City  Hall  running  down  towards  the  East  River,  which  was  formerly  a  Swamp, 
as  the  name  implies. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS.  Ixv 


AVENUES  OF  COMMERCE. 

INHERE  is  no  city  on  the  globe  better  situated  for  commerce  than  New  York.  It  is  naturally 
the  entrance  gate  from  the  Old  World,  and  it  i.s  the  entrepot  of  the  New,  the  halfway  house 
between  Liverpool  and  San  Francisco.  Nature- has  given  it  this  magnificent  position,  and  the  energ}^  of 
its  citizens,  generation  after  generation,  has  taken  advantage  of  the  situation  and  prepared  the  way  for 
its  unrivalled  commercial  supremacy  in  the  future.  It  may  be  useful  to  glance  over  the  water 
boundaries  of  the  city  and  see  what  has  been  done  in  that  direction  since  New  York  began  to 
develop  itself  as  a  great  commercial  centre.  And  first  a  few  words  about  the  boundaries,  which  are 
ocean  and  river. 

The  Lower  Bay,  and  its  tributary  Raritan  Bay,  are  formed  1)y  a  triangular  indentation  of  the 
coast,  between  Monmouth  Coimty,  N.  J.,  Staten  and  Long  Islands,  partly  buttressed  from  the 
onslaught  of  the  sea  by  Sandy  Hook  and  Coney  Island,  and  the  shoals  and  bar  extending  between 
them.  At  the  head  of  the  Lower  Bay  the  maritime  route  goes  through  the  Narrows,  a  splendid 
Watergate  a  mile  wide,  hemmed  in  between  the  hills  of  Long  Island  and  vStaten  Island.  Beyond 
this  opens  out  the  Lower  Bay,  commonly  called  New  York  Harbor,  a  landlocked  sheet  of  water, 
eight  miles  long  and  five  miles  wide.  The  water  front  of  Manhattan  Island  available  for  vessels  is 
twenty-five  miles  in  length,  of  which  thirteen  are  on  the  North  River,  nine  on  the  East  River, 
and  three  on  the  Harlem.  There  are  seventy-three  piers  on  the  East  River,  below  Ea.st  Eleventh  Street, 
and  seventy  on  the  North  River  below  Twelfth  vStreet.  On  one  side  of  the  Harbor  is  the  Hudson 
River,  flowing  down  from  the  Adirondack  Mountains,  and,  through  its  connections  with  the  Erie  Canal, 
bringing  immense  supplies  of  grain  from  the  West;  on  the  other  side,  the  entrance  to  Long  Island 
Sound,  furnishing  an  ocean  route  to  New  England.  The  East  River  is  a  deep  tidal  strait, 
twenty  miles  in  length,  connecting  New  York  Harbor  with  Long  Island  Sound  at  the 
Battery.  Brooklyn  occupies  the  East  Shore  of  the  Sound.  Until  1885,  when  General  John  Newton 
blew  up  Hell  Gate,  that  part  of  the  Sound  between  Harlem  and  Astoria,  L.  I.,  was  a 
terror  to  mariners,  but  it  is  now,  after  an  expenditure  of  many  millions  of  dollars,  very  much  less 
perilous.  The  wharves  and  docks  on  both  the  East  and  North  Rivers  are  composed  of  wooden 
materials  and  their  aspect  is  not  beautiful.  It  was  proposed  some  few  years  ago  to  substitute  stone, 
but  the  cost  was  found  to  be  too  great.  It  is,  however,  only  a  question  of  time  when  the  docks 
of  New  York  will  rival  those  of  St.  Catherine  in  Liverpool  or  the  Victoria  Docks  of  London. 
Meanwhile  they  are  very  ugl}^  very  quaint  and  very  useful.  ]\Ioored  to  those  piers  are  steamers 
from  all  parts  of  the  world,  with  occasionally  a  ship  of  war.  They  come  from  far  off  Hong  Kong 
and  Melbourne,  as  well  as  from  Coney  Island,  whose  traffic  in  summer  is  by  no  means  to  be  despised. 
There  are  piers  for  the  famous  Inman  liners,  those  ocean  greyhounds  from  whose  mastheads  now 
float  the  Stars  and  Stripes  instead  of  the  Union  Jack,  and  which  in  case  of  war  will  become,  without 
changing  anything  but  the  position  of  the  flag,  fighting  vessels  of  the  American  Navy.  The  stranger 
doing  the  sights  may  see  along  the  North  River  the  big  ships  of  the  Cunard,  Inman,  Guion,  White 
Star,  French  and  Hamburg  lines,  as  well  as  hundreds  of  vessels  from  New  Orleans  and  Cuba, 
steamers  that  ply  between  New  York  and  Boston  as  well  as  steamers  from  the  principal  European 
ports,  while  on  the  Brooklyn  side  of  the  East  River  he  will  find  a  countless  array  of  the  tall  masts 
of  sailing  vessels  laden  with  fruits  from  the  West  Indies  and  Europe,  teas  from  China,  hides  and 
coffee  from  South  America,  and  indigo  and  spices  from  Calcutta.  During  a  single  year  more  than 
2,000  grain  and  bread-stuff  laden  ships  alone  sail  from  this  city  for  Europe.  The  Port  has  a  storage 
capacity  of  26,000,000  bushels  in  two  stationary  with  thirty-one  floating  elevators,  and  grain  ships  can 
be  loaded  at  the  rate  of  458,000  bushels  an  hour.  Apart  from  the  regular  Ocean  liners  upwards  of 
200  tramp  steamers  visit  this  port  every  year,  136  from  Transatlantic  and  the  rest  from  American 
ports.  Thirty  great  Transatlantic  steamships  now  run  regularly  between  here  and  Europe,  and  eighty- 
five  passenger  steamships,  which  bring  100,000  cabin  passengers,  mostly  returning  Americans  who 
have  been  seeing  the  outside  world.  The  capital  invested  in  those  vessels  is  upward  of  $500,000,000. 
Their  European  ports  are  Liverpool,  London,  Southampton,  Queenstown,  New  Castle,  Londonderry, 
Glasgow,  Havre,  Bordeaux,  Boulogne,  Antwerp,  Rotterdam,  Am.sterdam,  Copenhagen,  Stettin,  Hamburg 
and  Bremen ;  as  well  as  many  Mediterranean  and  the  vScandinavian  ports  of  Christiana  and  Christian- 
sund.  Of  the  great  ocean  lines  the  Inman  is  the  most  important  and  the  Cunard  comes  next.  Those 
splendid  twin  vessels,  the  Paris  and  the  New  York,  belong  to  the  Inman  line.  They  were  built  in 
1887,  possess  each  18,000  horse  power  and  a  displacement  of  10,500  tons.  The  Paris  has  made  the 
fastest  voyage  across  the  Atlantic  Ocean  on  record  and  her  sister  is  almost  equally  fast.  The  New 
York  made  her  first  voyage  in  1888  and  the  Paris  in  1889.  Both  vessels  were  admitted  to  American 
registry  in  1892,  and  are  looked  upon  as  the  beginning  of  a  great  merchant  nav)'.  There  is  no 
doubt  that  from  motives  of  patriotism  as  well  as  accommodation  the  Inman  Line  will  in  future  be 
more  extensively  patronized  by  Americans.  The  White  Star  line,  also,  has  some  magnificent  ocean 
steamers,  notably  the  Majestic  and  the  Teutonic,  the  former  being  a  keen  rival  of  the  Paris,  while 
the  Etruria  of  the  Cunard  Line  is  likewise  a  competitor  for  fame.  Among  other  ocean  steamship 
companies  which  rtxn  their  vessels  between  New  York  and  European  points  are  the  Anchor,  Allan-State 
Line,  Wilson,    mainly  freight  steamers,    the    National,    Atlantic  Transport  Line,  running  between  New 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


Ixvii 


York  and  London,  dedicated  exclusively  to  freij^iit,  the  French  Line,  or  Compaj^nie  (jcncrale  Transat- 
lantique,  which  owns  such  splendid  ships  as  La  Touraine,  La  Nomiandie,  La  Bc)ur|4-o<rne,  La  Chani]iaj^nc, 
La  Bretagnc  and  La  Gascogne;  the  Bordeaux  Line,  the  Netherlands,  North  (ierman  Lloyd,  Hamburg- 
American  Packet  Company,  Union  Line,  the  Hamburg- American  Company's  Baltic  Line,  the  Red  Star 
Line  between  Jersey  City  and  Europe  direct,  Netherlands  Ocean  vSteam  Navigation  Company,  White 
Cross  Line,  the  Thingvalla,  running  between  New  York  and  .Scandinavia,  the  Insular  Navigation 
Company,  between  New  York  and  the  Azores,  Peabody's  Australasian  Line,  North  German,  the 
Italian-Florio-Rubattino  Line,   and  the  Fabre,  running-  between   Brooklyn  and  Naples  and  Marseilles. 

•  There  are  also  great  numbers  of  steam'shi])  lines  trading  between  New  York  and  the  different 
ports  of  the  two  Americas,  of  which  the  princij^al  are  the  Red  Cross  Steamships,  between  this  city 
and  Halifax  and  Newfoundland;  the  Mallory,  which  takes  in  Maine;  the  Maine  Steamship  Line,  running- 
to  Portland;  the  Metropolitan  Line,  to  Boston ;  the  Clyde  vSteamship  Company,  whose  steamers  fly  between 
Boston,  New  York,  Philadelphia  and  other  cities  on  the  Atlantic  Coast  as  well  as  Hayti  and  San 
Domingo;  Old  Dominion  vSteamship  Company,  with  a  fleet  of  eight  steamers  running  to  Old  Point  Comfort, 
Newport  News,  Norfolk  and  other  wSouthern  ports;  the  Savannah,  between  this  city  and  Savannah; 
Cromwell  vSteamship  Company,  to  New  Orleans;  the  Morgan  Freight  Line,  trading  with  New  Orleans, 
Galveston,  Mexico;  the  New  York  and  Cuba  (Ward  Line  Company),  the  Compaiiia  Transatlantica,  Ouebcc 
Steamship  Com]:)any,  the  New  York  and  Porto  Rico,  the  Trinidad  Line,  Clyde  West  India  Line;  Atlas 
Steamship  Company,  trading  with  the  West  Indies  and  vSpanish  Main;  the  Honduras  and  Central 
American  Company,  to  Jamaica  tmd  other  tropical  ports;  the  Fall  River  Line,  the  Providence,  Nor- 
wich, Stonington  and  scores  of  others  of  minor  importance.  Those  lines  of  steamship  bring  the 
world's  people  and  produce  to  the  Empire  City  and  take  away  American  grain,  breadstuffs,  raw 
material  and  manufactures  away  in  exchang'e.  Their  presence,  their  coming,  their  going,  and,  above 
all,  their  numbers,  point  to  New  York  as  a  great  imperial  city.  Besides  those  above  mentioned  there 
are  lines  to  every  place  of  note  on  the  Atlantic  Coast,  to  all  points  of  Long  Island,  New  Jersey; 
lines  to  Troy  and  Albany  up  the  Iludson,  and  to  intermediate  places  on  the  river;  lines,  in  fine,  to 
all  points,  as  may  be  seen  by  those  patient  enough  to  stand  for  a  few  hours  on  the  roof  of  the 
Equitable  Building,  and  glancing  around  the  horizon,  gaze  in  admiration  over  sea  and  river  far  as 
the  eye  can  reach,  dotted  with  steamers  and  sailing  craft  coming  from  or  going  to  New  York.  The 
ferry  boats  running  between  New  York  and  Brooklyn,  Jersey  City,  Hoboken,  Staten  Island  and  other 
points  constitute  a  large  fleet  in  themselves.  It  goes  without  the  saying  that  communication,  not  only 
between  New  York  and  what  must  be  termed  her  suburbs,  such  as  Brooklyn,  Jersey  City,  Hoboken, 
and  Long  Island  City,  is  a  matter  of  paramount  importance,  but  as  already  remarked  intercommunica- 
.tion,  or  rapid  transit,  is  a  great  problem  crying  out  for  solution  in  a  voice  that  is  becoming  strident. 
The  numerous  horse-car  lines,  supplemented  or  superseded  in  recent  years  by  electric  cars  and  the 
Manhattan  Elevated  System,  which  carries  half  a  million  each  day,  are  not  sufficient  for  the  busy  millions 
of  a  growing  city,  and  rapid  transit  is  the  problem  of  the  hour.  As  regards  connections  with  the  outer 
world  they  are  ample.  All  railroads  lead  to  New  York,  and  the  traveller  has  not  to  wait  many 
hours  before  he  can  start  for  San  Francisco,  Galveston,  vSt.  Paul,  Quebec,  New  Orleans,  or  Boston. 
The  New  York  Central,  essentially  a  New  York  road,  is  considered  one  of  the  besi;  equipped  and  most 
remunerative  institutions  in  the  world.  Its  trunk  line  -  with  four  parallel  tracks  runs  from  the  city  to 
Buffalo,  a  distance  of  444  miles.  The  company  controls  more  than  3,000  miles  of  steel  rail  track, 
1,130  locomotives,  42,000  freight  and  passenger  cars,  and  -120  steamboats  and  sailing  vessels.  Its 
capital  stock  has  recently  been  raised  from  $90,000,000  to  $100,000,000  and  its  funded  debt  is 
$65,000,000.  Upwards  of  50,000  persons  arrive  at  or  depart  from  its  Grand  Central  Depot  every  day. 
The  route  traversed  by  the  road  is  rich  and  historic.  On  the  wa}-  the  traveller  may  feast  his  eyes 
upon  the  noble  Hudson  River  and  catch  occasional  glimpses  of  the  famous  Catskill  jMountains,  with 
many  a  village,  town  and  city  of  interest  to  patriotic  Americans.  The  Empire  State  Express  on  this  road 
does  the  trip  to  Buffalo  in  eight  hours  and  forty  minutes,  or  at  the  rate  of  fiftj^-two  miles  an  hour. 

The  New  York  &  Harlem  Railway  is  also  controlled  by  the  New  York  Central,  and  is  part  of 
its  system.  It  runs  from  the  Grand  Central  Depot,  a  distance  of  127  miles,  and  at  Chatham  connects 
with  the  Boston  &  Albany  Line.  The  West  vShore  Railroad,  which  in  1885  was  leased  to  the  New 
York  Central  for  a  period  of  475  years,  follows  the  Western  Bank  of  the  Hudson  River  to  a  point 
near  Albany,  and  thence  crosses  the  Midland  Counties  to  Buffalo  on  a  route  almost  parallel  with  the 
New  York  Central.  Still  another  line  absorbed  by  the  Vanderbilt  system  is  the  Rome,  Watertown 
&  Ogden,  which  has  been  equipped  in  the  same  style  as  all  the  New  York  Central  branches,  and 
does  an  immense  amount  of  summer  travel. 

The  Penns3dvania  Railroad,  when  the  tunnel  now  in  progress  imder  the  North  River  has  been 
completed,  will  take  the  traveller  from  New  York  City  to  Philadelphia,  Cincinnati,  Chicago,  Indiana- 
polis and  St.  Louis.  If  he  wishes  to  connect  with  the  vSouth,  say  New  Orleans,  he  will  cross  the 
State  of  New  Jersey  to  Philadelphia,  then  on  to  Baltimore,  and  to  Washington,  where  he  changes  for 
the  South  or  West.  This  road  has  no  superior  in  the  world  for  accommodation.  In  its  parlors  the 
traveller  can  live  his  life  of  a  Sybarite.  The  Central  Railroad  of  New  Jersey  belongs  to  the  Read- 
ing system,  operates  over  1,300  miles  of  track,  and  carries  the  New  Yorker  to  some  of  the  most 
beautiful  suburban  and  rural  spots  in  the  middle  Atlantic  .States.  The  Central  of  New  Jersey  is  part 
of  the  Royal  Blue  Line  running  from  New  York  to  Philadelphia,  Baltimore  and  Washington,  and 
from  there  to  the  South  and  West.  The  Delaware,  Lackawanna  &  Western  Railroad  is  also  a  large 
New  York  feeder.  This  line  connects  New  York  City  with  Lake  Ontario  and  Lake  Erie  on  the  one 
side,  and  with  the  coal  regions  of  Pennsylvania  on  the  other. 


1  x  \  i  i  i 


NEIV   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


There  are  also  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio,  the  New  York,  Ontario  &  Western  Railway,  the  New 
York,  Lake  Erie  &  Western  Railroad,  whieh  eonnccts  with  all  the  jjreat  transcontinental  lines,  the 
Richmond  &  Danville,  the  chief  link  between  New  York  and  the  Gulf  States  throuj^h  its  Piedmont 
Air  Line,  the  New  York,  New  Haven  &  Hartford  Railroad,  the  New  York  &  New  Eno-land  Railroad, 
the  New  York  &  Northern  Railway,  and  the  Lon^j  Island  Railroad,  which  permits  Gothamite  men  of 
business  to  live  outside  the  roar  of  the  city.  Then  there  are  many  local  lines  doing  most  of  their 
business  in  summer,  carrying  excursionists  to  and  from  the  city,  such  as  the  New  York  &  Sea  Beach 
Railroad,  Brooklyn,  Bath  &  West  End,  Brooklyn  &  Brighton  Beach,  Staten  Island  Rapid  Transit  and 
Brooklyn's  two  elevated  lines,  the  Kings  Coimty  and  Union,  all  of  which  waft  people  who  live  out- 
side the  city,  but  work  in  New  York,  to  their  homes  when  the  day's  toil  is  done,  or,  nia5-hap,  carr}' 
them  for  recreation  to  the  sea  and  shore   in  the  hot  season. 


NEWSPAPERS  AND  PERIODICALS. 

TO  write  a  complete  history  of  the  newspapers  of  the  Metropolis  would  take  three  or  four  big 
volumes,  and  it  is  almost  impossible  to  do  justice  to  such  an  important  subject  in  these  limited 
pages.  Nevertheless  it  is  an  acknowledged  fact  that  newspapers,  news  bureaux  and  cable  news  com- 
panies are  peculiar  American  in.stitutions  which  have  made  themselves  a  power  all  over  the  civilized, 
world.  As  New  York,  "the  Metropolis,"  was  the  first  city  of  the  country,  it  naturally  follows  that 
it  published  the  first  newspaper.  In  1725  William  Bradford  printed  and  publi.shed  the  Gazette,  which 
boasted  a  daily  circulation  of  500,  and  which  lasted  until  1741.  In  1733  the  Weekly  Journal  was  born, 
and  it  became  historically  famous  through  John  Peter  Zenger,  who  suffered  as  a  martyr  in  his  noble 
efforts  to  champion  the  liberty  of  the  press. 

As  the  "Metropolis"  increased  in  size  and  importance  so  the  newspapers  increased  in  volume  and 
power,  until  coming  down  to  the  present  day  it  is  found  that  there  are  the  United  Press,  the 
Associated  Press,  the  American  Press  Association,  the  International  Telegram  Company,  the  Dalziel 
Cable  News  Company,  and  four  city  press  syndicates,  continually  supplying  735  daily  papers  and 
periodicals.  Of  this  enormous  number,  658  are  printed  in  E'nglish,  fifty-one  in  German,  nine  in  Spanish, 
four  in  Italian,  four  in  French,  two  in  Swedish,  five  in  Bohemian,  one  in  Hungarian,  and  one  in 
Armenian.  Then  again  there  are  160  trade  papers,  sixteen  art  papers,  thirty-nine  scientific  papers 
and  ten  sporting  papers.  Of  the  religious  papers  and  magazines  there  are  about  sixty,  including  the 
ChnrcJiman,  perhaps  the  finest  religious  paper  in  the  world,  and  the  powerful  champion  of  the  Epi.scopal 
Church;  the  Freeman's  Journal,  the  Tablet,  and  five  Roman  Catholic  papers,  and  that  fine  magazine,  the 
Catholic  World,  the  American  Hebrciv,  and  seven  Jewish  papers;  the  Examiner,  founded  in  1823,  as 
the  organ  of  the  Baptists;  the  Observer  and  the  Evanf;elist;  devoted  to  the  Presb^'terians ;  the  well 
known  Methodist  Christian  Advocate;  the  Christian  Intelligencer,  representing  the  Reformed  Church; 
the  Independent  and  the  Christian  Union. 

But  it  is  to  the  seven  great  dailies  of  New  York,  and  the  evening  journals,  that  the  great 
public  looks  for  its  news,  its  entertainment,  and  advice  on  almost  every  matter  under  the  sun.  The 
men  who  conduct  these  journals  are  conversant  with  all  branches  of  commerce,  art.  science  and 
politics,  and  they  have  been  truthfully  termed  "moulders  of  public  opinion." 

The  Herald  is  the  elder  if  not  the  leader  of  all  the  New  York  journals,  and  it  is  international  in 
its  work,  having  editions  printed  and  published  in  both  London  and  Paris.  It  is  independent  and  fearless. 
It  was  founded  in  1835  by  James  Gordon  Bennett,  the  elder,  and  its  career  has  been  an  uninterrupted 
success.  The  present  heads  of  departments  are  James  Gordon  Bennett,  son  of  the  founder;  William 
C.  Rcick,  who  leads  the  editorial  oflfice,  and  G.  G.  Howland,  manager  of  the  business  department. 

The  Sun  is  a  close  rival  of  the  Herald  both  in  accuracy  and  circulation.  The  motto  of  this 
great  paper  is,  "If  you  see  it  in  the  Sun,  it's  so,"  and  so  it  is.  It  was  founded  in  1833  by  Moses  Y. 
Beach  as  a  religious  daily.  In  1868  Charles  A.  Dana  took  the  helm  and  he  has  succeeded  in  making 
it  one  of  the  great  journals  of.  the  country.  Mr.  Dana  is  ably  assisted  in  his  great  work  by  his  only 
son,  Major  Paul  Dana,  and  Chester  Saunders  Lord,  the  managing  editor. 

The  Nciv  York  Tribune  is  the  leading  Republican  organ  of  the  city.  It  is  a  sound  counsellor, 
forceful,  dignified  and  scholarly,  and  it  has  a  strong  influence  on  all  who  read  it.  The  Tribune  was 
founded  by  Horace  (ireeley  in  1841,  and  he  guided  its  fortunes  in  a  masterly  manner  until  1S72,  when 
Whitclaw  Reid  took  the  command.  Mr.  Rcid  is  highly  con.sidcred  as  an  adviser  in  the  Councils  of 
the  Nation.  He  was  United  vStates  Minister  to  France,  and  the  last  Republican  candidate  for  Vice- 
President.  The  Tribune  Association  is  owned  by  Whitelaw  Reid,  Darius  O.  Mills  and  Ogden  Mills 
Donald  Nicholson  is  the  managing  editor,  and  Arthur  F.  Bowers,  city  editor. 

The  'Times  comes  next  in  chronological  order.  It  is  thoroughly  independent  in  politics,  although  it 
was  formerly  Republican,  and  now  supports  President  Cleveland  and  his  policy.  It  is  a  scholarly 
journal,'  courageous  and  sincere.  The  Times  was  foimded  in  185 1  by  George  Jones  and  Henry  J. 
Raymond.    It  started  in  very  humble  quarters  in   Nassau    Street,  and  now  occupies  one  of  the  hand- 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROJ'OLJS. 


Ixix 


somest  buildings  in  the  city,  at  the  corner  of  Park  Row,  Spruce  and  Nassau  Streets.  Tlie  present 
executive  of  this  solid  and  reliable  journal  consists  of  Henry  M.  Cary,  manajj;-in,<j  editor;  Charles  R. 
Miller,  President  of  the  New  York  Times  Publishing-  Company,  and  George  F.  Spinney,  Secretary- 
Treasurer  and  Business  Manager. 

The  WWld  can  perhaps  boast  of  the  most  remarkable  career  of  any  journal  in  New  York.  It  was 
founded  in  June,  i860,  as  a  religious  journal.  Subsecjuently,  Thurlow  Weed,  August  Belmont  and  Samuel 
L.  M.  Barlow  were  the  owners.  In  1869  Manton  Marble  was  in  control,  and  then  it  was  under  the 
thumb  of  Jay  Gould,  with  a  leaning  toward  England.  Finally,  it  was  purchased  by  Joseph  Pulitzer, 
and  then  the  I f'i'?;-/;'/ became  a  power.  It  gave  to  its  wonderful  owner  "the  potentiality  of  amassing 
wealth  beyond  the  dreams  of  avarice."  The  story  of  the  /f'cr/c/  is  told  in  a  few  words.  In  1883  the 
daily  average  circulation  was  33,521,  in  1893 
it  is  375,000.  This  decade  of  prosperity  speaks 
for  itself.  Mr.  Pulitzer's  present  staff  is  headed 
by  Edward  Farrelly,  managing  editor,  and  John 
Norris,  business  manager. 

The  J^rcss  was  founded  in  1887  by 
Robert  P.  Porter,  the  great  advocate  of  the 
tariff.  It  is  a  strong  Republican  paper  and 
has  much  influence  in  the  party.  It  was  the 
first  penny  Republican  paper  in  the  city,  and 
it  has  been  a  success  from  the  start.  Its 
present  circulation  is  over  100,000  daily.  James 
Phillips,  Jr.,  now  owns  and  controls  the  policy 
of  the  paper.  Mr.  R.  P.  Porter  recently  re- 
signed the  position  of  U.  vS.  Census  Commis- 
sioner, to  which  he  was  appointed  by  Presi- 
dent Harrison,  and  has  again  assumed  charge 
of  the  editorial  department  of  the  Press. 

The  N'civ  York  Recorder  is  the  baby  of 
the  seven  great  dailies.  It  is  only  two  years 
old,  but  it  is  a  most  vigorous  bantling,  and  it 
has  made  its  juvenile  lungs  heard  all  through 
the  city,  and  even  to  the  most  remote  confines 
of  the  nation.  It  was  founded  in  1891,  and 
took  its  place  as  one  of  the  big  city  journals 
at  once.  It  is  the  pioneer  in  all  suggestions 
for  the  benefit  of  the  people,  and  it  has  broken 
all  newspaper  records  hy  building  itself  a 
handsome  set  of  offices  on  Spruce  Street,  and 
that  within  two  years  of  its  birth.  The  suc- 
cess of  the  Recorder  is  primarily  di:e  to  the 
push,  indvistry  and  genius  of  George  W.  Tttrner, 
who  is  ably  assisted  by  John  W.  Keller  as 
managing  editor. 

These  are  the  seven  great  dailies,  and 
to  them  must  be  added  the  great  German 
journal  the  Siaats-Zeitiing,  which  was  founded 
in  1834,  and  is  a  splendid  monument  to  the 
ability  and  industry  of  Oswald  Ottendorfer. 
The  other  morning  dailies  are  the  Morning 
Journal,  the  Morning  Advertiser,  the  Mercury, 
and  the  latest  of  all,  the  Daily  America. 

Of  the  evening  papers,  besides  the  edi- 
tions published  by  the  World,  the  Sun,  the 
Advertiser  and  the  Telegram,  which  is  the  child 
of  the  Herald,  there  are  three  distinctively  and 
purely  evening  journals,  all  of  them  solid  and 
firmly  established  :  The  Commercial  Adver- 
tiser, foimded  in  1797,  and  claiming  the  proud  title  of  the  oldest  paper  in  New  York;  ably  edited  by 
John  A.  Cockerill,  assisted  by  Foster  Coates  and  Charles  Hasbrook.  The  Evening  Post,  started  in 
1 80 1,  at  one  time  conducted  by  Carl  vSchurz,  and  now  successfully  piloted  by  E.  L.  Godkin,  J.  S. 
Seymour,  business  manager,  and  W.  A.  Linn,  managing  editor.  The  Mail  and  Express,  a  consolidation 
of  two  journals  by  Cyrus  W.  Field  in  1882.  Subsequently  it  was  owned  by  the  late  Elliott  F.  Shepard, 
and  is  at  present  admirably  managed  by  John  A.  Sleischer,  R.  E.  A.  Dorr,  and  A.  B.  De  Freece, 
business  manager. 

There  are   also  other 


HORACE  CREKLKV. 


are   also    otner    daily  papers  worthy  of  mention 
Courrier  des   Etats-Unis,   L'Eco  d' Italia,  the  New-Yorker 
News,   founded  in    1867,   by  Benjamin  Wood,  besides    a  host 
more  or  less  influence. 


Zeitung, 


such    as    the  Journal  of  Commerce,  the 
and  last   but  not  least  the  Evening 
of   lesfal,  financial    and   hotel  journals  of 


Ixx 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


Of  the  weeklies,  dramatic,  illustrated  and  sporting,  there  are,  the  Led^s^cr,  founded  by  Robert 
Bonner  in  1844;  the  Nation,  the  Spirit  of  the  Tunes,  founded  in  1831  ;  the  Clipper,  the  Home  Journal, 
Forest  aiid  Stream,  the  Critic,  Life,  Bradstreet's,  Harper's  Weekly,  Harper's  Bazaar,  Harper's  Young^ 
People,  Frank  Leslie's  Illustrated,  and  the  German  edition  of  the  same;  the  Dramatic  Mirror,  Truth, 
and  those  great  comic  weeklies,   which  are  unequalled  in  an}^  part  of  the  world.   Puck  and  Judge. 

These  two  great  journals  are  unique  of  their  class  and  are  easily  the  best  of  the  kind  in  any 
country  or  in  any  language.  Puck  is  the  older  of  the  two.  It  was  founded  in  1876  by  Joseph  Keppler 
and  Adolph  Schwarzmann,  and  was  at  first  printed  only  in  German,  but  its  success  necessitated  an 
English  edition,  which  has  since  become  famous.  The  principal  feature  is  the  beautifully  colored 
cartoons  by  Joseph  Keppler  and  his  assistants.  The  '  editorial  department  is  under  the  control  of  H. 
C.  Bunner.  Puck  is  an  ardent  supporter  of  President  Cleveland.  Judge  was  founded  in  1 881.  It  is  as 
strongly  Republican  as  its  rival  is  Democratic,  and  they  wage  a  merry  war  in  consequence.  Judge  is 
run  by  a  corporation  entitled  the  Judge  Publishing  Company,  of  which  the  Brothers  Arkell  are  the 
leaders. 

America  is  justly  noted  for  its  monthly  magazines,  and  they  lead  the  world  for  their  excellence, 
pictorially,  typographically,  and  for  the  value  of  the  information  to  be  acquired.  London  has  for 
years  tried  to  compete  with  the  New  York  magazines,  but  without  success,  although  the  English 
capital  is  far  ahead  of  the  Metropolis  in  the  style  and  make  up  of   its  weekly  illustrated  papers. 

At  the  head  of  the  long  list  are:  Liar  per' s  A'ezv  Monthly,  the  Century,  Scribncr's  and  the  Cosmo- 
politan, the  North  American  Reviezv,  the  Forum,  the  Art  Amateur,  Frank  Leslie's  Popular  Monthly, 
the  Magazine  of  American  History,  the  Popular  Science  Monthly,  St.  A'icholas,  and  a  host  of  others  too 
numerous  to  mention. 

The  American  News  Company  is  the  greatest  agent  in  America  for  the  dissemination  of  all 
these  newspapers,  journals  and  periodicals.  It  is  one  of  the  busiest  corporations  in  the  city  and  dis- 
tributes millions  of  publications  a  year.  The  United  States  Book  Company  is  also  a  great  disperser  of 
knowledge  to  the  masses.  It  was  formed  in  1890  by  John  W.  Lovell  &  Company,  and  its  capital 
stock  is  $5,000,000.  It  publi.shes  standard  and  miscellaneous  books  in  cheap  form  and  is  of  immense 
advantage  to  the  public  generally. 

The  160  trade  papers  have  a  peculiar  influence  upon  those  who  read  journals  of  any  kind,  and 
some  of  them  are  very  powerful  advocates  of  the  particular  trades  they  represent.  The  most  prom- 
inent are  :  The  Iro?i  Age,  devoted  to  railroads,  mining  and  iron  interests  generally.  The  American 
Agriculturist,  for  farmers.  The  Dry  Goods  Feonomist,  American  Grocer;  the  Confectioners'  Journal; 
Demorest's  family  and  fashion  publications;  the  Druggist's  Circular;  the  Jctcclcrs'  IVeekly ;  the  Leather 
Manufacturer;  the  Manufacturer  and  Builder;  Music  Trades;  Shoe  and  Leather  Reporter;  United  States 
Tobacco  Journal,  etc.,  etc.,  all  of  them  with  circulations  corresponding  to  the  importance  of  the  busi- 
ness they  represent. 

In  this  brief  sketch  the  reader  can  well  appreciate  that  the  residents  of  the  Metropolis  are 
well  supplied  with  news  daily,  and  they  have  food  for  the  mind  and  delights  for  the  eye  furnished 
liberally,  weekly  and  monthly.  In  fact,  it  can  be  asserted  without  fear  of  contradiction  that,  notwith- 
standing its  great  size  and  marvellous  growing  power,  New  York  is  reall)''  the  most  wonderfully  news- 
papered  and  magazined  city  in  the  world.  Every  possible  taste  in  literature  is  provided  for,  there  is  no 
class  that  cannot  get  what  they  want  to  read,  and  no  langiuige  that  is  not  represented  by  a  publi- 
cation of  some  sort.  The  Chinese  have  their  (jrgan  printed  in  the  Celestial  symbols,  the  Hebrews  are 
supplied  with  their  ancient  Biblical  characters,  and  there  are  even  publications  in  Hindostan  and 
Sanskrit,  so  that  all  the  various  nationalities  that  have  collected  together  to  form  and  consolidate  this 
great  Republic  can,  thanks  to  the  enterprise  of  New  York  citizens,  read  the  news  of  the  day  in 
whatever  language  they  are  accustomed  to,  and,  thanks  to  the  cable  and  news  bureaux,  can  be  in- 
formed of  what  is  going  on  in  their  own  far  off  native  towns,  as  they  enjoy  their  early  breakfast, 
or  before  half  the  world  is  awake.  The  system  of  news  gathering  and  distribution  to  the  hungry 
crowds  craving  for  information  is  almost  perfect  in  New  York  City,  and  it  is  the  source  of  employ- 
ment for  many  thousands  of  working  men  and  women  in  this  great  Metropolis. 


NEW  YORK, 
THE  METROPOLIS. 

Part  II. 
BIOGRAPHICAL. 

ILLUSTRATED. 


Copyrighted,  1892,  by 
THE  MEW  YORK  RECORDER. 
1893. 


NEW   YORK,   THE  METROJ'OL/S. 


BIOGRAPHICAI 


DORMAN  BRIDGMAN  EATON. 

THE  Hon.  Dorman  Bridgman  Eaton,  LL.D.,  political 
reformer  and  legal  author,  was  born  in  Hardwick, 
Vermont,  on  Juno  27,  1823.  His  father  was  the  Hon. 
Nathaniel  Eaton,  a  prominent  Vermonter  of  his  time,  and 
his  mother  Ruth  Eaton,  nee  Bridgman,  belonged  to  an  old 
Caledonia  County  family  of  that  State.  He  was  graduated 
from  the  University  of  Vermont  in  1848,  and  from  the 
Harvard  University  Law  School  in  1850,  taking  the  principal 
prize  for  a  legal  essay.  He  delivered  a  Commencement 
address  before  the  Yale  Law  School  in  1882,  and  was 
subsequently  made  Doctor  of  Laws  by  his  Alinn  Mater. 
He  was  called  to  the  bar  of  New  York  in  185 1,  and  soon 
after  became  associated  in  a  law  partnership  with  Judge 
William  Kent,  whom  he  assisted  in  editing  that  well  known 
legal  work  "  Kent's  Commentaries."  In  1852,  he  prepared 
an  edition  of  "  Chipman  on  Contracts  payable  in  Specific 
Article."  He  practised  successfully  at  the  bar  of  New  York 
for  many  years.  In  1865,  he  aided  in  pre|)aring  and 
promoting  the  passage  of  the  paid  fire  department  hill. 

In  1866,  he  draughted  the 
law  creating  the  Metropolitan 
Board  of  Health.  Next  year  he 
draughted  its  sanitary  code,  and 
it  was  he,  also,  who  draughted 
the  law  under  which  the  Police 
Courts  of  New  York  City  are 
now  organized.  He  was  made 
chairman  of  the  committee  on 
political  reform  of  the  L^nion 
League  Club,  and  held  that  posi- 
tion for  many  years.  Mr.  Eaton 
spent  from  1870  to  1873  in 
'Europe,  where  he  studied  the 
civil  service  systems  of  Great 
Britain  and  other  European 
countries.  LTpon  his  return  to 
America,  President  Grant  ap- 
pointed him  upon  the  Civil 
Service  Commission  to  succeed 
Mr.  Curtis,  who  had  resigned,  of 
which  he  was  made  chairman. 
With  the  approval  of  President 
Hayes,  Mr.  Eaton  went  to 
Europe  in  1877,  where  he 
studied  the  Civil  Service  system 
of  Great  Britain,  upon  which  he 
wrote  a  volume  published  by 
Congress,  and  also  by  Harper 
Brothers.  He  draughted  the 
Civil  Service  law  enacted  in 
1883,  under  which  the  National 
Civil  Service  Commission  was 
organized,  and   was  the  first 

Commissioner  appointed  by  President  .Arthur  under  this 
law.  In  fact,  he  has  been  closely  connected  with  Civil 
Service  Reform  since  the  idea  was  originally  conceived, 
and,  no  doubt,  history  will  give  him  the  credit  of  having 
done  much  in  a  practical  way  to  abolish  the  spoils  system. 
He  is  naturally  a  leformer,  hating  injustice  and  loving  the 
institutions  of  his  country  intelligently,  but  not  blindly. 

Mr.  Eaton  is  a  vigorous  writer  of  English,  with  a  free, 
flowing  style  for  a  man  who  has  necessarily  to  confine  him 
self  to  the  legal  aspects  of  the  case  he  is  arguing.  His 
articles  in  the  North  American  Review,  upon  what  partisan 
papers  called  his  hobby,  were  keen,  trenchant,  and  logical. 
They  have  done  much  to  educate  the  country.  Among 
other  articles  and  essays  in  leading  periodicals  which  he 
wrote   were  :     "  The    Independent    Movement    in  New 


DORMAN  1U<II 


York — 1880,"  "Civil  Service  Reform  in  Great  Britain — 
1880,"  "Spoils  System  and  Civil  Service  Reform  in  the 
New  York  Custom  House  and  Post  Office,"  "Term  and 
Tenure  of  Office,"  and  "Secret  Sessions  U.  S.  Senate." 
At  the  recpiest  of  a  Joint  Committee  of  both  houses  of 
Congress  in  1874,  he  draughted  a  code  for  the  Government 
of  the  District  of  Columbia.  He  also  wrote  nine  or  ten 
articles — those  relating  to  Administrative  Reform  and  some 
other  subjects — in  Lalors  Cxclopaulia  of  J'o/itical  Science. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  Century,  Union  League,  Com- 
monwealth, City  Reform,  Unitarian,  and  XIX.  Century  Clubs 
of  New  York,  and  of  the  Bar  Association  and  the  Citizens* 
Municipal  League,  C'ivil  Service  Reform  and  F^xcise  Reform 
Associations  of  that  city,  and  also  of  the  Reform  Club  of 
Boston. 

MILES  BEACH. 

The  Hon.  Miles  Beach,  Judge  in  the  Court  of  Common 
Pleas,  known  by  his  legal  brothers  as  the  Chesterfield  of  the 
Bench,  was  born  in  Saratoga  County,  State  of  New  York, 

in  1840.  His  father,  William 
A.  Beach,  a  friend  and  contem- 
porary of  Charles  O'Conor  and 
James  T.  Brady,  was  himself  a 
prominent  lawyer  in  his  time 
and  a  very  successful  one.  The 
son  received  an  elementary  edu- 
cation in  his  native  place,  and 
afterwards  took  a  classical 
course  in  Union  College,  from 
which  institution  he  graduated 
with  high  honors.  While  still 
young  he  was  taken  by  his 
parents  to  Troy,  N.  Y.,  and 
after  being  called  to  the  bar 
associated  himself  with  his  father 
in  the  law  firm  of  Beach  &  Smith, 
w  hich  conducted  at  that  period 
probably  the  most  extensive  law 
business  in  the  northern  or 
western  part  of  the  State.  Judge 
Beach  seems  to  have  inherited 
legal  ability  from  his  father,  but 
he  was  a  hard  worker  besides, 
and  soon  established  for  him- 
self a  re[nitation  in  his  profes- 
sion. He  imbibed  a  taste  for 
politics  at  an  early  age,  and, 
joining  the  Democratic  party  in 
Troy,  was  elected  Mayor  of  that 
city,  and  served  two  terms  with 
distinction.  Meanwhile  the  law 
business  of  the  firm  grew  to 
such  an  extent  that  in  1867  the 
Beaches,  father  and  son,  were  obliged  to  come  to  New  York, 
where  they  would  occupy  a  more  central  and  accessible 
position  as  regards  their  clients. 

Upon  the  election  of  Judge  Rajjallo  to  the  Court  of 
Apijeals,  the  law  firm  of  Rapallo,  Daly  &  Brown  was 
changed  to  Beach,  Daly  <S:  Brown,  the  Trojans  taking 
places  at  the  head  of  the  reconstructed  firm.  Mr. 
Daly  having  retired,  the  firm  became  Beach  Brown, 
and  assumed  entire  control  of  the  legal  affairs  of  the  Van- 
derbilts,  which,  with  the  interests  of  Jay  Gould  they  also 
had  charge  of,  constituted  the  largest  railroad  business  done 
by  any  New  York  law  firm. 

When  Judge  Robinson  died,  Mr.  Miles  Beach  was 
appointed  by  Governor  Robinson  to  fill  the  vacancy 
caused  thereby  on  the  bench  of  the  C'ourt  of  Common 


ICATON. 


4 


X/'Jir  YORK,   THE  METROPOLIS. 


Pleas,  and  in  tiic  autvinin  following  was  elected  to  tiie  same 
position.  His  opponents  were  the  present  Recorder  Smythe 
and  Elihu  Root.  Since  then  Judge  Beach  has  been  identi- 
fied with  the  Supreme  Court,  each  succeeding  Governor 
appointing  him  to  do  duty  there. 

.,  New  York  is  proud  of  Judge  Beach.  Besides  being  an 
ornament  to  her  bench  he  is  one  of  her  most  distinguished 
citizens,  stately,  without  being  pomjious,  and,  while  firmly 
upholding  the  dignity  of  the  bench,  one  of  the  most  sociable 
men  to  be  found  in  the  clubs.  He  is  a  man  of  fine 
scholastic  attainments  and  a  connoisseur  in  art  and 
literature,  which  factors  to  our  civilization  he  would  go 


MILES  BEACH. 


far  out  of  his  way  to  encourage  and  foster.  .\  leading 
Re])ublican  newspaper,  speaking  of  him,  says  : 

"Of  his  i)rominent  characteristics  absolute  iniperturl>a- 
bility  is  most  salient.  There  is  no  lawyer  living  who 
ever  saw  Judge  Beach  lose  his  remarkable  repose  of 
manner,  or  who  ever  saw  him  disturbed,  or  '  rattled,'  as 
the  vernacular  has  it,  by  the  most  involved  or  incomprehen- 
sible argument." 

The  Judge  is  a  tall  man,  who  looks  much  younger  than 
his  age.  After  leaving  court  he  walks  all  the  way  uptown, 
to  the  Union  or  Manhattan  Club,  of  both  of  which  he  is  a 
member,  ajjjjcaring  as  cool  as  if  he  had  not  finished  many 
hours  of  hard  work. 


JOSEPH  E.  JANVRIN,  M.D. 

Jo.seph  K.  Janvrin,  M.I).,  one  of  New  \'ork's  distinguished 
physicians,  was  born  in  Kxetcr,  New  Ham|)shirc,  on  January 
13,  1839.  His  parents  were  Joseph  Adams  Janvrin  and 
I-ydia  Colcord  Janvrin.  He  is  a  graduate  of  I'hilli])s'  At  a- 
demy,  Exeter.  Soon  after  leaving  college  he  began  the  study 
of  Medi(  ine  at  Kxeter,  but  on  the  breaking  out  of  the  war 
joined  the  Army  as  Assistant  Surgeon,  and  was  in  the  field 
from  June,  1.S61,  until  August,  1863,  part  of  the  time 
attached  to  the  .\riny  of  the  Potoma( ,  and  tlie  re-<l  in  tlic 


Department  of  the  Gulf.  Going  to  New  York  in  the  fall 
of  1863,  he  resumed  his  medical  studies.  He  graduated 
from  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  in  March,  1864, 
and  was  immediately  appointed  Executive  Officer,  with  the 
rank  of  .Assistant  Surgeon,  to  Emory  Hospital,  \Vashing-  , 
ton,  I).  C.  After  serving  a  year  in  that  institution.  Dr. 
Janvrin  came  to  New  York  and  began  a  career  which  has 
])laced  him  in  the  front  rank  of  his  jjrofession  in  this  city. 
He  was  Assistant  Surgeon  in  the  Women's  Hospital  from 
1872  until  1882,  resigning  to  take  the  position  of  Gyneco- 
logist to  the  Skin  and  Cancer  HosiMtal,  which  he  still  holds. 

For  the  past  two  years  he  has  been  President  of  the  New 
York  Obstetrical  Society.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  New 
York  Academy  of  Medicine,  the  New  York  County  Medical 
Society,  the  County  Medical  Association,  the  American 
Medical  Association,  and  the  American  Gyne(  ological 
Association.  He  is  Consulting  Surgeon  to  St.  Elizabeth's 
Hospital.  His  writings  have  been  principally  confined  to 
his  specialty,  which  is  gynecology,  'i'he  most  important  of 
them  are  : 

1.  "A  Case  of  Tubal  Pregnancy  of  unusual  interest,  with 
some  remarks  as  to  the  treatment  in  such  cases." 

2.  "On  the  Indications  for  Primary  La])arotomy  in  cases 
of  Tubal  Pregnancy." 

3.  "A  Clinical  Study  of  Primary  Carcinomatous  and 
Sarcomatous  Neoplasms  between  the  Folds  of  the  Broad 
Ligaments." 

4.  "  The  Limitations  for  Vaginal  Hysterectomy  in  Malig- 
nant Diseases  of  the  Uterus." 

5.  Vaginal  Hysterectomy  for  Malignant  Diseases  of  the 
Uterus  and  its  Ajjpendages,"  and  several  others. 

The  jjractice  of  Dr.  Janvrin  is  more  particularly  devoted 
to  malignant  diseases  in  the  field  of  gynecology  and  its 
special  study  in  surgical  work.  He  married  Miss  Laura  L. 
La  \Vall,  the  daughter  of  Cyrus  La  Wall,  of  Easton.  Pa. 


THOMAS  C.  PLATT. 

Capacity  for  doing  simultaneously  a  phenomenal  amount 
of  work  in  different  lines  of  effort  is  one  of  the  explanations 
of  the  success  achieved  by  Mr.  Piatt,  in  jjublic  life  as  well  as 
in  private  and  corporate  business.  Occupied  with  politics 
at  least  as  much  as  any  other  living  American,  Mr.  Piatt 
never  for  a  day,  even  during  the  stress  and  strain  of  great 
election  contests,  neglects  his  duties  as  executive  head  of 
one  of  the  largest  transportation  institutions  of  North 
America,  also  President  of  the  Tennessee  Coal,  Iron 
and  Railroad  Company,  a  corporation  with  a  capital  of 
i!<20,ooo,ooo.  In  addition  to  the  supervision  of  those  great 
enterjjrises  Mr.  Piatt  has  many  other  business  cares,  every 
one  of  which  receives  his  systematic  and  masterful  attention 
from  day  to  day.  A  mind  keen  in  instantly  analyzing  a 
situation  or  a  business  statement,  and  possessed  in 
remarkable  degree  of  the  synthetical  faculty  of  groujiing 
and  utilizing  details,  enables  him  to  accom])lish  with 
ajjparent  ease  work  that  would  exhaust  a  dozen  men  of 
even  more  than  ordinary  ability  and  energy. 

Thomas  C.  Piatt  was  born  in  the  village  of  Owego, 
Tioga  County,  in  this  State,  on  July  15.  1833.  His  father, 
William  Piatt,  a  successful  lawyer  and  land  agent,  gave 
Thomas  a  good  academic  education,  and  sent  him  to  Yale 
College  when  sixteen  years  of  age.  Ill  health  compelled  him 
to  withdraw  from  Yale  in  the  junior  year  of  his  course,  and 
for  the  same  reason  he  i)referred  the  active  life  of  a  lumber- 
man and  merchant  to  a  professional  career.  When  quite 
young,  he  became  a  l?ank  President  in  Owego,  a  director  in 
the  Southern  Central  Railroad,  and  was  at  the  same  time 
concerned  in  a  number  of  other  local  and  general  enter- 
prises. In  1859,  he  filled  his  first  political  office  as  County 
Clerk  of  Tioga,  and,  in  conjunction  witii  .Monzo  B.  Cornell, 


NEW   YORK,   THE  METROJ'OLIS. 


5 


THOMAS  C.  PLATT. 


was  instrumental  in  the  nominations  of  General  Grant 
for  President  and  in  advancing  the  political  fortunes  of 
Roscoe  Conkling  through  the  influence  of  the  Congressional 
District,  which  included  Tompkins  County,  the  home  of  Mr. 
Cornell,  as  well  as  Tioga.  Declining  a  Congressional  nomi- 
nation in  1870,  tendered  to  him  while  looking  after  his 
lumber  business  in  Michigan,  Mr.  Piatt  was  elected  in  1872 
and  again  in  1874.  Chairman  of  the  Republican  State 
Convention  of  1877,  and  thenceforth  a  Republican  political 
leader  in  the  State,  Mr.  Piatt  was  made  Quarantine  Com- 
missioner in  1880,  and  elected  to  the  United  States  Senate 
by  the  Legislature  of  1881.  On  January  i8th  of  that  year 
his  term  of  service  was  cut  short  by  his  resignation, 
together  with  Senator  Conkling,  on  May  14,  1881,  in  con- 
sequence of  the  issue  raised  by  the  nomination  of  Hon. 
William  H.  Robertson  for  the  Collectorship  of  New  York. 

Since  the  retirement  of  Roscoe  Conkling  from  active 
politics,  which  preceded  by  some  years  his  death  in  188S, 
Mr.  Piatt  has  been  the  acknowledged  head  of  the  Republican 
organization  in  the  State  of  New  York,  and  one  of  the 
leading  and  most  influential,  although  least  obtrusive,  of  the 
party  managers  in  the  country.  His  characteristics  as  a 
director  of  political  affairs  are :  wonderful  knowledge  of 
public  men  as  to  their  individual  capacities,  their  relations 
to  general  issues  and  local  questions  and  interests  ;  tenacity 
that  acknowledges  no  defeat  except  as  incitement  to  future 
victory  ;  a  power  of  discipline,  firmly  but  gently  exercised, 
largely  through  wonderful  personal  magnetism,  which  first 
attracts  and  then  firmly  fastens  to  him  the  devotion  of  those 
whose  service  or  co-operation  he  desires. 


In  personal  appearance,  Mr.  Piatt  is  rather  tall,  slight, 
wiry,  sinewy,  and  vigorous,  with  nerves  like  steel  and  iron 
determination,  manifest  in  energetic  movement,  restrained 
and  made  more  effective  by  patient  and  courteous  habit  in 
intercourse  of  business,  politics,  or  society.  His  health  is  so 
excellent  as  to  promise  long  years  of  continued  busy  life. 
His  speech  is  slower  than  his  action,  and,  a  terse  and  direct 
talker,  he  is  a  better  listener. 

In  domestic  life,  Senator  Piatt  has  the  great  advantage  of 
a  wife  who  is  by  nature  fitted  to  modestly  lead  in  everything. 
There  are  few  American  ladies  who  have  attained  such 
excellence  in  intellectual  specialties  to  which  her  leisure  is 
devoted.  The  congenial  couple  have  three  sons,  all  of  whom 
are  already  young  men  of  mark  in  their  respective  profes- 
sions and  pursuits. 


WALTER  S.  LOGAN. 

Walter  S.  Logan,  one  of  New  York's  most  brilliant 
lawyers,  was  born  in  Washington,  Litchfield  County,  Con- 
necticut, on  April  15,  1847.  His  ancestors  were  among  the 
first  settlers  of  Washington,  originally  a  part  of  ancient 
Woodbury,  and  formed  a  portion  of  the  migrating  parties 
which  went  from  place  to  place  through  Massachusetts  and 
Connecticut,  until  they  finally  settled  down  in  Litchfield 
County.  The  causes  of  these  migrations  were  religious  :  it 
was  a  time  of  acute  differences  on  doctrinal  points,  and  after 
awhile  so  numerous  were  these  jjoints  that  nearly  every 
family  had  a  creed  of  its  own.  Among  other  wanderers  in 
search  of  a  spot  w  here  they  could  practise  their  own  forms 


6 


NEW   YORK,   THE  METROPOLIS. 


of  worship  in  peace  and  i)rcscril)e  those  of  others,  were  the 
ancestors  of  General  Sherman  and  the  Ohio  Senator,  his 
brother,  whose  names  are  to  be  seen  to  day  in  the  old 
Woodbury  Cemetery. 

Mr.  Logan's  father,  Seth  S.  I.ogan,  who  died  in  1887, 
was  a  prominent  Democrat.  He  held  various  State  offices 
in  his  time,  and  was  for  twenty  years  a  member  of  the 
Connecticut  1-egislature,  sometimes  in  one  house,  sometimes 
in  the  other.  His  distinguished  son  i.-,  also  a  Democrat,  and, 
though  frecjuently  called  a  Mugwump,  he  refuses  to  accept 
what  he  considers  an  imputation  on  his  political  character. 
In  fact,  Mr.  Walter  S.  I.ogan  thinks,  were  he  anything  else 
than  a  genuine  Democrat,  the  bones  of  his  forefathers  would 
enter  a  protest  against  his  apostasy  from  their  political  faith 
by  rattling  in  their  graves.  He  inherits  his  politics.  For 
many  generations  his  ancestors  were  the  only  Democrats  in 
Litchfield  County,  and,  although  Mr.  Logan  is  not  anything 
like  a  Machine  Democrat,  he  is  always  loyal  to  the  party  on 


W  AI.ri'.R  S.  I.OGAN. 


great  issues.  His  mother  was  a  Hollister,  ;i  corru])tion  of 
the  name  of  the  famous  Scottish  Clan  McAllister.  She  is 
descended  directly  from  the  Reverend  John  Hollister  of 
Wethersfield,  who  in  the  early  days  of  Connecticut  was 
convicted  of  doubting  some  Calvinistic  dogmas  and  excom- 
municated. As  Mr.  Logan  is  often  charged  with  being  a 
free-thinker,  he  pleads  that  both  his  Democracy  and  his  creed 
— or  lack  of  it — are  hereditary.  He  rubbed  skirts  with 
Democrats  of  national  reputation  almost  from  infancy,  i  he 
two  Seymours,  Thomas  H.  and  Origen  S  ,  Ex-(iovernors 
William  A.  I5uckinghani  and  James  K.  Knglish,  E.\-Vi(e- 
President  Lafayette  S.  Foster,  Minot  ;\.  Osborn,  of  (he 
New  JJiivin  Ke^::;istei\  Ex-Senator  William  .\.  Eaton,  William 
H.  Barnum,  ancl  t!harles  M.  Pond,  of  Hartford,  and,  later, 
the  younger  C'harles  F.  Pond,  and  Ex-(  lovernor 'i  homas  M. 
Waller,  now  of  New  \'ork — all  these  celebrities  were  frecpienl 
visitors  at,  his  father's  house,  and  he  grew  up,  as  it  were,  in 
tiicir  sliadow. 


Mr.  Logan  has  the  singular,  ])erhaps  the  uni(iue.  distinc- 
tion of  holding  a  piece  of  sheei)skin  from  each  of  the  three 
great  American  Universities  of  Vale,  Harvard,  and  Columbia. 
He  graduated  from  Yale  in  the  class  of  1870.  from  Harvard 
Law  School  in  187 1,  and  from  Columbia  College  the  year  » 
following. 

The  turning  jjoint  of  his  life  was  in  Septemljer,  187 1, 
when  at  Cambridge,  in  whose  Law  School,  soon  after 
graduating,  he  was  beginning  a  post-graduate  year  course. 
During  tiie  jirevious  year  he  had  enjoyed  the  special  friend- 
ship of  Professor  C.  C.  Langdell,  Dean  of  the  Law  School. 
Professor  Langdell  had  been  a  distinguished  jjractising 
lawyer  in  New  York,  and  an  associate  in  business  of  James 
C.  Carter.  Mr.  Carter  wanted  a  young  man  to  fill  a  certain 
delicate  position  in  his  office  in  connection  with  the  historic 
Jumel  case,  and  requested  the  Professor  to  select  one  from 
among  the  graduates.  He  selected  Mr.  Logan,  and  it  was 
the  dead  of  night  when  that  fortunate  graduate  left  Cam- 
bridge, and  nine  o'clock  next  morning  when  he  called  upon 
Mr.  Carter  and  was  engaged.  Here  he  was  thrown  into 
contact  with  Charles  O'Conor,  and,  of  course,  with  his  own 
principal,  James  C".  Carter  ;  and  his  close  personal  friendship 
with  Mr.  O'Conor  terminated  only  with  his  death,  while  that 
of  Mr.  Carter  he  hopes  long  yet  to  retain.  Had  Mr.  Logan 
before  this  episode  been  in  a  ])osition  to  express  one  wish 
with  the  certainty  that  it  would  be  gratified,  it  is  the  friend- 
ship of  Charles  O'Conor  and  James  C.  Carter  he  would  have 
asked.  Since  then  he  has  been  a  diligent  practitioner,  and 
has  had  his  successes  at  the  New  York  bar.  Brilliant  suc- 
cesses they  were,  too,  many  of  them.  Among  the  most 
important  of  the  cases  he  handled  have  been  the  Cheese- 
lirough  Estate,  the  Wirt  Fountain  Pen  case,  the  Phelps 
Estate  litigation,  and  the  Water  Right  controversies  growing 
out  of  irrigation  in  the  Southwest.  His  j^resent  law  partners 
are  Salter  S.  Clark  and  Charles  ^L  Demond,  and  the  firm 
name  is  Logan,  Clark  &  Demond. 

Mr.  Logan  has  had  a  good  deal  to  do  with  Mexico  in 
law  affairs.  He  is  at  present  engaged  writing  a  book  on 
that  country,  and,  as  he  is  possessed  of  a  splendid,  concise 
literary  style  of  his  own,  and  has  a  way  of  i)lacing  facts  and 
figures,  it  will,  we  venture  to  predict,  have  a  large,  popular 
sale. 

Mr.  Logan  was  married  in  1875  to  F^liza  Preston  Kenyon, 
of  Brooklyn,  and  has  three  children.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Manhattan,  Lotos,  Democratic,  and  New  York  Athletic 
Clubs,  and  a  member  and  one  of  the  founders  of  both 
the  Reform  and  the  Lawyers'  Club. 


NAPOLEON  LE  BRUN. 

Napoleon  Le  Brun.  tiie  well-known  architect,  was  born 
in  Philadelphia.  Pa  ,  on  Lmuary  2,  1821.  His  grandi)arents 
on  the  maternal  side  arrived  in  the  United  States  in  1792, 
having  left  Paris  at  the  beginning  of  the  French  Revolution. 
His  i)aients  destined  him  at  an  early  age  to  be  an  architect, 
and  he  was  sent  in  1836  to  make  his  i)rofessional  studies 
under  the  direction  of  the  celebrated  architect  of  the  U.  S. 
Capitol,  Thomas  U.  Walter. 

He  commenced  active  practice  as  an  architect  in  April, 
1842,  and  before  two  decades  elapsed  designed,  and  had 
erected  under  his  direction,  many  prominent  ])ublic  and 
])rivate  edifices  in  his  native  city,  among  the  most  noted  of 
which  are  the  Seventh  Presbyterian  Church  (1842),  the 
Cathedral  of  Philadeljjhia.  the  .\merican  .\cademy  of  Music, 
and  the  Cirard  F.state  Buildings. 

.\l)()iit  1868,  Mr.  Le  Brun  decided  to  make  New  \'ork 
City  liis  permanent  home,  and  has  there  successfully  con- 
tinued the  ])ra(  tice  of  his  profession.  Among  the  buildings 
erected  bv  him  in  that  <  ity  and  vicinity  may  be  mentioned 


NEW  YORK,   TIU'l  METROPOLIS. 


7 


the  Masonic  'I'emple,  several  large  and  elegant  churches, 
the  New  York  Foundling  Asylum,  Savings  Banks,  and  many 
buildings  for  the  New  York  Fire  Department  and  for  pri- 
vate individuals.  In  partnership  with  his  sons,  Pierre  L.  and 
Michel  M.  Le  Bran,  he  last  year  erected  the  splendid  build- 
ing for  the  Metropolitan  Life  Insurance  Company  at  Madi- 
son Scpiare,  New  York. 

He  is  a  fellow  of  the  American  Institute  of  Architects, 
and  a  member  of  its  New  York  Cha|)ter,  whose  re])rcsenta- 
tive  he  is  in  the  Board  of  Examiners  of  the  Bureau  of  Build- 
ings ;  he  is  also  President  of  the  Willard  Architectural 
Commission.  His  long,  varied,  and  practical  experience 
has  caused  him  to  be  frequently  consulted  as  an  expert  and 
adviser  in  many  important  building  enterprises  throughout 
the  country. 


CHARLES  STEWART  SMITH. 

The  number  of  merchants  of  Connecticut  slock  who 
have  become  prominent  in  New  York,  especially  in  the  great 
drygoods  business,  is  remarkable.  Among  them,  none  has 
attained  a  higher  position  than  Charles  Stewart  Smith,  who 
has  filled,  with  great  credit  and  dignity,  the  Presidency  of 
the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  universally  recognized  as  the 
most  influential,  as  it  is  the  most  venerable,  of  metropolitan 
mercantile  associations. 

The  ancestors  of  Mr.  Smith  were  P^nglish  people  who 
settled  in  Connecticut  in  the  early  Colonial  days.  His 
father  was  pastor  of  a  Congregational  Church  at  Exeter, 
New  Hampshire,  and  there  Charles  was  born  on  March 
2,  1832.  Receiving  a  good  elementary  education,  young 
Smith,  when  fifteen  years  of  age,  came  to  New  York,  and 
found  employment  in  a  drygoods  jobbing  house.  On 
reaching  his  majority,  he  became  associated  in  the  famous 
firm  of  S.  B.  Chittenden  &  Co.,  and  during  several  years 
was  their  European  buyer.  Thereafter  he  continued 
prominently  identified  with  the  drygoods  business  of  this 
city  and  of  Boston,  and  accumulated  the  handsome  fortune 
with  which  he  retired  from,  active  work  in  that  line  of 
endeavor  in  1887. 

Mr.  Smith  is,  however,  far  from  having  retired  from 
useful  activity.  In  literary,  charitable,  patriotic,  and  com- 
mercial movements  he  continued  to  take  a  leading  part,  and 
there  are  few  New  Yorkers  connected  with  so  many  large 
and  excellent  institutions  as  he  is.  In  leaving  his  personal 
business  in  the  textile  traffic,  Mr.  Smith  only  entered  upon 
a  field  of  wider  usefulness  to  his  fellow  citizens.  Of  art  he 
is  a  liberal  patron,  and,  although  his  instruction  comes 
mainly  through  personal  observation,  he  ranks  high  among 
the  metropolitan  connoisseurs  of  painting  and  sculpture. 
Mr.  Smith  was  married  in  1856  to  Miss  Eliza  Bradish, 
daughter  of  Wheaton  Bradish,  of  this  city.  This  lady  died 
in  1863.  His  second  wife,  Henrietta,  whom  he  married  in 
1869,  was  the  daughter  of  the  late  John  Caswell,  of  New 
York.  Mr.  Smith  has  two  sons  now  living,  who  exhibit  their 
father's  broad-minded,  energetic,  and  spirited  characteristics. 

Among  the  institutions  with  which  Charles  Stewart 
Smith  has  been  prominently  connected  are,  the  Fifth  Avenue 
Bank,  of  which  he  was  one  of  the  founders,  the  German 
American  Fire  Insurance  Company,  the  Fourth  and  Mer- 
chants' National  Banks,  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  Sailor's 
Snug  Harbor,  the  Equitable  Life  Insurance  Company,  the 
Woodlawn  Cemetery,  the  Union  League  Club,  of  which  he 
has  been  Vice-President,  and  similar  institutions.  As  a 
Trustee  of  the  Metropolitan  Museum  of  Art,  Mr.  Smith  has 
found  a  field  for  the  exercise  of  his  fine  artistic  taste,  to  the 
great  advantage  of  our  people. 

In  public  affairs,  while  avoiding  office  holding,  and 
declining  such  ])ositions  as  the  Mayoralty  of  the  city,  when 
nominations  tendered   him    imjilied  election,  Charles  S. 


Smith  has  exerted  a  great  and  beneficial  influence.  He  has 
taken  a  special  interest  in  the  relations  of  railroads  to  our 
commercial  affairs,  and  in  the  great  melroi)olitan  transit 
problem.  Papers  and  addresses  on  these  subjects,  of  which 
he  is  the  author,  are  models  of  foresight,  comprehensiveness, 
and  terse  and  lucid  statement.    It  is  remarkable  that  one 


CHARLES  STEW.^RT  SMITH. 


relying  upon  his  own  resources  from  boyhood,  and  able  to 
spare  so  little  time  for  studying  from  the  demands  of  a  very 
busy  life,  should  have  attained  so  high  a  standard  of 
accomplishment  and  influence  in  matters  beyond  the  strictly 
commercial  sphere. 

JAMES  RENWICK. 

James  Ren  wick,  conceded  on  all  sides  to  be  in  the  very 
front  rank  of  America's  ablest  architects,  was  born  in  the 
city  of  New  York,  on  November  3,  1819,  and  graduated 
from  Columbia  College  when  seventeen  years  old.  He 
manifested  talents  and  a  liking  for  architecture  at  an  early 
age,  which  were  sedulousy  fostered  by  his  father,  James 
Renwick,  who  was  professor  of  Exact  Sciences  in  the  college, 
and  was  himself  skilled  as  an  architectural  designer. 
It  was  he  who  planned  the  alterations  in  old  Columbia 
College  on  Park  Place.  In  order  to  gain  practical  know- 
ledge of  a  ])rofession  he  loved  so  well,  young  Renwick,  after 
leaving  college,  obtained  an  appointment  as  engineer  on  the 
Western  Division  of  the  Erie  Railroad,  but,  finding  he  was 
not  getting  there  the  experience  he  required,  he  offered  his 
services  to  the  city,  was  appointed  As.sistant  Engineer  of 
the  Croton  Aqueduct,  engaged  for  four  years  on  the  work, 
and  finished  by  superintending  the  construction  of  the  dis- 
tributing reservoir.  He  v.-as  only  twenty-three  when  he 
comjjeted  for  and  was  selected  as  the  architect  of  Grace 
Church,  by  the  vestry.  Every  one  who  has  seen  Grace 
Church  is  at  once  struck  with  its  airy  architectural  beauty 
and  elegance  of  design.  Soon  after  he  was  selected  archi- 
tect of  Calvary  Church  and  the  Church  of  the  Puritans,  in 
succession,  and  he  made  a  local  reputation.  Four  years 
later — he  was  then  twenty-seven — he  was  chosen  by  the 


8 


NEW  YORK,   THE  METROPOLIS. 


JAMES  KENWICK,  F.A.I. A. 


Regents  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution  as  one  of  the  coni- 
I)etitors  for  their  proposed  building,  and  his  designs  were 
adoi)ted.  We  next  hear  of  him  as  architect  for  the  N.  V. 
Charities  and  Corrections  Board  of  Governors. 

The  building  of  (irace  Church  gave  Mr.  Renw  ick  a  na- 
tional reputation  ;  St.  Patrick's  Roman  Catholic  Cathedral, 
designed  l)y  him  in  1853,  on  Fifth  Avenue,  made  him  famous. 
It  is  considered  the  finest  and  most  beautiful  structure  on 
this  continent,  sacred  or  profane.  During  the  construction 
of  this  monument  to  the  genius  of  Mr.  Renwick,  he  made 
several  trips  to  Europe,  and  while  there  made  the  contracts 
for  its  high  altar  and  stained  glass  windows.  .\rchl)isho]) 
Hughes,  Cardinal  McCloskey,  and  Archbishop  Corrigan  had 
great  respect  for  Mr.  Renwick's  talents,  and  a  great  liking 
for  the  architect  personally.  .\fter  this,  notwithstanding 
that  he  took  on  assistant  after  assistant  he  found  it  difficult 
to  keep  up  with  his  business,  so  large  had  it  become.  Among 
the  princijjal  buildings  he  has  planned  since  are  the  Churches 
of  St.  Bartholomew,  St.  Stephen's,  the  Covenant,  the  Second 
Presbyterian,  on  Fifth  Avenue  and  21st  Street,  all  in  this 
city  ;  the  Vassar  F'emale  College  in  I'oughkeepsie,  the  Cor- 
coran Art  Gallery  and  Corcoran  Building  in  Washington, 
D.  C.  the  old  Tontine  Building,  the  Fulton  Bank,  the 
Bank  of  the  State  of  New  York,  the  alterations  and 
new  front  of  the  Stock  Exchange,  also  in  New  York,  k  few 
of  the  fine  private  houses  he  is  architecturally  the  author 
of  are  those  of  Frederick  Gallatin,  I).  Willis  James,  Charles 
Morgan,  Cortlandt  Palmer,  and  Robert  Remsen,  of  New 
York,  the  country  houses  of  W.  H.  Townsend  and  David 
Thom])son  of  Staten  Island,  Renwick  Castle  at  Syracuse, 
and  many  others  at  Tarrytown,  Dobbs  Ferry,  Lennox,  New 
London,  and  New|)()rt.     He  is  architec  t  of  the  .\11><, marie. 


Clarendon,  St.  Denis,  and  many  others  in  the  city,  as  well  as 
hotels  and  churches  all  over  the  country.  He  designed  St. 
Ann's  Church  in  Brooklyn,  and  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  Building  in 
New  York  City. 

The  last  and  one  of  the  most  sjilendid  works  of  this 
great  architect  is  All  Saints'  Roman  Catholic  Church, 
Madison  Avenue  and  129th  Street.  This  edifice,  so  full  of 
grace  and  what  ai)i)ears  s])iritual  beauty,  is  a  combination  of 
the  Italian  and  Gothic  styles,  and  is  jjronounced  by  compe- 
tent critics  to  be  one  of  the  finest  churches,  from  an  artistic 
view,  this  country  has  ever  seen.  It  is  said  that,  after  St. 
Patrick's  Cathedral,  Mr.  Renwick  is  prouder  of  Grace 
Church,  the  Corcoran  Art  Gallery,  and  the  Smithsonian 
Institution  than  any  other  of  his  conce])tions. 

.Mr.  Renwick  has  been  a  member  of  the  .\merii  an  Insti- 
tute of  Architects  from  its  foundation,  as  well  as  a  practising 
member  of  its  New  York  Chajiter.  He  has  many  assistants, 
all  of  whom  have  been  trained  in  his  office.  His  present 
partners  are   |.  Lawrence  ,\spinwall  and  W.  W.  Renwick. 


HORACE  SEE. 


Horac"e  See,  one  of  .America's  famous  engineers,  was 
born  in  Philailelphia,  on  juU  16,  1835.  He  is  the  son  of 
R.  Calhoun  See.  the  well-known  silk  imi)orter  of  that  city, 
and  was  educated  in  the  F^piscopal  .Academy  and  the  .\cad- 
emy  of  H.  D.  Gregory.  .\t  the  age  of  seventeen,  he  was 
ap|)renticed  to  I.  P.  Morris,  proprietor  of  the  Port  Richmond 
Iron  Works  of  Philadelphia,  s])ending  two  years  in  their 
machine  shops,  and  two  more  in  their  draughting  rooms, 
after  whi(  li  he  secured  an  engagement  w  ith  the  .Messrs. 


NEIV   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


0 


HORACE  SEE. 


Neafle  &  Levy,  shipbuilders  of  Philadelphia,  first  as  chief 
•  draughtsman,  and  subsequently  as  Superintending  Engineer. 
Mr.  See  was  fortunate  in  entering  upon  his  career  during  the 
period  when  shipbuilding  was  in  a  state  of  transition,  and 
wood  was  slowly  but  surely  giving  place  to  iron,  and  wind 
as  a  propeller  was  ceding  its  way  to  steam.  He  was  no  con- 
vert to  the  new  system  ;  he  was  educated  in  it.  and  was  soon 
recognized  as  one  of  the  most  progressive  of  the  new  school 
of  American  engineers.  He  was  possessed  of  ideas,  too, 
which  he  had  no  ditificulty  in  carrying  out,  as  it  became  e\  i- 
dent  to  Messrs.  Neatle  tlv:  Levy  that  their  new  Superintendent 
was  as  safe  as  he  was  original.  It  was  during  his  connec  tion 
with  them  that  the  Saxon  and  the  Norman  of  the  Winsor 
Line,  the  Liberty  of  the  Havana  Line,  the  Pontiac  of  the 
United  States  Navy,  and  other  vessels  afterwards  used  as 
transports  during  the  war,  as  well  as  the  Nuevitas, 
the  Oriental,  and  others,  were  constructed. 

Mr.  See  next  engaged  himself  with  the  National  Iron 
Armor  and  Shipbuilding  Company,  of  Camden,  first  as 
Assistant,  and  afterward  as  Superintendent,  and  supervised 
the  building  of  the  LT.  S.  Monitor  Koko  and  the  steam- 
ships Pioneer  and  Sheridan.  This  was  in  1866,  and 
two  years  later  Mr.  See,  always  enlarging  his  field  of  opera- 
tions, connected  himself  successively  with  George  W. 
Snyder,  of  Pottsville,  Pa.,  and  Messrs.  Cramp  &  Sons,  the 
celel)rated  Philadelphia  shijjbuilders.  Here  he  was  in  his 
element,  and  found  ample  scope  for  his  inventive  genius. 
He  was  chief  draughtsman  for  the  Cramps.  In  1878  he  was 
made  Superintending  Engineer  for  the  firm,  and  in  this 
capacity  the  construction  of  the  m.achinery  in  the  shops 
and  its  erection  in  the  vessels  came  under  his  supervision, 
in  addition  to  the  original  conception  and  design  of  the 
work.  During  his  connection  with  the  Cramps,  he  built 
machinery  of  every  conceivable  kind  for  a  modern  vessel, 
from  the  smallest  steam  launch  up  to  the  great  L'nited 
States  Cruiser  Philadelphia,  as  the  subjoined  list  will  show  : 
Yachts  Atlantn,  Corsair,  Stranger,  and  Peerless  ;  Steam- 


ships Chalmette,  El  Mar,  El  Monte  and  class,  of  the  Morgan 
Line  ;  Queen,  of  the  Pacific  Steamshij)  Com]jany  ;  Mariposa 
and  Alameda,  Sandwich  Island  Line  ;  the  Tacoma,  San 
Pedro,  and  San  PaI)lo,  of  the  Central  R.  R.  Co.;  the  H.  F. 
Dimock,  Herman  Winter,  and  H.  M.  Whitney,  Metropolitan 
Line  ;  the  Caracas,  X'alencia,  Philadel|)hia,  and  Venezuela,  of 
the  Red  I)  Line;  the  Mascotte  and  Olivette,  of  ihe  Plant 
Line  ;  the  Cherokee,  Seminole,  and  Iroquois,  Clyde's  Line, 
New  York  ;  the  Monmouth,  of  the  N.  J.  C.  R.  R.  Co.,  and 
also  the  U.  S.  N.  cruisers  Philadelphia  and  Newark  ;  gun- 
boats Yorktown,  ('oncord,  and  Bennington;  dynamite  cruiser 
\'esuvius  ;  and  cruiser  Philadelphia. 

Among  the  many  improvements  introduced  by  Mr.  See 
are  the  fitting  up  of  the  crank  shaft  and  the  emjiloyment 
of  the  triple  ex])ansion  engine.  He  also  took  the  ground  that 
the  steam  jacket  was  not  a  necessity  in  an  engine  with  a 
moderate  revolution  speed,  and  this  idea  has  been  endorsed 
generally  by  the  profe.'^sion.  He  introduced  many  changes 
in  the  U.  S.  Navy  Cruiser  Baltimore,  all  attended  with 
happy  results.  In  fine,  he  has  so  identified  himself  with 
shipbuilding  in  the  L^nited  States,  that  to-day  it  would  be 
impossible  to  write  an  accurate  history  of  that  industry 
without  giving  jjroniinence  to  him,  his  inventions,  his  im- 
l)rovements,  and  his  achievements  generally.  He  holds 
])atents  for  such  inventions  as  the  improvements  in  the 
triple  expansion  and  quadru])le  ex])ansion  engines,  an 
ejector  for  discharging  by  a  jet  of  water  ashes  from  the 
fireroom  of  a  vessel,  a  filter  for  extracting  under  pressure 
grease  from  the  feed  water  of  a  surface  condensing  engine, 
with  many  others. 

In  an  editorial  entitled  the  "  Vesuvius  and  its  Builders," 
the  P liiladelphia  Irujuirer,  of  January  4,  1889,  said,  and  its 
opinion  was  endorsed  all  over  the  United  States  : 

"  If  the  engineer  who  designed,  and  the  head  of  the 
firm  that  built,  the  Vesuvius  had  been  subjects  of  one  of 
the  great  European  powers,  they  would  probably  be 
knighted,  or  receive  some  other  substantial  proof  of  favor, 
in  recognition  of  their  magnificent  genius." 

While  this  is  no  doubt  true,  it  is  highly  probable  that 
neither  Mr.  Cramp,  who  built,  nor  Mr.  See,  who  designed 
the  Vesuvius  would  give  three  straws  for  the  honor  of 
knighthood.  That  they  have,  as  American  citizens,  done 
much  towards  the  renaissance  of  an  American  Navy, 
surely  will  be  an  honor  they  can  transmit  to  their  children. 
Mr.  See  has  an  honorable  record  apart  from  his  profession. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  "Oiay  Reserves,"  and  of  the 
Seventh  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Militia,  during  the  Rebel- 
lion, was  Adjutant  of  the  Twentieth  Regiment,  during  the 
July  riots  of  1S77,  and  was  Captain  of  Company  K,  First 
Regiment,  N.  G.  P.  In  1879,  he  married  Ruth  Ross, 
daughter  of  William  Ross  Maffet,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  an  eminent 
civil  engineer,  prominently  connected  with  the  Wyoming 
Valley  im])rovements.  Mr.  Maffet  was  a  great-grandson  of 
General  William  Ros.s,  who  bore  so  distinguished  a  part  in 
the  early  history  of  the  Valley. 

Mr.  See,  until  (juite  recently,  held  the  position  of  Engi- 
neer in  the  Board  of  the  Pneumatic  Dynamite  (iun  Company, 
which  controls  the  patent  of  Captain  Zalinski,  U.  S.  A. 
He  is  Past  President  of  the  American  Society  of  Mechanical 
Engineers,  Fellow  of  the  American  Society  for  the  Advance- 
ment of  Science,  Member  of  the  Franklin  Institute  of 
Pennsylvania,  Associaie  Member  of  the  U.S.  Naval  Insti- 
tute, Member  of  the  Penn  Club,  of  the  Engineers'  Club 
and  American  Yacht  Club  of  New  York,  Institution 
of  Naval  Architects,  England,  American  Society  of  Civil 
Engineers,  and  American  Institute  of  Mining  Engineers. 
He  resigned  his  position  with  the  Cramps'  in  August.  1889, 
and  is  now  located  in  this  city  as  Consulting  Engineer  of 
the  Newport  News  Shipbuilding  and  Dry  Docks  Company. 


lo  NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


He  is  also  Su|)erintending  Engineer  of  the  Morgan  Line, 
and  Consulting  Engineer  for  various  other  companies. 

'I'he  See  family  is  of  French  origin  in  common  with  the 
Naudains,  Bayards,  and  others,  who  settled  in  Delaware 
after  the  Revocation  of  the  Edict  of  Nantes  The  Sees 
located  in  St.  George's  Hundred  of  that  State.  Mr.  See's 
mother  was  Margaietta  Eber,  daughter  of  Hilyard,  origin- 
ally of  Burlington  County,  N.  J.,  who  built  Fort  Jay  in  this 
harl)or,  and  the  Original  Fort  on  the  Pea  Patch  in  the 
Delaware  River.  At  the  latter  point  he  sank  the  first 
artesian  well  in  this  country.  Eber  Hilyard's  ancestors 
were  members  of  the  Society  of  Friends  who  came  from 
England  with  William  Penn. 


CHARLES  L.  BUCKINGHAM. 

The  State  of  Ohio,  besides  being  the  mother  of  Presi- 
dents, is  accustomed  to  send  many  of  her  brightest  young 
men  to  the  great  cities,  East  and  West,  North  and  South, 
to  make  fame  and  fortune  for  themselves,  and  to  do  her 
honor,  and  they  generally  succeed.  Who  has  not  heard  of 
the  Ohio  Society  of  New  York,  for  instance,  which  has 
among  its  members  many  of  the  city's  most  distinguished 
lawyers,  physicians,  bankers,  and  men  of  affairs,  and  com- 
pete with  the  foremost  of  those  to  the  manor  born  ?  Promi- 
nent among  sudi  Ohio  men,  who  have  come  to  the  front  in 


CHARLKS  I..  HUCKINCHAM. 


the  Metro|)olis,  is  Charles  L.  lUickingham,  the  well  know  n 
jjatent  and  corporation  lawyer. 

Mr.  Ihickingham  was  born  in  Berlin  Heights,  Ohio,  in 
1852,  and  was  educated  at  the  University  of  Michigan  as  a 
Civil  Engineer,  graduating  with  honors  in  the  class  of  1875. 
He  subse(|uently  entered  the  Columbia  Law  I'niversity,  at 
Washington,  !).(!.,  from  which  institution  he  was  graduated 
with  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Laws,  and  immediately  began 
active  pra(  lice,  devoting  his  attention  to  the  laws  as  applied 
to  patents  and  ( orjioralion  matters,  two  deijartnunts  of  the 


legal  field  in  which  he  has  since  gained  distinction.  No 
little  of  his  success  is  attributable  to  his  thorough  scientific 
training  in  civil  engineering,  and  his  rejjutation  as  an 
engineer  is  only  secondary  to  that  he  holds  in  legal  circles. 
.Among  the  valuable  contributions  published  in  Sctibners 
Afamazini',  during  1889  and  1890,  was  a  series  of  articles 
treating  upon  thecjuestion  of  electricity,  and  those  ai)i)earing 
under  this  gentleman's  signature  received  much  favorable 
comment  in  and  out  of  scientific  circles,  being  classed  with 
the-  views  of  such  eminent  men  as  President  Morton,  of 
Stevens  Institute,  and  Professor  Brackett,  of  Princeton 
College.  Mr.  Puckingham's  clientele  includes  many  of  the 
leading  electrical  corporations  of  this  country,  and  his 
practice  is  confined  exclusively  to  the  Federal  Courts,  where 
his  name  is  respected  by  both  the  Bench  and  Bar.  Among 
the  recent  patent  suits  in  which  he  has  figured  as  lead- 
ing counsel  were  the  following  :  The  American  District 
Telegrai)h,  the  Schuyler  Electric  Light  (of  Conn  ),  the  Dela- 
ware and  Atlantic  Telegrajih  and  Tele()hone,  the  Western 
Union,  the  Gold  and  Stock,  the  American  Speaking  Tele- 
jjhone,  the  Edison  and  the  Thomson-Houston  Electric 
Light  companies,  and  the  Magnetic  Ore  Separator  Co. 
Aside  from  his  K  gal  duties,  he  is  a  student  of  scientific  sub- 
jet  ts.  and  has  done  much  to  encourage  others  in  this  con- 
nection, being  an  active  member  of  the  American  Associa- 
tion for  the  Advancement  of  Science,  American  Academy  of 
Political  and  Social  Science,  and  the  .American  Institute  of 
Electrical  Engineers.  He  likewise  belongs  to  many  of  the 
prominent  social  clubs,  among  which  are  the  Union  and 
Metropolitan  of  Washington,  and  the  Electric  and  Uni- 
versity Clubs  and  the  Ohio  Society  of  New  York.  Mr. 
Buckingham's  political  views  are  of  the  progressive  free 
trade  or  low  tariff  Republican  type.  His  political  expres- 
sions command  attention  wherever  exjjressed. 


EDWARD  H.  KENDALL. 

Edward  H.  Kendall  was  born  in  Boston,  Mass.,  and  was 
educated  in  the  Latin  School  in  that  city.  He  traveled  in 
Europe  in  1858-9  and  studied  languages,  art  and  archi- 
tecture under  sjiecial  tutorshi]).  He  designed  the  original 
F^quitable  Building,  the  Seaman's  Savings  Bank,  the  Wash- 
ington Building,  and  the  Methodist  Book  Concern,  all  in 
the  City  of  New  York.  He  was  elected  President  of  the 
New  York  Chajjter  of  the  American  Institute  of  .Architects 
in  1884,  and  held  the  office  during  the  five  succeeding 
years.  He  was  elected  President  of  the  Institute  in  1891 
and  re-elected  in  1892. 

J.  EDWARD  SIMMONS. 

.Mthough  every  one  entertains  ideas  of  his  own  as  to 
what  constitutes  greatness  and  leading  citizenship,  the 
])r()babilities  are,  if  a  hundred  intelligent  Gothamites  were 
asked  who,  in  their  opinion,  were  the  six  most  prominent 
men  of  New  York  City,  that,  while  each  would  advance  a 
different  list,  the  name  of  I.  ICdward  Simmons  would  be 
mentioned  in  all  of  them.  And,  in  fact,  it  could  not  be 
otherwise,  for,  without  at  all  seeking  such  distinction,  it 
happens  that  Mr.  Simmons  has  during  the  past  (juarter  of 
a  century  occupied  a  foremost  place  in  the  life  of  the  city, 
whether  as  a  banker,  a  President  of  the  Board  of  Education, 
President  of  the  Stock  Exchange,  or  as  a  man  of  affairs 
generally.  Hence  a  history  like  "New  York,  the  Metro- 
polis "  would  not  be  com])lete  without  a  sketch,  however 
brief,  of  so  eminent  a  cit'zen. 

Mr.  Simmons  was  born  in  Troy,  N.  N'.,  in  1841,  of 
parents  who  claimed  distinguished  American  ancestry. 
His  great-grandfather,  who  came  from  Holland,  settled  in 
this  State  in  the  early  i)art  of  the  last  century,  and  (Uie  of 
hi>  mother's  grandl'athers  fought  on  the  right  side  in  the 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


II 


war  of  the  Revolution.  He — Mr.  Simmons — received  an 
elementary  education,  first  in  the  old  Troy  Academy,  and 
subsequently  in  a  Sandlake  boarding-school,  where  he  was 
prepared  for  a  college  course.  Entering  Williams  College 
in  1858,  he  graduated  in  the  class  of  1862,  and  at  once  began 
the  study  of  law  in  the  Albany  Law  School.  He  received 
the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Laws  in  1863,  was  called  to  the 
bar  the  same  year,  and  practised  in  Troy  until  1867,  when 
he  came  to  this  city,  and  engaged  in  business  as  a  banker 
and  broker.  Retiring  because  of  ill  health  in  1872,  Mr. 
Simmons  went  to  Florida  to  recuperate,  but  resumed  his 
business  on  Wall  Street  in  1874.  The  character  for 
ability,  integrity,  and  honorable  methods  he  established  for 
himself  in  the  ten  years  following  forms  one  of  the  brightest 
chapters  in  the  history  of  the  Stock  Exchange,  and  resulted 
in  his  being  elected  its  President  on  June  2,  1884.  For 
some  time  previous  to  this  the  Exchange  had  been  in  a 
state  of  chaos.  The  recently  elected  President  had  become 
disqualified  on  account  of  the  susjjension  of  his  firm,  and 


Republic,  and  enunciated  on  many  national  |)latforms  since 
the  days  of  Jefferson.  He  has  rendered  very  material 
assistance  to  his  party  in  Presidential  and  other  important 
contests.  When  the  Democrats  took  office  in  1885,  for  the 
first  time  in  a  quarter  of  a  century,  the  late  Samuel  Tilden, 
and  other  leaders  of  the  l)arty,  sought,  altogether  without 
consulting  him,  to  have  Mr.  Simmons  appointed  to  the 
(^ollectorshij)  of  the  Port  of  New  York.  He  refused,  how- 
ever, to  press  his  claims  to  a  post  which  cnrried  large 
patronage  and  emoluments,  and  so  the  matter  dropped. 
The  position  he  could  and  did  accept,  because  there  is  no 
salary  attached  to  it,  but  is  looked  upon  as  a  great  honor, 
was  that  of  President  of  the  Board  of  Education,  to  v.'hich 
he  was  elected  in  1886,  after  his  return  from  Europe.  He 
was  appointed  Commissioner  of  the  Board  in  1881,  and 
served  as  its  President  for  nine  years.  It  was  while  travel- 
ing on  the  European  continent  that  the  business  men  of 
New  York  unanimously  pressed  the  nomination  for  Mayor 
of  Mr.  Simmons. 


J.  EDWARD  SIMMONS. 


from  this  and  other  grave  causes  the  financial  system  of  the 
country  had  received  a  shock  which  might  lead  to  disastrous 
results.  In  this  crisis  the  character  of  the  man  in  the  chair 
of  the  Exchange  was  a  matter  of  vital  importance,  and  all 
eyes  were  turned  instinctively,  and  almost  simultaneously, 
in  the  direction  of  J.  Edward  Simmons.  He  was  elected 
by  an  unprecedentedly  large  vote,  confidence  was  restored, 
and  next  year  he  was  unanimously  re-elected  for  a  second 
term.  He  declined  a  third  nomination,  in  the  same  spirit 
and  for  almost  the  same  unselfish  reasons  that  have 
prompted  him  more  than  once  to  decline  the  nomination 
for  Mayor  of  New  York  City,  when  such  nomination  was  all 
but  equivalent  to  election. 

And  sjjeaking  of  the  Mayoralty  reminds  us  of  the  fact 
that  .\lr  Simmons  is  a  Democrat,  not  a  Tammany  Hall  Demo- 
crat or  a  County  Democracy  Democrat,  or  a  local  jjartisan  in 
any  way,  but  one  of  broad  mind,  who  belie\  es  in  the  Demo- 
cracy made  precious  and  valuable  by  the  founders  of  the 


He  proved  an  ideal  President  of  the  Board  of  Educa- 
tion, and  during  his  incumbency  wrought  many  beneficent 
changes,  and  expanded  and  extended  the  Public  School 
system.  It  was  mainly  through  his  ])ersonal  influence  that, 
in  1888,  the  Legislature  passed  a  bill  conferring  collegiate 
rank  and  powers  upon  the  New  York  Normal  College.  He 
also  labored  hard  and  successfully  in  the  development  of 
the  College  of  N  ew  York,  an  institution  in  which  he  has 
always  taken  the  keenest  interest. 

In  January,  1888,  he  succeeded  Mr.  O.  D.  Baldwin  as 
President  of  the  Fourth  National  Bank.  Mr.  Simmons  did 
not  own  a  dollar's  worth  of  stock  in  the  bank,  was  not 
personally  aciiuainted  with  a  single  member  of  the  Board 
of  Directors,  and  yet,  such  is  the  force  and  value  of  a  high 
reputation,  he  was  unanimously  called  to  preside  over  the 
destinies  of  one  of  the  country's  leading  monetary  institu- 
tions, having  gross  deposits  of  upwards  of  $30,000,000. 
Mr.  Simmons  has  made  a  brilliant  bank  president,  and  under 


12 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


his  direction  the  Fourth  National  IJank  has  gained  in  prestige. 
It  is  not  long  ago  since  he  was  appointed  Receiver  of  the 
American  Loan  and  'I'rust  Com])any  of  New  York,  and  his 
management  of  this  important  affair  has  given  satisfaction 
to  all  parties  concerned,  and,  if  possible,  added  to  his  ability 
as  a  financier. 

Mr.  Simmons  has  obtained  high  rank  and  station  in  the 
Masonic  order,  which  he  joined  in  1864.  He  was  in  1883 
chosen  Grand  Master  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  New  York 
State,  and  he  is  a  member  of  the  Jerusalem,  No.  8,  Royal 
Arch  Masons,  also  of  Coeur  de  Lion  Commandery,  No.  23, 
Knights  Templar.  His  elevation  to  the  33d,  the  highest 
degree  in  the  craft,  took  place  in  September,  1885,  and  m 
June,  1888,  the  University  of  Norwich,  Yermont,  confeired 
upon  him  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Laws.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Manhattan,  Lawyers',  Players',  Metropolitan,  and 
University  Clubs,  and  of  the  St.  Nicholas  and  New  England 
Societies,  also  of  St.  Thomas'  Episcopal  Church. 

It  is  needless  to  state  here  that  Mr.  Simmons  is  a 
polished  and  elocjuent  sj)eaker.  His  summer  residence  is 
known  as  the  "  Stag's  Head,"  located  near  Lake  George. 

Such  is  an  altogether  too  brief  sketch  of  one  of  New 
York's  most  illustrious  citizens,  with  a  national  reputation 
for  high  character  and  ability. 

WILLIAM  WOOD. 

Few  people  are  aware  of  the  vast,  the  almost  incredible 
amount  of  money  invested  in  the  fire  insurance  business  in 
this  country.  According  to  official  returns,  sixteen  billion 
dollars  ($16,000,000,000)  on  fire  insurance  were  in  force  last 


wii.i.i.x;.,  \\()<ii). 


year  not  including  many  districts  on  the  Pacific  Coast  not 
heard  from.  This,  of  course,  means  the  employment  of  large 
numbers  of  people,  the  erection  of  great  buildings,  many  of 
them  of  a,  style  that  may  be  termed  magnilicent,  and,  as  a 
corollary,  the  distribution  of  weallli.     It  nlso  means  the  dis- 


tribution of  intellect,  so  to  speak,  for,  while  a  generation  or 
so  ago  young  men  of  talent  and  education  directed  their 
ambition  toward  the  Army  or  Navy,  the  bar,  or  the  ])ractice 
of  medicine,  it  has  been  observed  that  of  late  the  insurance 
offices  are  competing  with  the  professions  for  the  employ-  » 
ment  of  brains,  with  a  good  deal  of  success. 

Among  the  great  English  com])anies  with  branches  in 
.America  is  the  Palatine  Fire  insurance  Company  of  Man- 
chester, which  does  a  large  amount  of  business  here.  Mr. 
VN'illiam  Wood,  who  is  a  very  fine  representative  not  only 
of  the  English  Insurance  Company,  but  of  the  English 
gentleman,  is  manager  of  the  .American  branch  of  this  com- 
pany. Mr.  Wood  was  born  in  Scotland,  in  1847,  and  studied 
law  in  Glasgow,  but  doubting  that  he  possessed  tastes  for 
the  legal  profession,  and  at  all  events  conscious  that 
he  would  reach  the  goal  of  his  ambition  by  a  shorter 
route,  he  accepted  the  position  of  Chief  Clerk  in  the  National 
Hoard  of  Fire  Underwriters  in  1872,  and  held  this  post 
until  1877,  when  he  engaged  with  the  Queen  Insurance 
Company,  first  in  the  agency  department,  and  subseciuently 
in  charge  of  the  Metropolitan  (New  York)  branch  or  dis- 
trict. During  those  years  Mr.  Wood  manifested  much 
energy  and  executive  ability,  and  had  made  such  a  name  for 
himself  on  both  sides  of  the  .Atlantic  that  in  1882  he  was 
ajjpointed  assistant  manager  of  the  United  Fire  Insurance 
Com])any,  and  in  1884  its  American  head.  In  January  last, 
the  Palatine  Company  of  Manchester,  England,  after  absorb- 
ing the  United  Fire  Insurance  Company,  took  in,  also,  the 
NLinufacturers  and  Builders'  Insurance  Company  of  New 
York,  and  appointed  Mr.  Wood  President  of  the  con- 
solidated comp  inies.  The  Palatine's  American  trustees 
are  General  Louis  Fitzgerald,  Chauncey  M.  Depew,  and 
.Ashbel  Green.  Among  its  English  directors  are  some  of 
the  leading  mill  owners  in  Great  Britain. 

Mr.  Wood  is  well  known  and  respected  in  New  York. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Union  Club,  was  for  many  years 
Secretary  of  the  New  York  .Athletic  Club,  and  is  connected 
with  many  other  of  our  leading  organizations. 


GEORGE  B.  POST. 

One  of  .America's  great  arihitects  and  New  Y'ork's  most 
distinguished  citizens  is  George  B.  Post.  In  his  profession 
it  is  doulitful  if  he  has  any  superior  in  this  country,  and 
certainly  veiy  few  equals.  The  architect  of  the  Etpiitable 
P>uilding  needs  no  eulogy  :  it  stands  as  a  monument  to  his 
genius,  while  the  N.  Y.  Times  building,  by  no  means  de- 
signed for  architectural  display,  has  solved  a  difficult  ])rob- 
lem.  The  Times,  though  st.inding  within  a  stone's  throw 
of  the  gr  at  public  edifices,  and  surrounded  by  imposing 
sky  scraping  structures,  is  remarkable  as  containing  not  a 
single  daik  room,  and  it  was  the  architect's  cunning  that 
devised  this  solution  of  a  difticulty  that  had  hitherto  i)uz- 
zled  and  baffled  many  wise  men 

Mr.  Post  was  born  in  New  \  ()rk  Cilv,  on  December  15, 
1837.  He  was  educated  in  Churchill's  .Military  School  at 
Sing  Sing,  and  graduated  in  civil  engineering  in  the  class  of 
1858  from  the  New  York  University.  Immediately  after 
leaving  the  University,  he  entered  the  .Architectural  Se  hool 
presided  over  by  Richard  M.  Hunt,  a  man  well-known  as 
having  turned  out  some  of  the  most  eminent  architects  in 
the  United  States.  In  Mr.  Post's  class,  for  instance,  and 
among  his  contemporaries  in  this  school,  were  William  R. 
Ware,'  the  present  distinguished  Professor  of  Columbia 
College,  Henry  \"an  Brunt,  now  of  Kansas  City,  Frank 
Furness,  Philadeli)hia's  leading  architect,  and  the  e(iually 
famous  Charles  I ).  Ganibrill,  all  young  men  destined  to 
achieve  a  national  reputation 

Mr.  Post  and  .Mr.  Ganibrill  left  the  school  together  and 
formed  a  business  partnershii).     This  was  in  1861,  when  the 


NEIV  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


tocsin  of  war  was  sounding  througli  the  land,  and  Mr.  I'ost 
was  one  of  many  other  young  men  of  high  social  standing 
and  bright  professional  prospects  who  responded  to  the 
martial  appeal.  He  went  to  the  front  as  Captain  in  the 
Twenty-second  New  York  Regiment,  and  was  ])romoted 
successfully  to  the  rank  of  Major,  Lieut. -Colonel,  and  Colo- 
nel. He  was  ])resent  at  the  disastrous  battle  of  Fredericks- 
burg, and  was  during  the  action  an  aide  on  the  staff  of 
General  Burnside.  commanding  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. 

After  the  war  he  resumed  his  ])rofessional  career,  and 
met  with  instant  recognition  and  brilliant  success.  Step  by 
step  he  climbed  up,  until  now,  after  thirty  years  of  success- 
ful endeavor,  he  stands  on  the  very  top  rung  of  the  ladder. 
During  those  years  he  has  erected  .so  many  buildings  of  the 
first-class,  of  almost  every  conceivable  order  of  architecture, 
that  the  naming  of  them  would  recpiire  more  of  the  space  in 
this  work  than  we  can  afford.  Among  his  achievements  of 
late  years  have  been  the  Equitable  Building,  already  men- 
tioned, which  is  said  to  have  cost  thirteen  millions  in  con- 
struction, the  New  York  Hospital,  the  Times  Building,  the 
World  Building,  the  Mill's  Building,  Williamsburg,  L.  I. 
Savings  Bank,  and  the  Long  Island  Historical  Society  Build- 
ing, of  Brooklyn,  the  Produce  and  Cotton  Exchanges, 
Chickering  Hall,  the  Prudential  Insurance  Company's 
Building,  Newark,  the  Havemeyer  Building  on  Cortlandt 
Street,  C.  P.  Huntington's  Fifth  Avenue  residence,  etc. 

Mr.  Post  was  married  in  1X63  to  Miss  Alice  M.,  daughter 
of  William  W.  Stone,  a  prominent  merchant  of  New  York 
and  Boston. 


W.  P.  STYMUS. 

Chief  among  the  decorative  furniture  manufacturers  of 
this  city  is  W.  Pierre  Stymus,  of  the  celebrated  firm  of 
Pottier,  Stymus  &  Co.,  Lexington  Avenue.  Mr.  Stymus  has 
_the  heart  and  the  intellect  of  a  true  artist,  and,  apart  from 
the  money  there  is  in  it,  he  loves  the  profession  for  its  own 
sake.  He  was  born  in  this  city,  on  April  6,  1830,  and  comes 
of  an  old  Dutch  family  that  settled  in  Westchester  County. 
They  took  an  active  part  in  the  war  of  the  Revolution,  also 
in  the  war  of  1812-14,  always,  of  course,  on  the  American 
side.  Young  Stymus  was  educated  in  the  public  schools,  and 
graduated  from  Old  Fourteen.  When  sixteen  years  of 
age,  he  entered  the  decorative  establishment  of  Rochefort 
&  Skarren,  623  Broadway,  and  there  began  the  study  of 
decorative  art,  and  mastered  it  so  thoroughly  that,  while 
still  a  young  man,  he  took  high  rank  in  the  profession.  He 
is  to-day  pre-eminent  in  the  trade.  In  order  to  confirm  the 
truth  of  this  statement,  it  is  only  necessary  to  enter  a  few 
Fifth  Avenue  palaces  and  judge  for  one's  self.  In  fact,  to 
him,  more  than  to  any  other  living  American,  must  be  given 
the  credit  of  bringing  decorative  art  in  this  city  to  its 
present  high  plane. 

While  traveling  in  Europe,  he  has  taken  pains  to  study 
the  noble  emanations  from  the  Renaissance  period  in  Rome 
and  other  Italian  cities.  He  was  in  Paris  during  the  Third 
Empire,  when  Baron  Haussmann  was  effecting  such  splendid 
improvements,  and  making  of  the  French  Capital  the  most 
beautiful  city  in  the  world,  and  watched  those  improvements 
with  a  view  to  extending  his  own  knowledge. 

Mr.  Stymus  was  married  on  January  6,  1855,  by  the 
Reverend  Dr.  Sawver,  in  the  old  Universalist  Church,  in 
Orchard  Street.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Old  Ninth 
Regiment,  in  which  he  served  as  engineer  on  the  staff  of 
Col.  Wilcox,  with  the  grade  of  Captain,  and  was  com- 
missioned by  Governor  Fenton. 

WILLIAM  POPE  ST.  JOHN. 
William  Pojje  St.  John,  the  well  known  banker,  was  born 
in  Mobile,  Ala.,  February  19,  1849.    He  is  the  son  of  New- 
ton St.  John,  banker,  of  the  firm  of  St.  John,  Powers  &  Co., 


of  Mobile,  for  twenty-live  yearsagents  in  the  South  for  Messrs. 
Baring  Brothers  &  Co.,  of  London,  and  ranking  A  i  from 
1832  to  1861.  His  great-great-grandfather,  Benjamin  St. 
John,  was  one  of  twenty-five  i)ersons  who  purchased 
the  Township  of  Ridgefield,  Fairfield  County,  Connecticut, 
September  30,  1708.  Mr.  St.  John's  mother  was  a  daughter 
of  Alexander  Pope,  of  Delaware,  and  Dorothy  liibb,  of 
Georgia,  the  latter,  a  sister  of  Thomas  liibb,  the  first  Gov- 
ernor of  Alabama,  after  whose  family  Hibb  County,  Georgia, 
was  named  One  of  his  paternal  ancestors  was  oiie  of  the 
two  brothers  St.  John  mentioned  in  '  Trumbull's  Connecti- 
cut "(1654). 

Young  St.  John  began  his  education  in  Mobile,  con- 
tinued it  in  Europe,  and  on  his  return  passed  one  year  at 
Andover,  Mass.  His  first  business  employment  was  in  a 
banking  house  on  Wall  Street,  New  York.  In  the  same 
city  he  subsequently  filled  clerkships  in  several  distinctly 
different  kinds  of  business,  and  always  with  houses  ])romi- 
nent  in  their  line,  having  under  his  control  and  manage- 


1 


\VM.  P.  ST.  JOHN. 

ment,  during  a  period  of  four  years,  the  sales,  prices,  and 
credits  for  the  leading  firm  of  sugar  refiners  in  the  United 
States.  His  yearly  sales  were  said  to  exceed  the  sum  of 
fifty  million  dollars. 

In  January,  1H81,  he  was  elected  cashier  of  the  Mercantile 
National  Bank,  of  New  York  City,  and  two  years  later  was 
made  its  president,  a  position  he  still  holds.  During  his 
incumbency  of  this  office  the  Mercantile  National  Bank 
deposits  have  increased  in  the  ten  years  from  an  average 
of  three  and  a  half  millions  to  more  than  eleven  millions  of 
dollars,  while  more  than  one  million  dollars  have  been 
accumulated  of  the  earnings  after  constant  payments  of 
semi-annual  dividends,  and  the  market  price  of  the  capital 
stock  has  advanced  from  eighty-five  cents  to  two  dollars  and 
a  quarter  on  the  dollar.  Mr.  St.  John  is  also  a  director  in 
other  banks  and  a  trustee  in  several  financial  organizations. 
He  has  been  a  member  of  the  Executive  Committee  of  the 


14 


JVEIV   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


American  Bankers'  Association,  and  of  the  Finance  Com- 
mittee of  the  New  York  Chamber  of  Commerce.  Mr.  St. 
John  has  been  a  frequent  and  valued  contributor  to  financial 
newspapers,  magazines  and  other  literary  publications,  and 
has  published  important  original  pamphlets  on  economic 
topics.  He  has  been  conspicuous  among  bankers  for  his 
earnestness  in  urging  the  historic  basis  for  the  argument  in 
behalf  of  the  ecjually  free  and  unlimited  coinage  of  gold  and 
silver  in  the  United  States,  disputing  as  unhistoric  the  an- 
tagonistic statements  of  Senator  Sherman  and  others.  He 
has  been  called  the  ".Apostle  of  Free  Coinage  for  Silver." 
Williams  College  has  conferred  upon  him  the  recognition 
of  the  honorary  degree  of  M.A. 

WILLIAM  J.  LARDNER. 

Deputy  Attorney-General  William  J.  Lardner,  who 
enjoys  distinction  as  one  of  the  most  successful  of  the 
younger  members  of  the  bar  of  the  Metropolis,  was  born  in 
the  1 8th  Ward  of  this  city  on  Oct.  22,  1858.  He  received 
his  preparatoiy  education  in  the  public  schools  and  then  in 
St.  Francis  Xavier  College.  It  was  his  intention  to  enter  the 
Priesthood,  but  circumstances  at  home  comjjelled  him  to  re 
lin(iuish  that  purpose.  Before  reaching  the  age  of  nineteen, 
he  graduated  with  honors  from  the  Law  School  of  the  Uni 
versity  of  New  York,  and  studied  law  in  the  office  of  the 


vv.  J.  i,ardnp;r. 


late  L)u  Flessis  M.  Helm,  and  at  the  remarkably  early  age 
of  twenty-one  was  admitted  to  the  New  York  bar.  He  im- 
mediately l)egan  the  jjractice  of  law  and  showed  marked 
ability  and  thorough  ajjtitude  for  his  profession.  Through 
the  death  of  his  father  he  was  thrown  upon  his  own  resources 
at  a  very  early  age,  but  with  rare  pluck  and  energy  he  sur- 
mounted all  obstacles  that  stood  in  the  way  of  securing  an 
education  and  chose  the  profession  of  law  as  the  field  for 
his  future  career.  Mr.  I.ardneris  a  self  made  man,  and  owes 
his  advancement  to  his  inlellectual  attainments.  i'liidugh- 


out  his  busy  life  he  has  been  the  support  of  his  widowed 
mother,  and  has  acted  a  father's  part  to  his  brothers  and 
sisters. 

He  i^  deputy  Attorney-General  of  New  York  State,  hav- 
ing been  appointed  in  1887  by  Attorney-General  Tabor,  the  » 
law  ])artner  of  Lieutenant-Governor  Sheehan.  Mr.  Lardner 
performed  the  difficult  duties  of  his  ])osition  with  such 
ability  that  he  was  rea])pointed  for  a  second  term  by  the 
same  gentleman.  He  was  the  youngest  lawyer  ever  appointed 
to  that  position.  In  1891  the  present  Attnmey-Gentral  S. 
W.  Rosendale,  further  endorsed  Deputy  Lardner's  adminis- 
tration by  recpiesting  him  to  remain  for  a  third  term.  During 
those  years  he  has  come  in  contact  with  the  most  learned 
members  of  the  Bench  and  Bar,  and  has  won  many  high 
encomiums  from  judges  and  representative  lawyers.  He 
has  been  associated,  in  many  cases,  with  such  men  as 
Frederick  R.  Coudert,  George  Bliss,  E.  P.  Wheeler  and  the 
late  Algernon  S.  Sullivan.  Mr.  Lardner  devotes  his  atten-  • 
tion  exclusively  to  civil  practice,  making  a  specialty  of 
ecpiity  and  surrogate  cases,  his  clientele  including  many 
notable  persons.  For  the  past  eight  years  he  has  been 
counsel  tor  the  Archbishop  of  New  York,  and  for  many 
years  has  acted  in  a  smiilar  ca])acity  for  most  all  the  pastors 
and  Catholic  institutions  of  the  city,  also  the  Rt.  Rev. 
Chas.  E.  McDonnell,  of  Brooklyn. 

He  is  the  senior  member  of  Lardner  iS:  McAdam,  his 
partner  being  Thos.  McAdam,  eldest  son  of  Judge  McAdam 
of  the  Superior  Court.  Mr.  Lardner  is  a  member  of  the 
State  and  City  Bar  .Association,  the  Manhattan  and  Lawyers' 
Clubs,  and  also  of  Tammany  Hall.  On  May  10,  1887,  he 
married  Miss  .Agnes  C.  O'Brien,  the  daughter  of  Jas.  A. 
O'Brien,  deceased,  a  former  merchant  of  this  city,  and  has 
a  family  of  three  bright  children. 


JOHN  A.  McCALL. 

In  the  biograpiiy  of  the  business  men  of  New  York,  no 
one  more  ])rominent  can  be  named  among  those  who  have 
achieved  success  in  life  and  the  highest  position  attainable 
in  the  line  of  work  which  he  adopted,  than  Mr.  McCall, 
President  of  the  New  York  Life  Insurance  Company.  Mr. 
McCall  was  born  in  the  year  1S49,  in  the  city  of  Albany,  N.  Y. 
His  father,  John  McCall,  Sr.,  who  was  a  i)roniinent  citi- 
zen of  .Albany  and  died  there  in  1887,  lived  in  that  city  for 
half  a  century  in  the  esteem  of  the  peojile,  who  on  various 
occasions  elected  him  to  important  offices.  The  younger 
Mr.  McCall,  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  educated  in  the 
.Albany  Academy  and  graduated  from  the  Commercial  Col- 
lege in  that  city  in  1868.  His  career  has  been  remarkable, 
and  the  wisdom  of  the  management  of  the  New  York 
Life  Insurance  Comjjany  in  selecting  him  as  President 
has  not  only  had  the  hearty  a])proval  of  the  stockholders, 
l)ut  has  received  the  commendation  of  the  i)ublic  and  all 
interested  in  the  management  of  life  insurance.  No  one  in 
the  State  ranks  more  highly  as  a  safe  and  conscientious  ex- 
pert in  life  insurance  matters.  His  success  in  life  has  been 
achieved  without  adventitious  aids,  and  solely  by  his  indus- 
try and  immense  application  to  the  work  for  which  he  has 
a  genius.  Starting  in  life  as  a  clerk  in  an  .Albany  assorting 
house,  he  became  a  bookkeeper  in  the  Connecticut  Mutual 
Life  Insurance  Co.'s  General  Agency  for  New  York  at 
.Albany.  This  was  the  first  association  with  the  insurance 
business  for  which  he  has  ever  since  disjjlayed  ])eculiar  apti- 
tude. .After  this  he  was  interested  in  the  real  estate  and 
insurance  business  in  .Albany,  until  he  was  offered  a  clerk- 
shij)  in  the  Insurance  Department,  of  which  the  Hon.  Geo. 
W.  Miller  was  then  the  head,  and  served  in  the  actuarial 
branch  from  March.  1870,  until  Mr.  Miller's  resignation  in 
Mav,  1872,  when  he  was  |)laced  in  charge  of  the  statistical 
work  of  1I1C  dci)artinenl  reports  by  the  acting  superintend- 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


15 


JOHN  A.  McCALL. 


i6  NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


ent,  Hon.  Geo.  B.  Church.  Mr.  McCall's  s])lendid  work  was 
followed  by  rapid  promotion,  and  in  the  fall  of  1872  he  was 
appointed  examiner  of  companies  by  the  Hon.  ().  W. 
Chapman,  on  whose  resignation  in  1876  the  deputy  super- 
intendent, William  Smyth  of  Oswego,  becoming  acting 
superintendent,  at  once  made  Mr.  McCall  his  deputy,  and  it 
is  a  matter  worthy  of  notice  that  he  remained  in  this 
responsible  position  through  the  administration  of  the  Re- 
publican Superintendents  John  F.  Smyth  and  Charles  G. 
Fairman.  It  was  while  in  this  jjosition  that  the  e.\posure  of 
gross  frauds  and  irregularity  in  life  and  fire  insurance  com- 
panies, which  attracted  universal  attention,  was  made,  and 
it  was  his  success  in  unravelling  those  frauds  and  exposing 
them  to  the  public  that  also  attracted  the  attention  of  the 
greatest  and  best  insurance  managers  of  the  country.  His 
reports  showing  up  the  shortcomings  of  companies  were 
everywhere  received  with  the  highest  praise.  Under  his 
investigation  frauds  were  laid  low  and  the  iniquity  of  man- 
agers brought  to  ])ublic  contempt.  Many  fire  insurance 
companies  and  eighteen  life  insurance  companies  in  New 
York  and  fifteen  in  other  States  were  closed  by  the  strong 
hand  of  the  law,  and  prevented  by  his  reports  and  recom- 
mendations from  the  issuance  of  policies. 

This  result,  too,  was  achieved  in  the  face  of  opposition 
from  political  and  capitalistic  pressure  before  _which  many 
another  man  would  have  quailed  and  given  up  the  fight. 
But  not  satisfied  with  the  mere  exposure  of  the  companies 
which  had  grown  fat  on  the  credulity  of  the  public,  he 
followed  the  officers  of  the  same  to  the  extent  of  the  law, 
and  as  a  result  two  high  officials  were  tried  and  sentenced 
to  State's  prison  for  five  years,  and  another  to  one  year's 
imprisonment  in  the  ])enitentiary.  The  effect  of  this  action 
has  had  a  wholesome  influence. 

In  January,  1883,  Mr.  McCall  was  appointed  by  (iovernor 
Cleveland,  at  the  request  of  the  managers  of  the  large  and 
well-conducted  insurance  companies,  head  of  the  Insurance 
Department  of  the  State.  During  his  administration  of 
the  office  no  policyholder  suffered  a  loss  by  the  failure  of 
any  company  in  the  State.  His  certificate  of  examination 
was  honored  in  every  State  of  the  Union.  He  abolished 
the  fee  system  for  making  examinations,  and  permitted  no 
fees  to  be  collected  from  com])anies  of  the  State  on  any 
account.  Yet,  during  his  administration  there  was  paid  into 
the  State  Treasury  ^76,000  from  the  legal  income  of  the 
office  in  excess  of  the  expenditures  of  the  Department. 
Governor  Hill,  coming  into  the  Executive  chair,  tendered 
Mr.  McCall  a  reappointment  as  Suj^erintendent  of  Insurance, 
which  he  declined,  having  accepted  the  Comptrollership  of 
the  Equitable  Life  Assurance  Society.  As  in  all  other 
positions,  so  in  this,  he  gained  in  reputation  for  ability  and 
integrity. 

The  New  York  Life  has  entered  upon  a  new  career  of  ])ros- 
perity,  and  under  his  businesslike  administration  will  continue 
to  gr(;w  in  i)0])ular  fa\  or.  From  every  section  of  this  countr)', 
as  well  as  from  abroad,  ail  ex|)ressions  of  opinion  have  been 
highly  favorable  to  Mr.  McCall's  appointment  to  the  Presi- 
dency of  the  New  York  Life.  -And  now  let  it  be  slated  that  the 
business  of  the  New  York  Life  is  world  wide,  and  its  ])oli(  ics 
are  held  in  every  country  and  every  clime.  I  )uring  the  single 
year  of  Mr.  McCall's  administration  the  new  business  exceed- 
ed by  twenty  millions  that  of  any  other  year  in  the  Company's 
history,  the  total  new  policies  amounting  to  i?*! 73,000,000. 
Mr.  McCall's  ideas  of  management  have  been  heartily 
endorsed  by  the  Board  of  Trustees,  and  all  the  old  officials 
and  agents  have  adopted  with  singular  unanimity  the  Pres- 
ident's views  as  to  the  course  the  Comjjany  sliould  i)ursue. 
With  an  official  certificate  of  investigation  and  surjjlus  from 
the  State  Insuranc  e  Department,  such  as  is  possessed  by 
no  other  com])any,  the  New  York  Life,  under  Mr.  McCall's 
dire(  tion,  must  thrive  and  profit. 


J.  VAN  VECHTEN  OLCOTT. 

J.  Van  Vechten  Olcott,  one  of  the  talented  and  success- 
ful members  of  the  Bar  of  the  Metro])olis,  was  born  in  this 
city  on  May  17th,  i85'>,  and  is  sjjrung  from  good  old  Colo- 
nial and  Knickerbocker  ancestry.  The  first  of  the  Olcott* 
family  in  America  came  to  this  country  early  in  the  seven- 
teenth century,  and  was  one  of  the  original  founders  of  the 
city  of  Hartford,  Conn.  John  N.  Olcott,  the  father  of  the 
subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  in  Connecticut,  came  to  New 
York  City  in  childhood,  and  for  years  was  engaged  in  business 
as  a  commission  merchant.  He  married  Miss  Euphemia  H. 
Knox,  daughter  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  John  Knox,  pastor  of  the 
Collegiate  Dutch  Reformed  Church  of  this  city.  The  wife 
of  Rev.  John  Knox  was  Miss  Euphemia  Mason,  daughter 
of  Rev.  John  M.  Mason,  who  was  the  son  of  Rev.  John 
Mason,  cha])lain  of  West  Point  during  Washington's  time, 
and  an  enthusiastic  Revolutionist.  J.  Van  Vechten  Olcott 
received  his  preliminary  education  in  the  i)ublic  schools  and 


.1.  V.\N  VKCHTEN  OLCOTT. 


the  New  York  Ciollege.  entered  Columbia  Law  School,  and 
was  graduated  in  the  class  of  1877.  Upon  attaining  his  ma- 
jority he  was  admitted  to  the  bar,  and  at  once  entered  the  . 
law  office  of  Messrs.  .\nderson  &  Man,  where  he  after- 
ward became  managing  clerk.  On  November  ist,  1881,  he 
resigned  his  ])osition  in  order  to  establish  the  firm  of  Liv- 
ingston &  Olcott,  his  i)artner  being  Robert  .\.  Livingston,  % 
who  was  Assemblyman  from  Putnam  County,  this  State,  in 
1882  and  1885.  The  firm  was  dissolved  on  January  ist,  1889. 
and  Mr.  Olcott  continued  ])raclice  unassociated  until  May, 
1 89 1,  when  the  present  well-known  firm  of  Messrs.  Olcott 
\-  Olcott  was  founded,  the  other  member  of  which  is  his 
brother,  William  M.  K.  Olcott.  Mr.  Olcott  has  devoted  his 
attention  entirely  to  civil  practice,  and  makes  a  specialty  of 
real  estate  and  surrogate  matters  in  which  departments  of 
the  law  he  is  recogni/ed  as  one  of  the  most  tiioroughly 
versed  and  practically  experienced  counsels  at  the  bar.  His 


NEW   YORK,    THE  M ETKOPOLIS. 


17 


clienlclc  is  of  the  most  desirable  character  and  inc hides 
many  prominent  real  estate  men,  large  estates  and  mercan- 
tile concerns,  while  his  practice  extends  from  the  city  and 
State  to  the  Federal  Courts.  Mr.  Olcott  not  only  enjoys 
the  respect  and  esteem  of  the  Bench  and  Bar,  but  is 
ciiually  i^opular  outside  of  professional  circles,  being 
a  well  known  clubman  and  holding  membership  in 
the  Union  l  eague,  Republican,  .\li)ha  Delta  Phi,  Church 
and  Colonial  Clubs,  of  the  last  of  which  he  is  the  Secre- 
tary. He  belongs  to  the  Sons  of  the  American  Revolu- 
tion, as  well  as  the  City  and  State  Bar  Associations.  In 
1882  Mr.  Olcott  was  married  to  Miss  Laura  J.  Hoffman, 
daughter  of  Rev.  Dr.  Chas.  F.  Hoffman,  the  eminent  Epis- 
copal divine,  and  resides  in  33  West  Seventy-second  Street. 
While  a  hard-working  and  enthusiastic  Republican,  Mr. 
Olcott  has  never  sought  or  desired  political  honors,  prefer- 
ring his  more  lucrative  professional  career.  He  is  President 
of  the  Bridgeport  Land  and  Improvement  Company,  one  of 
the  examining  counsel  of  the  Lawyers' Title  Insurance  Com- 
pany, and  is  interested  in  other  important  enterprises. 


GEORGE  B.  McCLELLAN. 

Ceorge  Brinton  McClellan,  only  son  of  the  illustrious 
American  General  of  that  name,  was  born  in  Germany  on 
November  23,  1865,  while  his  ])arents  were  on  a  visit  to 
Europe.  He  is  of  Scottish  extraction  and  descended  from 
the  McC'lellans  of  Kircudbright.  Through  his  mother 
Colonel  McClellan  is  grandson  of  Major  General  Randolph 
B.  Marcy,  who  was  Inspector-General  of  the  C  S.  .'Vrmy 
and  Chief-of  Staff  to  its  Commander  in  Chief,  General 
George  Brinton  McClellan,  during  the  campaign  that 
culminated  in  the  great  Union  victory  of  .Xnlietam.  Mrs. 
McC'lellan  was  a  noted  Washington  belle  before  and 
during  the  war,  and  survives  her  husband.  She  is  grand- 
niece  of  the  celebrated  statesman  William  L.  Marcy,  and 
is  of  Irish  extraction.  The  record  of  Colonel  McClellan's 
father  is  part  of  the  history  of  the  United  States.  As  above 
stated  he  was  descended  from  a  branch  of  the  McClellans 
that  came  to  this  country  from  Scotland  in  the  middle  of 
the  seventeenth  century.  The  famous  General  was  born 
in  Philadelphia,  and  was  the  son  of  Dr.  George  McClellan 
of  that  city.  President  of  the  Jefferson  Medical  College  and 
its  founder.  His  grandfather  was  James  McClellan  of 
Woodstock,  Connecticut,  and  his  great-grandfather, 
(ieneral  Samuel  McClellan  of  the  Continental  Army,  who 
was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  Brigadier  General  at  the  close 
of  the  war. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  educated  in  Princeton 
and  was  graduated  from  that  college  in  the  class  of  1886 
Upon  the  death  of  his  father,  the  year  previous,  it  was 
found  that  his  estate  did  not  come  up  to  the  expectations 
of  his  friends,  and  young  George  realized  that  his  '  future 
would  have  to  depend  upon  his  exertions.  He  entered 
the  field  of  journalism  for  a  career,  and  was  through  his 
own  seeking  engaged  on  the  staff  of  the  Mornino;  Journal, 
from  which  he  transferred  his  services  to  the  N.  Y.  World 
as  Assistant  City  Editor,  which  was  good  for  a  young 
man  of  twenty-three.  While  on  the  World  he  rendered 
material  aid  to  the  Democratic  party  in  the  camj)aign  of 
1888.  We  next  find  him  in  the  responsible  i)osition  of 
Assistant  Financial  Editor  of  the  Herald.  In  1889  he 
was  appointed  Treasurer  of  the  Brooklyn  Bridge,  and 
while  faithfully  performing  the  duties  of  the  office  he 
entered  himself  as  a  student  in  the  Columbia  College  Law 
School,  <rom  which  he  graduated  and  was  called  to  the  bar. 
He  was  First-Lieutenant  in  the  Eighth  Regiment,  N.  Y. 
State  Militia,  from  1885  to  1888,  but  resigned  to  become 
Colonel  and  Aide-de-Camp  on  the  Staff  of  Governor  Hill. 
(January,  1889).     In  the  fall  of  1892,  Colonel  McClellan 


was  elected  President  of  the  Board  of  .Aldermen  on  the 
Tammany  tickt  t  by  78,210  i)lurality,  the  largest  jjlurality 
ever  received  by  any  candidate  for  any  office  in  New  York 
City.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Loyal  Legion  <.f  Lafayette 
Camp,  Sons  of  Veterans,  the  Aztec  Society,  Sons  of  the 
Revolution,  Honorary  Member  of  the  Irish  Brigade,  of 
the  Friendly  Sons  of  St.  Patrick,  and  of  the  Manhattan  and 
Union  Clubs.  He  is  member,  also,  of  the  Tammany 
Committee  on  organization  and  of  the  Columbian  Order. 

It  is  the  hope  and  belief  of  his  friends  that  a  bright 
career  lies  before  George  Brinton  McClellan,  as  mu(  h  on 
his  own  account  as  because  he  is  the  son  of  his  father. 


CHAUNCEY  B.  RIPLEY. 

Chauncey  B.  Ripley,  though  he  is  distinguished  in  his  pro- 
fession as  a  lawyer  and  otherwise,  is  especially  well  known 
to  the  lawyers  of  this  city,  now  numbering  seven  or  eight 
thousand,  for  a  large  ])art  of  them  have  passed  through  his 
hands,  and  many  of  them  have  trembled  before  him,  with 
or  without  sufficient  cause.  This  will  be  understood  when 
it  is  stated  that  during  the  past  quarter  of  a  century  Dr. 
Ripley  has  been  a  member  of  the  committees  of  the  New 
York  University  Law  School  for  examining  candidates  for 
dii)lomas  and  degrees  and  awarding  prizes.   Dr.  Ripley  was 


CHAU.NCEV  B.  RIl'I.KV, 


born  at  the  Ripley  Hill  Homestead,  South  Coventry,  Conn., 
on  May  14,  1835.  His  paternal  grandfather.  Jeremiah 
Ripley,  who  budt  Ripley  Hill,  served  as  an  officer  under 
General  Washington  during  the  Revolutionary  War,  and  his 
father,  Chauncey  Ripley,  born  in  the  same  place  and  edu- 
cated at  Yale  College,  was  also  a  well-known  man  of  his 
time.  His  preparatory  course  was  taken  partly  at  the  Con- 
necticut Literary  Institution,  at  Suffield,  Conn.,  and  was  partly 
conducted  by  the  Rev.  James  Fuller  Brown,  D.D.,  a  life- 
long friend  who  subsecpiently  became  Chancellor  of  Bucknell 


i8 


L'liiversit}',  of  which  institution  Dr.  Ripley  afterwards  de- 
clined the  candidature  for  president  in  1888  on  the  retire- 
ment of  Dr.  David  J.  Hill.  In  i860  he  entered  the  Univer- 
sity of  Rochester,  where  he  took  the  first  two  years  of  his 
college  course.  In  his  junior  year  he  held  the  chair  of 
Mathematics  in  Flushing  (L.  I.)  Institute,  in  the  meantime 
jjursuing  his  college  studies  and  entering  the  senior  class  of 
Kucknell  University,  whence  he  was  graduated  as  an  "  honor 
man  "  with  the  degree  of  A.B.  in  the  class  of  1864.  He  was 
graduated  at  the  University  Law  School  in  1865,  valedic- 
torian of  his  class,  and  admitted  to  the  bar  of  the  State  of 
New  York  the  same  year  and  has  since  practised  at  the  bar 
of  New  York  City.  Of  his  legal  career  it  is  unnecessary  to 
speak.  It  has  been  a  success  ;  and  his  clients  are  of  the 
most  desirable  character.  His  knowledge  of  the  law  is  jjro- 
found,  hence  his  opinions  carry  their  proper  weight  with  the 
judges.  He  has  obtained  a  national  reputation  as  a  univer- 
sity man.  His  Alma  Mater  gave  him  the  Master's  Oration 
with  the  degree  of  A.M.  in  1867,  and  in  1888  the  degree 
of  LL.D.  for  "distinguished  attainments  in  legal  learn- 
ing." The  Trustees  of  Rutgers  Female  College,  of  the 
city  of  New  York,  conferr  d  upon  him  the  degree  of  Doctor 
of  Literature,  in  1892.  He  delivered  the  valedictory  address 
to  Dr.  David  J.  Hill  on  his  retirement  from  the  presidency 
of  Bucknell  and  the  salutatory  to  his  successor,  Dr.  John 
H.  Harris.  He  was  for  two  terms  president  of  the  Alumni 
Association  of  Buckne'l  University  in  New  York  City,  and 
his  name  is  on  the  roll  of  the  Alumni  Association  of  the 
University  of  Rochester,  in  New  York  City.  Among  his 
other  university  honors  is  membership  in  the  Sigma  Chi 
Fraternity.  He  was  twice  elected  consul  or  |)resident  of  its 
post-graduate  chapter  in  New  York,  and  was  designated  to 
initiate  Grover  Cleveland  into  the  Sigma  Chi  Fraternity,  by 
the  members  of  Theta  Theta  C'hapter  of  the  ITniversity  of 
Michigan.  In  October,  1890,  he  was  designated  by  the 
National  Orand  Council  of  Sigma  Chi  Fraternity  to  preside 
at  the  ban(|uet  given  by  the  initiates  of  Al])ha  Phi  Chapter 
of  Sigma  Chi  at  Cornell  University.  He  was  electeti  an 
honorary  member  of  Delta  Chi,  a  legal  (ireek  Letter  Frater- 
nity, in  1892. 

Dr.  Ripley  lives  at  Westfield,  Union  County,  N.  J.,  and 
owns  about  400  acres  of  land  there.  He  is  famous  as  the 
great  improver  of  public  roads,  and  out  of  his  own  means 
has  expended  $«ioo,ooo  in  road  improvements.  In  1891,  he 
addressed,  by  special  invitation,  the  State  Board  of  Agri- 
culture at  the  State  House,  in  Trenton,  N.  J.,  on  the  sub- 
ject of  Improved  Roads,  and  in  1892  the  N.  J.  State  Road 
Board  on  the  same  subject.  The  addresses  were  published 
in  i)aniphlet  form  by  the  State  and  had  a  wide  cir(  ulation. 
He  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  National  League  for 
(lood  Roads,  and  delivered  an  address  before  the  Conven- 
tion at  Chicago  in  1892.  He  was  elected  one  of  the  F^xecu- 
tive  Committee  of  the  League  and  also  Counsel  to  the 
League.  He  addressed  the  League  at  Washington  during 
the  Convention  held  in  December,  1892.  He  married  in 
1865  Cornelia  Ross,  daughter  of  the  late  Honorable 
Ciideon  Ross,  of  Westfield,  N.  J.  To  sum  up,  he  is  a  well- 
known  advocate  of  university  education,  a  scholar,a  law- 
yer in  I  he  highest  sense  of  the  word,  a  polished  orator,  and 
a  citizen  of  much  jniblic  spirit.  In  these  regards,  Dr.  Ripley 
has  a  national  rei)utation. 


HENRY  WHITE  CANNON. 

A  historic  al  work  surh  as  New  York,  Thk.  Metropolis, 
would  not  be  complete  without  a  sketch,  however  brief,  of 
the  Honorable  Henry  \\'hite  Cannon,  ex  Comi)troIler  of  the 
U.  S.  Currency,  lately  .American  Commissioner  at  the  Inter- 
national Monetary  Conferen<  e,  President  of  "  The  Chase 
•National  P>ank,  of  the  City  of  New  \'ork,"  and  one  of 


the  country's  ablest  financiers.  Even  a  brief  sketch  of 
his  career  will  afford  a  glance  at  some  of  the  most  delicate 
financial  situations  which  the  business  interests  of  the  nation 
have  encountered,  and  will  reveal  the  wise  and  strong  hand 
with  which  he  guided  these  interests  through  dangerous 
straits,  and  thus  earned  the  gratitude  of  the  country. 

Henry  White  ('annon  was  born  in  Delhi.  Delaware 
County,  State  of  New  York,  on  the  27th  of  September, 
1850.  This  county,  so  sterile  in  an  agricultural  sense, 
has  been  i)rolific  of  great  men,  and  it  is  singular  that  Jay 
Gould's  first  bow  before  the  public  was  as  the  author  of 
a  "  History  of  Delaware  County."  Mr.  Gould  himself  was 
a  native  of  Delaware  County. 

Henry  White  Cannon  attended  private  schools  and 
completed  his  education  in  the  Delaware  Literary  Institute. 
His  earliest  business  experience  was  in  the  First  National 
Bank  of  I  )elhi,  of  which  he  became  teller  before  he  was 
twenty  years  old.  In  1870,  feeling  that  finance  wns  his 
forte,  and  seeing  his  native  horizen  too  small,  he  went  West 
and  obtained  a  position  in  the  Second  National  Bank  of 
St.  Paul,  Minn.  The  year  following  (1871)  we  find 
him  in  Stillwater,  Minn.,  organizing  the  Lumbermen's 
National  Bank  to  such  purpose  and  on  so  intelligent  and 
solid  a  base  that  it  serenely  stood  the  financial  storm  of 
1873  (the  Black  F'riday  panic),  which  swept  away  so  many 
similar  and  older  institutions.  The  bank  was  rema-rkable 
at  this  i)eriod  for  paying  all  demands  u])on  it  in  currency. 
We  cannot  afford  even  mere  mention  in  this  volume  for  all 
Mr.  Cannon's  achievements  in  Minnesota.  His  reputation 
by  1884  had  become  national,  and  in  that  year  at  the  earnest 
solicitat'on  of  the  Congressional  delegation  from  Minnesota 
and  the  leading  banks  of  New  York  and  Chicago  he  was 
ap])ointed  Com])troller  of  the  Currency  to  succeed  the 
Hon.  John  Jay  Knox,  a  man  of  extraordinary  ability.  Mr. 
Cannon  was  hardly  installed  in  office  when  the  crisis  of 
1884  began  and  svve])t  over  the  country.  Weakness, 
defalcations  and  gross  dishonesty  were  found  in  the  most 
unexpected  quarters  at  this  time  and  it  was  Mr.  Cannon's 
duty  to  grapple  with  the  evil.  The  task  was  beset  with 
obstacles.  He  ajipointed  all  the  receivers,  employed  an 
extra  staff  of  bank  examiners  and  by  his  timely  and  skillful 
mastery  of  a  most  difficult  situation  restored  confidence 
and  saved  many  institutions  from  financial  wreck.  During 
this  crisis  he  appeared  bdore  a  Committee  composed 
with  others  of  Senators  Sherman,  Morrill,  Bayard,  Beck, 
and  Aldrich,  and  gave  such  evidence  as  tended  to  allay 
anxiety.  He  counselled  no  unnecessary  publicity  as  to 
the  state  of  the  New  York  hanks  and  their  relations  to  the 
Clearing  House,  stated  that  it  was  not  politic  to  resort  to 
the  extraordinary  measure  contemplated  by  Congress,  that 
the  banks  were  daily  increasing  their  cash  reserve,  and 
finally  that  legislation  would  do  more  harm  than  good. 
The  Committee  took  his  advice  and  finance  righted  itself. 
In  1885  another  problem  involving  much  work  and  dis- 
crimination pre.sented  itself  to  Comptroller  Cannon  for 
solution.  The  charters  of  800  banks  expired  and  before 
they  could  be  renewed  it  was  necessary  to  have  a  thorough 
examination  of  their  accounts  by  experts  and  advised  that 
charters  be  refused  them  unless  such  accounts  were  found 
satisfactory.  In  his  subsequetit  report  to  the  President  he 
offered  suggestions  on  the  state  of  the  bank  and  monetary 
affairs,  generally,  which  were  adopted  and  their  adojjtion  was 
of  incalculable  service  lo  the  country.  Though  Mr.  Cannon 
is  a  Republican  and  was  a])pointed  by  a  Rejiublican 
administration  the  advent  to  power  of  President  Cleveland 
(lid  not  affect  him.  as  Comijtroller  Cannon  was  too  useful 
an  oftici  il.  Mr.  Cleveland  invited  him  to  remain  until  the 
end  of  the  six  year  term.  As,  however,  the  financial  jiolicy 
he  advocated  was  not  carried  out  by  Secretary  Manning, 
he  resigned  in  1886  and  returned  to  active  life  and  accepted 


MoiropobBn  hiilishmg  aEngravinj  Co  HiJhtslovm.N  J 


NEIV  YORK,   THE  METROPOLIS. 


19 


the  Vice-Presidency  of  the  National  liunls  of  the  Rcimljiic 
in  New  York  City,  of  which  his  friend  and  predecessor  in 
office — John  Jay  Knox — was  tlie  President.  Soon  after  he 
acce|)ted  the  Presidency  of  the  Chase  National  Hank,  a 
position  he  now  holds.  Mayor  Grant  appointed  him  an 
Aqueduct  Commissioner,  and  the  appointment  was  met 
with  universal  approval,  for  Mr.  Cannon  is  very  popular  in 
New  York.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Clearing  House 
Executive  Committee  and  in  January,  1891,  was  made  by 
President  Harrison  a  member  of  the  Assay  Commission. 
He  is  member  of  the  Union  League  Club,  the  Century 
Club,  .Sons  of  the  Revolution,  the  New  Kngland  Society, 
Royal  Statistical  Society,  be- 
longs to  the  Kane  Masonic 
Lodge,  and  is  conne  ted  with 
many  social, Benevolent, Scien- 
tific and  Art  Associations. 

The  latest  service  rendered 
his  country  by  Mr.  Cannon  has 
been  in  connection  with  the 
International  Monetary  Con- 
ference, convened  on  Novem- 
ber 23,  1892,  in  Brussels.  It 
was,  in  fact,  mainly  on  the 
suggestion  of  Mr.  Cannon 
that  many  of  the  negotiations 
with  foreign  governments,  pre- 
liminary to  the  Conference, 
were  conducted.  His  appoint- 
ment by  President  Harrison 
as  one  of  the  American  Com- 
missioners was  endorsed  by  the 
press  of  the  United  States, 
regardless  of  party,  and  many 
of  the  European  papers  con- 
tained complimentary  refer- 
ences to  his  ability.  That 
he  has  done  credit  to  his 
country  and  to  the  states- 
man who  appointed  him,  and 
answered  the  expectations  of 
his  friends  and  admirers  while 
in  contact  with  some  of  the 
keenest  financial  intellects  of 
Europe,  is  now  a  matter  of 
current  history. 


EDWARD  B.  HARPER. 

The  gigantic  forward  strides 
taken  by  the  Mutual  Reserve 
Fund  Life  Association  of  New 
York  within  a  comparatively 
recent  period  are  among  the 
industrial  phenomena  of  the 
age.  Without  going  into  de- 
tails, for  which  we  cannot  find 
space,  it  may  be  stated  that 
the  system  perfected  by  the 
company  has  brought  insur- 
ance within  reach  of  every  one. 

Before  this  system  was  introduced,  it  was  really  only  the 
comparatively  wealthy  who  could  insure  their  lives  without 
straining  their  resources  and  running  the  risk  of  lapse  and 
forfeiture  ;  now,  under  the  system  presented  by  the  Mutual 
Reserve,  the  man  who  does  day  labor  with  his  hands  is  in 
a  position  to  secure  his  family  from  want  in  case  of  death, 
which  comes  to  all,  and  comes  like  a  thief  in  the  night, 
unexpected. 

The  subjoined  figures  will  give  some  idea  of  the  strides 
taken.    In  1882  the  business  of  the  Mutual  Reserve  Fund 


Life  Association  was  $10,000  a  day,  the  membership  f,ooo, 
and  one  mortuary  assessment  jjroduced  only  about  $4,000. 
.\t  present  the  membership  is  over  75,000,  and  is  constjntly 
swelling,  and  the  business  done  represents  §200,000  a  day. 
The  company  has  now  a  reserve  fund  of  $3,500,000,  against 
none  in  1882,  a  total  insurance  business  of  nearly 
$25o,ooo,ooo,while  a  single  assessment  producingonly  $4,000 
in  1882  now  produces  the  enormous  return  of  over  $525,000. 
The  report  for  1892,  furnished  by  the  company  to  the  New 
York  State  Sui)erintendent  of  Insurance,  shows  that  the  as- 
sociation has  already  paid  to  the  widows  and  orphans  and 
other  beneficiaries  of  its  deceased  members  more  than 

$15,000,000,  and  is  now  jiay- 
ing  to  them  nearly  $3,000  000 
yearly,  while  its  new  annual 
l)usiness  foots  up  more  than 
$50,000,000.  Science  shows 
that  there  is  no  cause  without 
an  effect,  and  no  effect  without 
a  cause.  The  cause  of  the 
foregoing  colossal  effect  is 
Edward  Bascomb  Harper,  one 
of  those  men  of  creative  genius 
who  ap])ear  in  the  world  from 
time  to  time  to  remedy  the 
evils  wrought  by  the  genius 
of  warriors  who  kill,  burn  and 
destroy.  It  is  (juite  jjossible 
that  in  accom|)lishing  this  great 
work  Mr.  Harper  was  merely 
actuated  by  his  own  and  the 
company's  interests,  but  if  he 
was  at  the  same  time  render- 
ing humanity  a  service,  why 
so  much  the  better. 

Mr.  Harper  was  born  in  the 
i     ^^^S  town  of  Leipsic,  near  Dover, 

J    ^^^K  Kent   County,  Delaware,  on 

M  ^^^m  September  14,  1842,  and  is  de- 

T  scended  from  a  good  old  Eng- 

lish familv.  An  ancestor  of 
his  was  Lord  Mayor  of  Lon- 
don in  1561,  and  many  of  his 
progenitors  figured  honorably 
in  seventeenth  and  eighteenth 
century  annals.  At  the  age  of 
thirteen  he  found  himself  an 
orphan,  and  entered  the  store 
of  John  W.  Cullen  in  his  native 
town  as  clerk.  Thus  he  was 
obliged  to  earn  his  own  living 
at  an  age  when  other  boys  are 
at  school.  From  the  very  be- 
ginning he  displayed  a  capacity 
for  business  and  an  iron  will. 
His  great  ambition  was  a  com- 
mercial college  course,  and  in 
order  to  obtain  it  he  practised 
such  rigid  economy  that  at  the 
age  of  twenty  he  had  saved 
money  enough  to  satisfy  his  ambition.  In  the  college  his 
success  was  marvellous.  He  devoured  everything,  so  to 
speak,  and  graduated  from  it  at  the  head  of  his  class,  taking 
with  him  the  good  wishes  and  admiration  of  its  professors. 
.Vfter  leaving  college,  he  was  fortunate  in  obtaining  a  minor 
clerkship  in  a  Philadelphia  banking  house.  Here,  as  in  the 
commercial  institution,  he  rapidly  mastered  the  details  of 
the  business  and  was  promoted  step  by  step  until  he  be- 
came its  chief  manager.  Arrived  at  a  station  that  would 
satisfy  the  ambition  of  most  young  men  of  his  age,  Mr. 


20 


NEW   YORK,   THE  METROPOLIS. 


Harper  retired  from  the  management  of  the  bank  and  l)e- 
camc  a  student  of  the  insurance  business.  That  he  studied 
to  some  purpose,  his  life  since  then  goes  to  show.  It  was 
in  1868  he  retired  from  the  banking  house,  and  the  year 
following  we  find  him  Western  Manager  of  the  Common- 
wealth Life  Insurance  Company  of  New  York  City.  Here 
as  elsewhere  success  followed  in  his  tracks  and  promotion 
was  rapid.  He  doubled  the  company's  business,  was  ap- 
])ointed  General  Superintendent,  and  when  the  Common- 
wealth retired  from  the  field,  after  consolidating  business 
with  the  National,  the  closing  of  all  outstanding  business 
was  entrusted  to  Mr.  Harper.  In  1875,  after  having  estab- 
lished for  liimself  a  national  reputation,  he  assumed  the 
New  York  management  of  the  John  Hancock  Company  of 
Boston.  It  was  here  he  first  tried  what  is  now  known  as  the 
"  Prudential  Plan,"  and  thus  became  one  of  the  founders  of 
a  system  of  life  insurance  in  America  which,  as  now  ad- 
mitted by  all,  has  conferred  incalculable  benefits  on  the 
frugal,  industrious  laboring  classes  of  the  country,  and  has 
l)rought  ])eace  to  the  minds  of  thousands  of  wives  and 
mothers  who  heretofore  had  been  asking  themselves  the 
melancholy  question,  ■' What  will  become  of  us  when  the 
head  of  our  family  dies?" 

Disposing  of  his  interests  in  the  John  Hancock  Com- 
pany in  1880,  Mr.  Harper  assumed  tb.e  I'residency  and  full 
control  of  the  Mutual  Reserve  Fund  Life  Association  in 
1881,  and  by  a  succession  of  bold  strokes  collected  the  scat- 
tered and  disorganized  assessment  associations  into  one 
homogeneous  whole  ;  in  a  word,  he  inaugurated  a  nevv  sys- 
tem in  life  insurance.  But  he  did  not  accomplish  this  with- 
out fierce  resistance.  The  old  system  rose  in  arms  against 
the  innovation.  But  it  was  of  no  avail  ;  the  revolution 
swept  on,  with  the  results  already  mentioned,  and  to-day 
Mr.  K.  B.  Harper's  name  is  a  household  word  in  America. 
It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  although  the  changes  wrought 
by  this  one  master  mind  appear  sudden  and  dazzling,  they 
are  really  the  result  of  long  and  painful  study. 

Personally  Mr.  Harper  is  a  fine-looking  man  of  young 
middle  age,  with  bright  eyes,  a  pleasant  smile  and  well  cut 
features.  The  lower  part  of  his  face  indicates  great  strength 
of  will.  He  is  polished  in  his  manners,  suave  in  conversa- 
tion, is  a  member  of  many  high  social  clubs,  organizations, 
charities,  etc.,  and  commands  the  respe'  t  and  esteem  of 
thousands  of  friends. 


WALTER  S.  HARRISON. 

There  is  no  profession  follows  the  law  of  evolution  more 
closely  than  that  of  an  architect  or  builder.  In  a  city  where 
nothing  in  the  way  of  elegant  architecture  or  a  fine  class  of 
buildings,  is  called  for,  mediocrity  will  answer  all  purposes  ; 
but  in  New  York,  where  the  era  of  magnificent  public 
buildings  and  grand  private  mansions  has  begun,  architects 
and  builders  of  talent  and  ability  are  recpiired.  If.  in  the 
future,  something  novel  and  e.vtraord  nary  in  this  line  is 
demanded,  the  law  of  evolution  will  supply  it,  but  mean- 
time the  present  can  take  care  of  itself  while  we  have  such 
builders  and  contractors  among  us  as  W.  S.  Harrison,  the 
man  who  constructed  the  Aldrich  Court  Building  on  Broad- 
way. 

Mr.  Harrison  was  born  in  the  Island  of  Cuernsey  in  the 
year  1S45.  Early  in  life  he  was  connected  with  the 
National  Guard  of  this  State,  and  while  serving  in  it  as  both 
private  and  commissioned  officer  saw  some  very  arduous 
service  indeed.  He  joined  the  Thirty-second  Regiment  as 
private  in  187c,  and  took  an  active  part  in  the  suppression 
of  what  is  called  the  "  Orange  riots."  Mr.  Harrison  was 
always  partial  to  service  as  a  mounted  man,  and  in  1S72  his 
and)ition  was  satisfied  by  !)eing  transferred  to  the  Washing- 
ton (irey  Trooj),  where  he  displayed  such  soldierly  ability 
that  he  was  promoted  to  a  first  lieutenanc  y.    He  was  doing 


duty  where  the  officers  of  the  troop  organized  a  Gattling  bat- 
tery of  artillery.  Lieutenant  Harrison  was  second  in  com- 
mnnd  of  the  battery,  and  when,  two  years  later.  Captain  Baker 
resigned,  he  assumed  command,  and  brought  the  battery  to 
a  degree  of  almost  absolute  perfection  as  regards  di^cijiline 
and  general  usefulness.  By  this  time  his  business  called 
imperatively  for  his  personal  supervision,  and  Lieutenant 
Harrison  left  his  command  with  regret,  though  tendered  the 
rank  of  captain.  He  still  entertains  a  kindly  feeling  for 
his  "old  comrades,  and  is  as  fond  of  riding  a  horse  as  ever. 
His  increasing  business,  however,  means  a  peremptory  order 
to  give  up  the  military  idea. 

He  is  at  the  head  of  ihe  firm  doing  busin  ss  as  builders 
and  contractors  under  the  style  of  ^\^  S.  Harrison  Co., 
successors  to  Masterson  i\;  Harrison.  He  has  erected  a 
large  number  of  buildings  in  New  York,  many  of  them 
very  expensive  and  with  just  claims  to  great  magnitude 
and  a  high  order  of  architectural  beauty.  The  Aldrich 
Court  Building  has  been  already  mentioned,  and  among 
the  many  others  claiming  attention  as  being  out  of  the  com- 
mon run,  the  construction  of  which  has  been  personally 
supervised,  are  the  handsome  private  residences  of  Ex- 
Governor  Hoadley,  of  Ohio,  the  Hon.  Edward  Mitchell 
and  J.  Hampden  Robb.  These  buildings  alone,  because 
of  their  beauty  and  finish,  would  be  sufficient  to  establish 
Mr.  Harrison's  re])utation  ;  but  there  are  besides,  the 
(Columbia  Building,  the  Haight  Building,  Cohnfield  Building, 
the  Staten  Island  Flour  Mills,  the  large  and  solid  stores  on 
545,  600  and  602  Broadway,  the  Trinity  Corporation  store- 
houses and  warehouses  on  the  corner  of  Vestry  and 
(Greenwich  streets,  the  Morris  Building  on  Broad  Street,  and 
St.  Stephen's  College  at  Annandale.  The  Aldrich  Court 
Building  was  to  be  erected  within  a  year,  according  to 
contract,  but  a  strike  occurred  while  it  was  in  progress,  and 
the  impression  went  abroad  that  Mr.  H  irrison  would  not 
succeed  in  finishing  it  within  the  jjrescribed  term.  But 
they  did  not  reckon  upon  the  great  energy  of  the  man.  He 
h.anded  it  over  to  the  proprietors  within  the  year,  much  to 
the  surprise  even  of  his  friends.  Another  difficultv  almots 
as  great  presented  itself  in  connection  with  the  Columbia 
Building,  29  Broadway.  Before  completing  the  structure, 
the  tedious  operation  of  "needling  the  adjoining  buildings  " 
WIS  thought  to  be  necessary,  but  Mr.  Harrison  overcame 
this  obstacle  to  a  speedy  fulfillment  of  his  contract  by 
sinking  coffer  dams  below  the  foundations  of  the  adjoining 
l)uildings  From  this  it  will  be  seen  that  he  is  a  man  of 
resources.  Mr.  Harrison  has  the  reputation  of  being  a  firm 
friend,  a  man  of  his  word,  with  a  kind  heart,  capable  of 
doing  generous  acts  and  saying  nothing  about  them.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Mechanics  and  Traders'  Exchange  also 
the  Mason  Builders'  .Vssociation. 


NORTON  P.  OTIS. 

The  Hon.  Norton  V.  Otis,  ex- Mayor  of  Yonkers,  ex- 
.\sseml)lyman,  president  of  Otis  Bros.  I'v'  Co.,  who  i)laced 
American  elevators  in  the  famous  Eiffel  Tower,  was  born  in 
I  Ialifax,Windham  County. Vermont,  on  the  1 8th  day  of  March, 
1840.  His  career  is  a  good  illustration  of  the  aggressive 
.\merican  character,  which  does  not  acknowledge  impossi- 
bilities and  encounters  obstacles  only  to  surmount  them. 
He  attended  school  in  Halifax,  Vt.;  Albany,  N.  Y.;  Hud- 
son City,  N.  J.,  and  graduated  from  Di-strict  School  No.  2 
in  Yonkers.  In  his  eighteenth  vear  he  entered  his  father's 
elevator  factory,  and  when  the  elder  Mr.  Otis  tlied  in  1861, 
he.  with  his  brother  Charles,  assumed  control  of  the  business, 
which  business,  owing  to  th  •  financial  depression  attending 
the  lowering  cloud  of  Civil  War.  on  the  death  of  Mr.  Otis, 
was  almost  paraly/ed  and  certainly  very  heavily  encum- 
bered.   The  two  i)rothers.  full  of  hojie  and  courage,  made 


NEW   YORK,   rUJi  M KTROI'OLIS. 


21 


an  attempt  to  revive  it  and  succeeded,  though  at  first  very 
slowly.  They  began  with  the  small  ca])ital  of  $2,000,  their 
personal  savings.  But  though  their  cai)ital  was  small,  their 
capacity  for  work  was  large  and  their  industry  unremitting. 
They  devoted  all  their  energy  to  the  designing  and  manu- 
facturing of  elevator  machinery.  In  1862  the  trade  of  the 
country  began  to  revive  and  the  Ot  s  Brothers  felt  a  little 
of  the  effect.  The  first  two  orders  they  received  amounted 
to  the  magnificent  sum  of  $70.  The  principal  objeot  of  the 
firm  this  time,  as  indeed  it  has  been  always,  was  to  insure 
safety  in  their  elevators,  and  they  took  out  a  number  of 
patents  with  that  purpose  in  view  and  introduced  many  val- 
uable devices  which  after  awhile  commenced  to  tell  in 


e\erywhere,  but  a  number  of  special  orders  have  been  e.\- 
ecuted,  prominent  among  which  is  the  elevator  in  the 
Washington  Monument,  and  the  three  largest  in  the  world, 
built  for  the  North  Hudson  County  Railroad  in  Weehaw- 
ken,  N.  J.,  each  of  which  carries  135  i)erscns  up  the  heights 
at  the  rate  of  200  feet  per  minute.  Another  of  the  company's 
great  elevators  is  the  Otis  Elevating  Railroad  in  the  Catskill 
Mountains,  which  carries  passengers  up  7, coo  feet  of  an 
incline  to  the  top  in  ten  minutes,  thus  saving  a  stage  jour- 
ney of  four  hours.  Of  course  the  greatest  achievement  of 
all  was  the  jjlacing  of  elevators  in  the  Eiffel  Tower  at  Paris, 
which  made  the  name  of  Otis  almost  as  famous  and 
popular  as  the  sky-scraj)ing  building  itself. 


their  favor.  In  1862  they  did  a  business  of  $15,000,  which 
has  since  then  gone  on  increasing  until  to-day  it  is  away  u|) 
in  the  millions. 

Like  his  brother,  as  already  stated,  Mr.  Norton  P.  Otis 
invested  his  all  in  the  enterprise,  and  during  the  ten  years 
between  1861  and  187  i  a  large  part  of  his  time  was  spent 
visiting  the  chief  cities  and  towns  in  the  United  States 
introducing  the  Otis  elevators.  When  the  company  was 
incorporated  in  1867  he  was  elected  treasurer  and  was 
therefore  obliged  to  stay  at  home  more,  but  that  did  not 
mean  a  cessation  of  hard  work  by  any  means.  On  the 
retiri-ment  of  his  brother  Charles  in  1890  he  was  elected 
president  of  the  company,  which  position  he  now  holds. 
The  Otis  elevators  have  been  placed  in  large  buildings 


And  thus  has  human  energy  and  skill  directed  by  genius 
wrought  out  of  a.  capital  of  §2  000  such-  vast  results. 
Thirty-seven  years  ago,  when  the  elder  Mr.  Otis  founded 
the  elevator  factory,  it  was  a  small  affair  indeed  ;  now  the 
buildings  in  Yonkers  cover  many  acres.  Six  hundred  men 
are  employed  there  and  in  erecting  elevators  in  other  parts 
of  the  country. 

In  the  spring  of  1880  the  Republican  party  nominated 
Mr.  Otis  for  Mayor  of  Yonkers  and  he  was  elected  by  a 
handsome  major  ty.  His  administration  was  so  successful 
and  so  Ijencficial  to  the  interests  of  the  people  at  large  as  to 
gain  him  the  approbation,  not  only  of  his  own  party,  but 
the  confidence  and  esteem  of  the  men  who  had  opposed  him 
at  the  [)olls.     The  fire  department  was  reorganized  during 


22 


NEW   YORK,   THE  METROPOLIS. 


his  term,  the  entire  ])lan  of  scliool  management  changed  for 
the  better,  as  conceded  by  all  parties,  and  other  improve- 
ments effected,  although  at  the  same  time  the  city's  debt 
was  largely  reduced.  In  the  Fall  of  1883  he  was  nom- 
inated for  the  Assembly,  and  again  elected  by  a  good 
majority,  notwithstanding  that  the  district  is  overwhelmingly 
Democratic.  He  made  an  excellent  record  in  the  Assembly. 
He  is  a  member  of  many  social  and  benevolent  organiza- 
tions, and  it  is  doubtful  if  any  citizen  of  Yonkers  is 
more  respected.  He  was  married  in  1877  to  Miss 
Lizzie  A.  Fahs,  of  York,  Pa.,  a  most  estimable  and 
accomplished  lady,  and  has  six  children  living,  namely, 
Charles  Edwin,  Sidney,  Arthur  Houghton,  Norton  P.,  Jr., 
Katherine  Lois,  and  Ruth  Adelaide. 

The  Otis  family  is  one  of  the  oldest  in  the  country  and 
traces  its  American  origin  to  John  Otis,  who  with  his 
children  came  from  Hingham,  in  Norfolk,  England,  in 
1635.  He  is  mentioned  in  the  records  of  Hingham,  Mass., 
as  being  a  landholder  there  in  1668,  and  it  was  doubtless 
he  who  bestowed  the  old  Norfolk  name  to  the  locality  he 
settled  in  the  new  country.  From  this  John  Otis  have 
descended  many  well-known  American  soldiers,  patriots 
and  statesmen,  among  them  James  Otis  of  Revolutionary 
fame  ;  his  nephew,  Harrison  Oiay  Otis,  one  of  Boston's 
most  prominent  and  well-remembered  mayors  ;  Stephen 
Otis,  member  of  the  \'ermont  Legislative  Assembly,  and 
Elisha  Otis,  founder  of  the  Otis  elevators,  father  of  the 
subject  of  this  sketch. 


OLIVER  W.  BARNES. 

Oliver  W.  Barnes,  one  of  the  well-known  engineers  of 
this  country,  is  a  resident  of  New  York,  and  was  born  near 
Hartford,  Conn.,  on  May  15,  1823.  His  father's  family 
came  from  Marlboro,  Mass.,  and  were  residents  of  that 
town  a  hundred  years  before  the  Revolution.  In  1825  they 
moved  to  Philadelphia,  where  Mr.  Barnes  was  brought  up 
and  attended  school  until  1846,  when  he  was  sent  to  Europe 
to  complete  his  education  as  an  engineer.  Returning  the 
year  following,  he  was  appointed  Assistant  Engineer  on  the 
Western  Division  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad.  He  soon 
became  Principal  Assistant  Engineer,  and  in  charge  of  the 
field  parties  made  the  final  location  of  the  bold  lines  that 
have  distinguished  that  division  as  the  first  engineering  work 
on  this  continent  at  the  time,  and  completed  their  con- 
struction. 

In  185.^  he  was  appointed  C'liief  Engineer  of  the  Pitts- 
burg and  Connellsville  Railroad,  and  in  1858  comi)leted  the 
last  eighty-four  miles  of  the  Pittsburg,  Fort  Wayne  and  Chi- 
cago Railroad,  which  brought  that  line  into  Chicago.  He 
then  came  to  New  York  and  built  the  Dutchess  and  Colum- 
bia Railroad.  In  1870  he  took  charge  of  the  New  York 
City  Underground  Railroad,  saved  the  charter  of  the  com- 
pany l)y  commencing  the  work  in  time  to  prevent  a  forfeit 
ure,  and  advanced  the  money  from  his  own  funds  for  that 
purpose  The  charter  is  now  the  only  one  in  existence 
un('er  which  an  underground  railroad  can  be  built;  in  1891 
he  sul)mitted  the  plans  for  its  construction  to  the  Rapid 
'i'ransit  Commission  ;  if  they  should  be  adojited  they  would 
solve  the  ])rol>lem  of  rapid  transit. 

From  this  time  out  Mr.  Barnes  was  connected  one  way  or 
another  with  most  of  the  great  enter])rises  of  the  day.  In 
1878  he  designed  and  carried  out  a  bold  and  original  plan 
of  crossing  a  deep  and  wide  valley  in  the  .Alleghany 
Mountains  l)y  an  iron  and  steel  viaduct,  'i'he  structure 
is  calUd  the  Kinzua  viaduct;  its  height  above  the 
stream  is  301  feet,  and  its  length  2,050  feet.  In  1S85 
he  was  a])|)()inted  one  of  the  Commissioners  of  the  new 
Croton  .Vtpieduc  t  and  Chairman  of  the  Construction  Com- 
mittee.    'I'his  position  he  held  until  1888,  when  the  ex- 


igencies of  ])oliti(  s  rendered  a  change  necessary.  In  1887 
he  was  ajjpointed  Chief  Engineer  of  the  New  York  and 
Long  Island  Railroad  Company,  and  directed  the  construc- 
tion of  a  tunnel  from  the  west  side  of  the  city  under  Forty- 
second  street  and  the  East  River  so  as  to  connect  the  New 
\'ork  Central  with  the  Long  Island  Railroad  in  Long  Island 
City. 

Mr.  Barnes  is  now  the  President  and  Chief  Engineer  of 
the  Connecting  Railroad  Company.  He  is  about  to  build  a 
railway  and  viaduct  line  from  a  point  on  the  Port  Morris 
branch  of  the  Harlem  Railroad,  in  the  23d  Ward  of  New 
A'ork  City,  southwardly  to  the  east  side  of  P.rooklyn.  The 
railroad  will  cross  the  East  River  at  Hell  (kite  on  a  canti- 
lever bridge  of  800  feet  span;  the  length  of  the  new  railroad 
will  be  but  seven  miles  and  will  connect  the  whole  railroad 
system  of  the  L'nited  States  with  the  800,000  population  of 
Brooklyn. 

JAMES  C.  SPENCER. 

Hon.  James  C.  Spencer,  ex-Judge  of  the  Silpreine  Court, 
was  born  in  Franklin  County,  of  this  State.  Although  con- 
nected with  one  of  the  best  and  oldest  families  in  the 
country,  he  was,  at  an  early  age,  through  adverse  circum- 
stances, thrown  upon  his  own  resources  and  acipiired  his 
education  and  legal  training,  altogether,  through  his  personal 
exertions  and  inherent  force  of  character.  He  was  called 
to  the  bar  of  his  native  county  in  1850,  but  in  1854  removed 


lA.MKS    C.    M'KN(  i;k. 


to  Ogdensburg,  St.  Lawrence  County,  where,  with  Judge 
William  C.  Brown,  he  form  d  the  firm  of  Brown  &  Spencer. 
In  Ogdensburg,  Mr.  Spencer  manifested  so  much  ability 
that  in  1857  he  was  ai)i)ointed  l'nited  States  District  .At- 
torney for  the  Northern  District  of  New  York.  But  Mr. 
Spencer,  conscious  of  his  ability,  was  aml)itious  of  a  wider 
field  for  itsdis|)lay  and  came  to  New  York,  where  his  reputa- 
tion and  talents  placed  him  at  once  in  the  front  rank  of  a 
|)r()fessi()n  which  at  that  particular  time  was  full  of  brilliant 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


advocates,  among  them  Charles  O'Conor,  James  C.  Carter, 
James  T.  Brady,  Roscoe  Conkling,  and  many  others  of 
national  celebrity.  In  1867  he  entered  into  partnership  with 
Charles  A.  Rapallo  and  other  lawyers  under  the  firm  name 
of  Rapallo  &  Spencer.  It  was  one  of  the  most  famous  legal 
firms  in  the  city  and  handled  famous  cases,  amongst  others 
the  Erie  case,  made  familiar  to  the  public  tiirough  the 
press  and  rechauffe'd  upon  the  death  of  Jay  Gould  in 
December  last.  The  firm  was  dissolved  on  the  elevation  of 
Mr.  Rapallo  to  the  bench  of  the  Court  of  Appeals  and  Mr. 
Spencer  to  the  Superior  Court  of  New  York.  During  its 
existence  Rapallo  t\:  Spencer  were  counsel  for  or  against 
great  railroad  comi)anies  and  steamship  lines,  and  Judge 
Spencer  will  be  always  connected  in  men's  memories  with 
the  Erie  Railroad,  for  which,  when  it  passed  into  the  hands 
of  a  receiver,  he  was  ap])ointed  referee.  In  June,  1883,  he 
was  appointed  member  of  the  Commission  for  budding  the 
new  aqueduct,  and  served  with  distinction  as  President 
thereof.  He  is  at  present  the  attorney  and  counsel  for  the 
State  Insurance  Department,  in  Real  Estate  titles. 

Mr.  Spencer's  father,  the  late  Judge  James  Spencer,  also 
a  native  of  Franklin  County,  was  one  of  its  earliest  settlers. 
When  a  young  man  he  distinguished  himself  in  the  w-ar 
(1812-14)  against  England,  and  fought  in  the  battle  of 
Plattsburg.  He  was  a  close  personal  friend  of  Silas  Wright, 
and  with  that  eminent  statesman  took  part  in  the  long  and 
successful  struggle  to  secure  and  |)erpetuate  Democratic 
ascendency  in  the  State.  The  Spencers  settled  originally  in 
Connecticut,  the  first  of  them  in  this  country  being  William, 
who  arrived  in  Cambridge,  Mass.,  before  or  early  in  163 1. 
He  finally  settled  in  Hartford,  Conn.  From  him  the  subject 
of  the  sketch  is  descended  in  an  unbroken  line  through  six 
generations,  as  shown  by  the  records  of  the  State  of  Con- 
necticut. 


LOUIS  ETTLINGER. 

Some  idea  of  the  advances  made  by  lithography  in  New 
York  may  be  formed  from  the  statement  that  when  a  quarter 
of  a  century  ago  Schumacher  &  Ettlinger  began  business 
in  that  line  on  Murray  street  with  two  handpresses  upon 
which  they  turned  out  five  hundred  .sheets  per  day,  while  at 
the  time  of  consolidation  with  the  American  Lithographic 
Company,  the  same  firm  had  twenty-two  steam  presses 
running  which  threw  off  100  000  sheets  per  day. 

Mr.  Schumacher  has  retired  from  business,  and  the  head 
of  the  firm  controlling  the  immense  lithographic  works  on 
Bleecker  street  and  on  Mott  street  is  Mr.  Louis  Ettlinger. 

Mr.  Ettlinger  was  born  in  Carlsruhe,  Germany,  in  July, 
1845,  so  that  he  is  still  comparatively  a  young  man  in  the 
very  prime  of  life.  He  was  educated  in  a  private  college, 
after  leaving  which  he  entered  a  mercantile  house  as  clerk. 
In  1866  he  came  to  this  country  to  try  his  fortune,  and  set- 
tling down  in  New  York  met  his  countryman  Mr.  Schumacher, 
with  whom  he  started  a  business  that  has  yielded  such 
large  results.  Mr.  Schumacher  w-as  a  lithographer  by  trade, 
Mr.  Ettlinger  an  excellent  business  manager,  and  between 
them  they  commenced  in  the  modest  fashion  referred  to 
in  Murray  street.  From  there,  when  their  trade  grew  too 
large  for  the  premises,  the  firm  removed  to  Nos.  13  and  15 
on  the  same  street,  and  ultimately  to  Bleecker  and  Mott, 
where  they  have  a  building  of  their  own  erected  by  them- 
selves.   This  building  is  absolutely  fireproof. 

This  firm  was  the  first  in  the  United  States  to  introduce 
what  is  known  as  the  Stipple  System,  which  gives  such 
splendid  results,  and  to  which,  apart  from  its  own  energy, 
skill  and  perseverance,  it  owes  much  of  its  great  success. 
He  is  known  in  the  city  as  a  man  of  irreproachable 
character  whose  credit  stands  high  in  the  commercial 
world. 


CHARLES  ELIOT  MITCHELL. 

The  Hon.  Charles  Eliot  Mitchell,  ex-Commissioner  of 
Patents  and  lawyer,  was  born  in  Bristol,  Connecticut,  in 
1837,  of  old  Colonial  ancestry.  He  was  j)repared  for  college 
in  Williston  Seminary,  East  Hampton,  Mass.,  and  graduated 
from  Brown  University  in  1861,  and  from  the  Albany  Law- 
School  in  1863.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  and  practised 
law  in  New  Britain  with  success.  He  was  the  first  city 
attorney  of  New  Britain.  As  a  specialty,  he  selected  the 
I)atent  branch  of  the  law,  which  brought  him  into  the  United 
States  Courts  a  good  deal.  He  was  elected  to  the  General 
Assembly  of  Connecticut  in  1880,  and  as  Chairman  of  the 
House  Committee  on  Corporations  redraughted  the  Joint 
Stock  Laws  of  the  State  in  conjunction  with  John  R.  Buck, 
who  was  Senate  Chairman  of  the  same  Committee.  He  was 
also  elected  to  the  General  Assembly  of  1881,  serving  upon 
the  Judiciary  Committee,  after  which  he  withdrew  from 
politics. 


CHARLES  ELIOT  MITCHELL. 


Finding  in  New  York  a  wider  field  for  his  abilities,  he 
came  here  and  was  admitted  to  membership  in  the  Bar 
Association.  In  1889,  at  the  earnest  solicitation  of 
many  Patent  lawyers,  he  accepted  the  office  of  Com- 
missioner of  Patents,  which  was  tendered  him  by  Presi- 
dent Harrison.  Mr.  Mitchell's  administration  of  the 
office  was  highly  successful  and  demonstrated  his  eminent 
fitness  for  the  position.  In  1891  he  resigned  in  order  to 
resume  the  {)ractice  of  his  chosen  profession  and  devote  his 
entire  attention  to  his  large  clientage.  At  the  great  Patent 
Centennial  of  1891,  Mr.  Mitchell  delivered  an  address  on  the 
"  Birth  and  Growth  of  the  American  Patent  System,"  which 
received  much  favorable  comment,  other  well-known 
speakers  on  the  occasion  being  Hon.  Carroll  D.  Wright, 
Hon.  Samuel  Blatchford  of  the  U.  S.  Supreme  Court,  and 
Senators  Daniel  of  Virgi,nia,  and  Piatt  of  Connecticut.  Mr. 
Mitchell  is  a  gentleman  who  would  make  his  mark  in  any 
line  or  profession,  owing  to  his  versatile  talents,  while  as  to 


24 


NEW   YOJiA\   THE  METROEOLIS. 


his  character  and  standing  in  the  community  tliere  are  no 
two  opinions.  Mr.  Mitchell  has  been  engaged  in  many 
important  and  prominent  jjatent  litigations  during  his 
twenty  years'  praciice  in  the  U.  S.  Courts,  and  as  a  patent 
lawyer  he  has  few  equals. 


ROBERT  C.  ALEXANDER. 

Robert  Carter  Alexander  was  born  thirty-four  years 
ago  at  West  Charlton,  Saratoga  County,  New  York,  of 
Scotch  parentage.  He  worked  on  his  father's  farm  till 
seventeen  years  of  age.  In  1876  he  entered  Union  College 
and  was  graduated  in  1880  in  the  classical  (  ourse  at  the 
head  of  his  class. 

He  took  one  of  the  prizes  at  the  Sophomore  Prize 
Speaking  Contest,  and  at  graduation  took  the  first  Blatch- 
ford  oratorical  prize  and  the  Ingham  essay  i)rize.  He  was 
also  first  on  the  list  of  Phi  Beta  Kapjja  members  elected 
from  the  class.  He  was  elected  president  of  the  class  in 
1880  in  the  Senior  year,  and  held  the  office  till  1890,  when 
he  declined  a  unanimous  re-election.  At  the  decennial 
reunion  of  !iis  class  in  June,  1890,  he  was  jiresented  by  his 


ROBERT  C.  ALRXANDKR. 


classmates  with  a  gold  watch  and  chain  carrying  a  unicjue 
pendant  in  massive  gold,  re|)resenting  the  Chinese  idol 
which  stands  on  the  college  camjjus. 

After  graduation  Mr.  Alexander  attended  the  law  depart- 
ment of  Union  University  at  Albany  and  was  graduated  in 
1881  with  the  degree  of  LL.H.,  being  admitted  to  the  Bar 
the  same  yea  -.  'I"wo  years  later  Union  gave  him  the  degree 
of  Master  of  .Arts.  Shortly  after  he  entered  the  hnv  office 
of  Lucius  and  1).  C.  Robinson,  at  I'-lmira,  N.  Y.,  becoming, 
a  year  later,  managing  clerk  of  the  firm.  In  1884  he  came 
to  New  York  and  engaged  in  the  ])ractice  of  his  ])rofession. 
Previous  to  1888  he  had  become  the  personal  counsel  to 
Col.  Klliott  F.  She|)ard,  and  on  the  i)urchase  by  the  latter 
of  the  New  N'ork  Afail  atui  /•'..\f>rcss  became  the  attorney 
for  that  newsi)a|tcr  and  one  of  the  directors  and  the  Secre- 


tary of  the  Mai/  and  Express  Publishing  Company.  He  was 
subsetiuently  elected  Treasurer  of  the  company,  and  in 
addition  to  his  connection  w  itli  the  Mail  and  Express  Z'a 
counsel  and  official  is  a  frequent  contributor  to  its  editorial 
columns.  After  the  death  of  Col.  Shepard  in  March,  1893, 
he  was  made  financial  manager  of  the  Mail  and  Express. 

Mr.  Alexander  has  made  a  special  study  of  the  law  of 
corporations  and  has  organized  corporations  in  several 
different  States.  He  recently  organized  the  International 
Boiler  Company,  of  New  York,  and  the  Stirling  Manufac- 
turing Company,  of  Illinois,  and  was  for  a  time  a  director 
and  the  attorney  for  both.  He  is  a  director  and  Presi- 
dent of  the  Fifth  Avenue  Transportation  Company,  of  New- 
York.  He  also  organized  the  Adirondack  League  Club, 
a  sporting  association  owning  iio,coo  acres  of  forest  lands 
in  the  Adirondacks,  and  is  a  trustee  and  the  Secretary  of 
the  club. 

Mr.  Alexander  is  a  life  member  of  the  New-  York  State 
Bar  Association,  a  member  of  the  Association  of  the  Bar 
of  the  City  of  New-  York,  and  of  the  Law  yers'  Ckd).  He  is 
a  Director  and  President  of  the  Club  Publishing  Company; 
Treasurer  of  the  New  York  Express  Co.;  Director  of  the 
Burgess  dun  Co.  of  Buffalo,  and  the  Justin  Projectile  Co. 
.oi  New  Jersey;  and  a  director  of  the  Associated  Banking 
and  Trust  Co.  of  Portland,  Oregan. 

He  w-as  one  of  the  Committee  of  100  in  charge  of  the 
Judiciary  Centennial  in  February,  1889,  and  the  Secretary 
of  the  Reception  and  Entertainment  Committee  on  that 
occasion.  Mr.  Alexander  exhibited  his  ability  as  an  organ- 
izer when  he  brought  together  the  graduates  of  Union 
College  resident  in  New  York  City,  in  the  form  of  an  Alumni 
Association.  He  was  for  three  years  Secretary  of  the 
Association,  until  he  declined  a  re- election.  At  the  Com- 
mencement of  L'uion  College  in  1890  he  was  chosen  by  the 
Board  of  Trustees  of  Union  College  a  life  member  of 
the  Board,  succeeding  the  late  Judge  Yan  Vorst.  Be- 
sides the  Lawyers'  Club  and  the  Adirondack  League, 
Mr.  Alexander  is  a  member  of  the  University  Club,  the 
Press  Club,  University  .\thletic.  Oval  Country,  Lake  George 
Yacht  (where  he  has  a  summer  residence),  the  Colonial  and 
the  Patria  clubs,  American  Canoe  .Association,  Riverside 
Wheelmen,  American  Geographical  Society  and  St  An- 
drew's Society.    In  politics  he  is  a  Republican 


ROBERT  A.  VAN  WYCK. 

Judge  Robert  \.  \'an  Wyck,  of  the  City  Court  of  New- 
York,  is  one  of  the  younger  generation  of  jurists,  w  ho  has 
won  great  respect  from  members  of  the  profession  both  as 
a  man  and  as  a  judge.  His  keen  perception  and  the  in- 
stinctive faculty  he  has  of  sifting  the  grain  of  an  argument 
from  the  chaff  of  verbiage,  with  which  it  is  too  often 
accompanied,  excite  universal  admiration,  while  his  untiring 
zeal  in  his  work,  and  the  care  and  thought  he  devotes  to  an 
opinion,  lead  law-yers  to  submit  their  causes  to  his  hands 
with  confidence  and  with  the  knowledge  that  there  will  be 
fair  i>l:iy.  Judge  Van  Wyck's  elevation  to  the  Bench  was 
but  the  just  reward  of  the  earnestness  and  energy 
with  which  he  accjuired  his  legal  education  and  forced 
iiis  way  to  the  front  in  i)ractice.  This  is  a  recognized 
fact  among  those  who  have  tried  cases  before  him. 
Judge  \'an  Wyck  was  born  in  the  old  Van  Wyck  man- 
sion, in  Lexington  .Avenue,  this  city,  forty-three  years  ago. 
His  tasle  lor  the  law  mav  be,  in  a  measure,  inherited  from 
his  father,  the  late  William  \'an  Wyck,  who  was  a 
distinguished  lawyer,  and  a  consjjicuous  man  of  affairs  in 
New  A'ork  sixtv  vears  ago.  From  his  father  he  ;ilso  in- 
herited his  Demociatic  politics  for  William  \'an  Wy<'k  was, 
until  his  death,  i)rominent  in  the  (ouncils  of  the  Democratic 
partv,  being  in  his  early  inanhood  an  admirer  antl  ton- 


NEW  YORK,   THE  METROPOLIS. 


25 


fidential  friend  of  Presidents  Andrew  Jackson  and  Martin 
Van  Buren.  Judge  Van  \\  yck  was  not  alone  in  his  heritage, 
for  Judge  Augustus  Van  VVyck,  his  brother,  also  adhered  to 
the  family  tradition  in  the  choice  of  his  profession,  and 
has  received  recognition  in  his  elevation  to  the  Bench  in 
Brooklyn.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  a  descendant  on  the 
paternal  side  in  the  seventh  generation  frc^ii  Cornelius 
Barents  Van  Wyck,  who  came  to  New  Netherlands  in 
1650  from  the  town  of  Wyck,  Holland,  and  marr-ied  in 
1660,  at  I'latbush,  Kings  County,  New  York,  Ann,  daughter 
of  Rev.  Johannes  Theodorus  Polhemus,  the  first  Dutch 
Reformed  Minister  in  that  county.  All  the  American 
Van  VVycks  are  descendants  of  this  couple.  Though 
it  is  not  a  very  numerous  family,  yet  many  of  them 
have  been  prominent  and  conspicuous  in  the  profes- 
sions and  in  the  public  service  as  judges,  legislators,  con- 
gressmen, senators  and  soldiers  in  all  the  wars  of  our 
country,  including  that  for  American  Independence.  The 
Van  Wycks  of  Holland  are  an  aristocratic  family,  and  con- 
tinue to  use  the  same  coat  of  arms  as  that  brought  here  by 
the  American  Van  Wycks  upward  of  two  centuries  ago. 
They  are  connected  by  intermarriage  with  all  the  old 
notable  families  throughout  this  State,  viz.,  Van  Rensselaer, 
Van  ('ortlandt,  Beekman,  Gardiner,  Van  Vechten,  Living- 
ston, Hamilton,  Seymour,  and  others.  Judge  Van  Wyck  is 
a  worthy  representative  of  this  distinguished  family.  He  is 
a  lawyer  of  the  highest  ability  as  well  as  an  efficient  judge, 
and  the  excellence  of  his  decisions  is  best  evidenced  by 
the  fact  that  over  90  per  cent,  of  his  opinions,  written 
in  General  Term,  are  to  be  found  in  the  law  reports 
which  are  published  for  the  guidance  of  the  Bench  and  Bar. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Holland  Society,  which  is  the  true 
home  of  the  Knickerbockers,  being  composed  of  only 
the  descendants  of  Hollanders,  settling  in  America  prior  to 
1675,  over  one  hundred  years  before  the  Declaration  of 
American  Independence,  and  also  of  the  St.  Nicholas,  the 
Manhattan,  the  Democratic,  and  other  leading  clubs  of  New 
York. 


CHARLES  A.  TRUAX. 

Charles  A.  Truax,  Judge  of  the  Superior  Court,  was  born 
in  Durhamville,  Oneida  Co.,  State  of  New  York,  on  the  31st 
of  October,  1846,  so  that  he  is  now  in  his  forty-seventh  year. 
He  looks  much  younger,  however,  and  one  of  the  (juestions 
put  to  him  by  his  friends  is,  "  Judge,  how  long  are  you  going 
to  remain  looking  thirty-five?"  To  which  the  invariable 
answer  is,  "Just  as  long  as  I  can."  Like  the  majority  of 
our  successful  public  men.  Judge  Truax  is  a  farmer's  son, 
and  to  the  physical  development  given  by  his  early  life  in 
the  country  may  be  attributed  his  fine  constitution  and 
capacity  for  hard  work  and  the  close  study  that  characterizes 
hmi  in  city  life.  He  received  a  common  school  education 
in  his  native  town,  and  was  afterwards  graduated  from 
Hamilton  College  in  the  class  of  1867,  from  which  Alma 
Mater,  always  watchful  of  its  distinguished  sons,  he  obtained 
thedegreeof  A.M.  in  1875  and  that  of  LL.l).  in  1890. 

Ajjnrt  from  his  judicial  duties,  Judge  Truax  is  a  student 
and  always  has  been.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1868, 
and  the  year  following  began  to  practise  in  an  office  of  his 
own.  He  handled  many  cases  of  more  than  local  prominence 
and  did  a  solid  law  business.  In  1880  he  was  elected 
Judge  of  the  Superior  Court,  one  of  the  highest  gifts  at  the 
disposal  of  his  fellow  citizens.  He  is  among  the  most  highly 
esteemed  of  judges,  and  on  the  bench,  though  firm  and 
dignified,  is  always  conciliatory.  .\  friend  of  his  who  also 
occupies  an  exalted  judicial  position  said  of  him  recently: 
"  Judge  Truax  is  remarkable  for  three  cjualities  seldom 
found  in  the  same  man,  namely,  a  deep  knowledge  of  good 
law,  good  literature,  and  good  living."  He  is  descended 
from  the  Dutch  Knickerbockers,  and  is  a  member  of  the  St. 


Nicholas  and  Holland  Clubs.  He  belongs  also  to  the  Harlem 
Club,  the  Harlem  Democratic  Club,  as  well  as  the  Manhat- 
tan, which  implies  that  when  off  the  bench  he  is  a  Democrat 
in  politics. 

Though  elected  to  be  Superior  Court  Judge,  he  has 
since  been  assigned  to  the  Supreme  Court,  and  the  assign- 
ment or  i)romotion  was  a  com])liment  to  his  legal  ability  and 
judicial  accpiirements. 

EDWARD  S.  RENWICK. 

Edward  S.  Renwick,  the  well-known  expert  in  patent 
causes,  was  born  in  this  city,  January  3,  1823,  and  is  a  son 
of  James  Renwick,  LL.l).,  late  jjrofessor  of  Columbia  Col- 
lege. Mr.  Renwick  was  educated  as  a  civil  and  mechanical 
engineer,  and  began  his  career  in  the  iron  manufacture", 
which  lie  relinquished  owing  to  the  unfavorable  tariff  of 
1846.  In  April,  1849,  he  established  himself  as  a  solicitor 
of  patents  and  expert  in  patent  causes  at  Washington,  D.  C, 
being  associated  with  Peter  H.  Watson  under  the  firm  name 
of  Watson  &  Renwick.  His  partner  afterwards  became 
Assistant  Secretary  of  War  under  President  Lincoln.  Mr. 
Renwick  returned  to  New  York  in  1855,  and  has  since  so 
successfully  conducted  his  practice  that  he  is  recognized  as 


EDWARD  S.  RENWICK 


one  of  tlie  most  representative  men  in  his  profession.  His 
reputation  as  a  skilled  and  practical  expert  engineer  extends 
throughout  the  professional  and  scientific  circles  of  both 
continents,  while  his  record  as  a  successful  solicitor  and  ex- 
pert in  patent  causes  is  unsurpassed.  Mr.  Renwick  enjoys 
the  liigh  distinction  of  having  been  engaged  as  an  expert  in 
a  greater  number  of  important  patent  causes  than  any  man 
now  living.  On  May  13,  1851,  he,  associated  with  Peter  H. 
Watson,  took  out  the  first  patent  for  the  Self-Binding 
Reaper,  and  on  December  6,  1853,  a  second  patent  was 
taken  out  by  them  covering  imi)rovements  wyow  the  same 
machine.  At  that  day  and  date  ])ublic  enterprise  was  not 
(juick  enough  to  grasp  the  merits  of  such  a  machine,  and 


26 


NEW  YORK,   THE  METROPOLIS. 


for  twenty  years  longer  the  farmer  went  on  sweating  and 
groaning  in  the  old  laborious  and  narrow-niintled  style. 
Twenty  years  after  the  granting  of  the  Watson  &  Renwick 
patents,  self-binding  reaping  machines  came  into  use,  and 
all  machines  of  this  order  of  to-day  embody  in  a  modi- 
fied form  the  inventions  patented  in  185 1  and  1853.  Among 
the  "other  many  important  and  useful  inventions  of  Mr. 
Renwick  were  incubators,  brooders  and  i  1  provements  on 
steam  engines  and  furnaces.  Probably,  the  most  noteworthy 
engineering  achievement  of  this  gentleman  consisted  in  re- 
pairing the  steamsliip  (ireat  Eastern,  in  which  work  he  was 
assisted  by  his  brother,  H.  B.  Renwick,  a  well-known  me- 
chanical engineer  and  exjjert.  Mr.  Renwick  was  married 
to  Miss  Alice  Brevoort  in  1862,  and  has  a  family  of  two  sons 
and  one  daughter.  I^dward  B.,  the  elder  son,  is  a  member 
of  the  firm  of  Pirsson  &  Renwick,  while  Wm.  W.,  the 
younger  son,  is  junior  partner  in  the  firm  of  Renwick,  As- 
pinwall  &  Renwick,  one  of  the  most  highly  celebrated  firms 
of  architects  in  this  country,  of  which  house  James  Ren- 
wick, his  uncle,  and  a  brother  to  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
is  the  head.  F^dward  S.  Renwick's  career  has  not  only  been 
one  of  success,  but  has  been  marked  by  unsullied  honor  and 
strict  integrity. 

J.  M.  SCHLEY,  M.D. 

As  one  having  a  profound  knowledge  of  medicine  and  a 
splendid  practice.  Dr.  J  M.  Schley  takes  high  rank  in  the 
profession  in  this  city  of  New  York.  He  is  a  close  student, 
his  life  is  a  continuous  study,  and  he  shows  good  fruit  as  a 
result. 


J.  M.  SCHLEY,  M.D, 


Dr.  Schley  was  born  in  Savannah,  (la.,  on  April  i.  1852. 
His  father,  also  a  physician,  was  a  pu])il  of  the  late  Dr. 
Gray,  one  of  the  best  known  hom(i;oi)athic  ])hysicians  in  New 
York.  U])  to  the  l)reaking  out  of  the  war.  Dr.  Schley 
attended  the  jjublic  schools  of  his  native  city,  but  was  then 
sent  abroad  to  study.  He  visited  England  ami  attended 
Dr.  Steele'.s  celebrated  school  in  the  Isle  of  Man  for  one 


year.  From  the  Isle  of  Man  he  went  to  France  and  spent 
eighteen  months  in  the  Lycee  in  Paris,  after  which  he  com- 
pleted his  classical  studies  in  Saxe-Weimar,  Germany.  He 
graduated  at  Saxe-Weimar  after  a  three  years'  course,  and 
returned  to  this  country  to  study  medicine.  He  received 
his  diploma  in  Savannah  and  started  for  Europe  once  more 
to  obtain  practical  knowledge  of  the  profession  in  the 
hospitals  of  Vienna.  He  began  practice  for  himself  in 
Savannah  in  1873,  ^^^^^  u])on  the  death  of  his  father,  some 
months  later,  removed  to  Is'ew  York  and  made  it  his  home 
and  the  scene  of  his  professional  labors  ever  since.  In 
October,  1874,  he  married  .Miss  Margaret  T.,  daughter  of 
Henry  V.  Spaulding,  and  has  four  children. 

Dr.  Schley  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  best  medical 
writers  in  the  country,  and  among  his  contributions  to  med- 
ical literature  may  l)e  mentioned  the  subjoined  : 

"  Organic  Heart  Di.sease  as  a  Preventive  of  Phthisis 
Pulmonum." 

"  The  Danger  New  York  City  is  Constantly  Exposed  to 
by  the  Importation  of  Unrecognized  Cases  of  Leprosy 
(with  case)." 

"  A  Case  of  Myxodema." 

"A  Case  of  Hydatids  of  the  Liver,  Spleen  and  Kidney, 
Repeated  Evacuation,  Laparotomy  and  Recovery." 


CHARLES  NEWHALL  TAINTOR. 

Charles  Newhall  Taintor,  police  justice  and  man  of 
affairs  generally,  was  born  in  Pomfret,  Conn.,  in  November, 
1840.  When  quite  young  he  removed  with  his  father's 
family  to  Colchester  in  the  same  State,  where  he  attended 
school  at  Bacon  Academy.  In  1859  he  left  Colchester  and 
was  for  two  years  associated  with  Robert  P.  Smith,  of  Phila- 
delphia, in  selling  French's  ma]j  and  gazetter  of  the  State 
of  New  York.  Subsequently  he  was  connected  with  the 
])ublication  and  sale  of  the  large  and  valuable  AVashington 
map  of  the  L^nited  States. 

In  1861  Mr.  Taintor  entered  Yale,  and  graduated  with 
honors  from  that  university,  the  Alma  Mater  of  so  many 
renowned  Americans  of  to-day.  Immediately  after  leaving 
college  he  engaged  for  a  few  months  with  the  New  York 
State  Tem])erance  League,  in  aiding  that  organization  in  the 
enforcement  of  the  excise  laws  in  Livingston  County.  In 
1866  he  formed  a  co-partnership  with  his  brother  in  the 
])ul)lication  of  the  Washington  map  of  the  United  States, 
and  the  year  following  came  to  New  York  and  with  his 
brother,  Joseph  L.  Taintor,  began  the  publication  of  books 
under  the  firm  name  of  Taintor  Brothers.  In  1870  they  be- 
gan to  publish  school  books,  and  have  continued  in  the 
l)usiness  uj)  to  the  present  time,  changing  the  firm  name, 
however,  to  Taintor  Brothers  &  Company.  Their  publica- 
tions have  reached  a  sale  of  more  than  a  million  copies  a 
year.  In  May,  18S8,  the  co-partnership  was  changed  into 
a  corporation  and  Mr.  Taintor  was  elected  its  president, 
which  i)Osition  he  holds  to-day. 

In  NLay,  1881,  Governor  Cornell  ajipointed  him  a  mem- 
i)er  of  the  New  \'ork  State  Boarvl  of  Emigration.  .Although 
there  was  neither  salary  nor  emolument  attached  to  the 
position,  Mr.  Taintor  gave  his  time  and  labor  to  it  as  freely 
and  conscientiously  as  if  there  were,  and  when  it  is  con- 
sidered that  during  his  term  of  ofhce,  from  1881  to  1889, 
emigration  at  this  port  had  reached  an  extraordinary  vol- 
ume, in  fact  had  attained  the  largest  proportions  in  its 
history,  it  may  be  assumed  the  place  was  one  involving 
great  labor  and  intelligence.  In  those  eight  years  three 
millions  of  emigrants  entered  the  gates  of  New  York.  In 
1 888  he  was  elected  President  of  the  Board  of  Emigr  tion 
Commissioners,  which  position  he  resigned  in  May,  1889. 
to  accept  the  office  of  Police  Justice,  tendered  him  by  Mayor 
Grant. 


NEW  YORK,    THE  METROPOLIS. 


27 


Justice  Taintor  is  a  Republican,  and  lias  on  various 
occasions  represented  his  party  in  County,  State  and  Na- 
tional Conventions.  He  was  delegate  at  Chicago  when  Mr. 
Blaine  was  nominated  in  1884  and  again  in  1888  when  Mr. 
Harrison  was  nominated.  In  1888  he  was  nominated  to 
Congress  for  the  Seventh  J3istrict,  and  though  defeated  by 
Edward  J.  Dunphy,  received  an  astonishing  vote  for  a  Re- 
pul)lican,  the  largest  ever  polled  in  that  district,  in  fact. 
He  is  a  director  of  the  Riverside  Bank,  and  was  one  of  the 
organizers  and  is  now  a  director  of  the  Astor  Place  Bank. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  University,  the  Union  League  and 
the  Republican  Clubs,  and  is  President  of  the  West  Side 
Republican  Club,  which  is  a  growing  and  influential  political 
organization.  He  is  a  prominent  member  of  the  Fourth 
Avenue  Presbyterian  Church,  of  which  the  late  Dr.  Crosby 
was  pastor,  and  is  a  trustee  of  the  Grant  Monument  Asso- 
ciation. 


JOHN  BOGGS  GARRISON,  M.D. 

Dr.  John  Boggs  Garrison,  M.D.,  one  of  New  York's 
leading  homoeopathic  physicians  who  have  made  a  specialty 
of  laryngology,  was  born  in  Somerset  Co.,  N.  J.,  on  January 
8,  1849.  His  father,  Peter  Sutphin  Garrison,  who  is  still 
living  at  the  good  old  age  of  seventy-six,  is  a  prosperous  farmer 
in  that  section  of  the  country.  Young  Garrison  received 
his  earlier  education  in  the  pul)lic  schools  of  his  native  place, 
and  completed  his  classical  studies  in  Hojjwell  Seminary, 
receiving  a  diploma  on  graduating.  Owing  to  his  delicate 
health  and  the  hope  that  open  air  agricultural  pursuits 
would  benefit  him  physically,  it  was  at  first  decided  to  make 
a  farmer  of  the  young  graduate.  With  that  object  in  view 
he  was  entered  in  the  American  Veterinary  College,  there  to 
study  the  best  means  of  improving  stock  from  a  scientific 
standpoint.  While  studying  veterinary  surgery  young 
(iarrison  imbibed  a  taste  for  general  medicine  and  soon 
entered  the  Homa^opathic  Medical  College  of  this  city.  He 
graduated  in  1882  and  at  once  began  to  practise.  Imme- 
diately after  entering  the  field  of  practical  medicine  he  was 
appointed  to  the  dispensary  department  of  the  New  York 
Homreopathic  Medical  College,  and  served  on  both  the 
surgical  clinic  and  general  medical  clinic,  with  the  additional 
duties  of  attending  outside  patients.  The  year  following 
he  ojiened  an  office  on  East  Seventy-second  street.  His 
practice  established,  Dr.  Garrison  married  Miss  Emma  J. 
Hill,  daughter  of  the  Reverend  Levi  Hill,  of  Kingston,  New- 
York,  who  has  the  distinction  of  being  the  inventor  of  the 
process  of  printing  pictures  in  their  natural  colors.  From 
this  union  sprang  three  children,  of  whom  only  one,  Hilda 
(aged  5)  survives.  Dr.  Garrison  removed  to  his  present 
location  on  East  Seventieth  street  five  years  ago,  where  he 
is  popular  and  has  a  splendid  practice. 

He  has  been  active  in  all  charitable  works  connected 
with  his  Alma  Mater.  At  present  he  holds  the  position  of 
visiting  physician  in  the  Ward  Island  Hospital.  He  is 
assistant  surgeon  of  the  department  of  laryngology  at  the 
Ophthalmic  Hospital, Corresponding  Secretary  of  the  Alumni 
Association  of  the  Homoeopathic  Medical  College,  Secretary 
and  Treasurer  of  the  N.  Y.  Homoeopathic  Paedological 
Society,  President  of  the  Meissen  Club,  also  the  Medical 
Social  Club.  His  practice  is  a  general  family  one  with  a 
special  leaning  toward  laryngology. 


CHARLES  W.  DAYTON. 

Charles  Willoughby  Dayton,  who  has  from  his  youth 
been  a  prominent  Deuiocrat,  has  recently  come  forward 
into  the  front  rank  of  party  leaders  and  the  ])lace  is  cheer- 
fully accorded  him  because  of  eminent  ability  and  loyal 
party  services. 


He  was  born  on  October  3,  1846,  and  comes  of  good 
old  .\merican  stock,  Revolutionary  and  Ante-Revolutionary. 
His  grandfather,  Charles  Willoughby  Dayton,  a  native  of 
Stratford,  (!onn.,  subsequently  a  leading  New  York  mer- 
chant, married  a  daughter  of  Francis  Child,  a  gentleman  of 
Huguenot  extraction,  and  their  son,  Abraham  Child  Day- 
ton, father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  in  New 
York  City  and  educated  in  Europe.  He  was  the  author  of 
■'  Last  Days  of  Knickerbocker  Life  in  New  York,"  and  was 
nienil)er  of  New  York  Stock  Exchange.  His  wife  was  a 
daughter  of  David  Tomlinson,  M.D.,  and  Cornelia  Adams, 
both  of  C'onnecticut.  Dr.  Tomlinson  was  a  man  of  dis- 
tinction in  his  profession  ;  was  a  member  of  the  New 
York   Legislature,  and   his  wife  was  grand-daughter  of 


<  n  ARI,l'.>  U  .  DAVTON. 


Andrew  Adams.  Colonel  in  the  Continental  Army,  Speaker 
of  Congress  in  1779-80  and  later  on  Chief  Justice  of  the 
State  of  Connecticut. 

Mr.  Dayton  entered  the  College  of  the  City  of  New 
York,  attended  the  Columbia  College  Law  School,  and 
was  called  to  the  bar.  He  has  since  been  practising  continu- 
ously and  with  success.  His  office  is  in  the  Drexel  l^uilding. 
In  1874  Mr.  Dayton  married  Laura  A.  Newman,  daughter  of 
John  B.  Newman,  M.D.,  and  has  three  children.  Attlieageof 
eighteen  he  took  the  stump  for  General  (ieorge  15.  McClellan. 
He  was  member  of  the  Assembly  in  1881  during  the  famous 
balloting  scenes  for  Senators  in  the  place  of  Messrs.  Conkling 
and  Piatt.  In  1882  he  organized  the  Harlem  Democratic 
Club,  was  secretary  of  the  Citizens'  Reform  movement 
that  gave  Allen  Campbell  78,000  votes  for  mayor  after  a 
short  preparatory  camjiaign  of  ten  days,  and  in  1881-2-3 
was  delegate  to  Democratic  State  Conventions,  and  again 
in  1892.  In  1884  he  was  member  and  secretary  of  the 
Electoral  College  that  elected  Mr.  Cleveland,  and  in  1888  de- 
livered a  speech  in  Burlington,  Iowa,  on  campaign  issues 
which  was  printed  by  the  National  Democratic  Committee 
as  a  campaign  document. 


28 


NEW   YORK,    /■///•;   M RTROPOLIS. 


Mr.  Dayton  is  member  of  City  and  State  l^ar  Associa- 
tions, Harlem  J^emocratic  Club,  Sagamore,  Manhattan  and 
Players'  Clubs  and  the  Sons  of  the  Revolution.  He  resides 
at  No.  13  Mount  Morris  Park,  West. 


VINCENT    M.  WILCOX. 

Very  few  New  Yorkers  can  show  a  brighter  record  than 
Colonel  Vincent  Meigs  Wilcox,  whether  as  regards  a  military 
or  civic  career,  or  both  combined.  He  was  born  in  Madi- 
son, New  Haven  County,  Ct.,  on  October  17,  1828,  and 
belongs  to  one  of  the  oldest  families  in  New  England.  The 
annals  of  Bury  St.  Edmonds  in  the  county  of  Sulfoik, 
England,  show  the  Wilco.x  family  to  have  flourished  in 
Britain  even  before  the  Norman  Conciuest.  William  Wil- 
cox, a  lineal  descendant  of  the  renowned  Sir  John  Wilcox, 
settled  in  Stratford,  Ct.,  as  early  as  1639,  and  is  recorded 
in  the  history  of  the  ])eriod  as  a  rejjresentative  in  the 
General  Court  of  Hartford  The  Colonel's  maternal 
grandmother  was  Miss  Mary  Field  Meigs,  sister  of  Dr. 
David  Field  and  daughter  of  Timothy  Field,  a  distinguished 


V.  M.  WILCOX. 


officer  in  tlu:  Revolutionary  war,  ancestor  of  tlie  present 
cf'lebrated  family  of  that  name,  which  includes  Cyrus  W. 
and  David  Dudley  Field. 

Young  Wilcox  was  edu(  atcd  in  Lee's  Academy  in  his 
native  place,  and  after  leaving  it  taught  school  for  three 
year.--.  He  subsecpienlly  became  a  merchant  and  actjuired 
considerable  i)rominence  in  local  affairs.  In  i860  he  went 
to  Scranton,  Pa.,  and  was  conducting  an  extensive  mercantile 
business  in  that  city  when  the  war  broke  out  and  the  North 
was  called  to  arms.  Mr.  Wilcox,  who  had  received  a  military 
training  in  the  Connecticut  Militia  under  (leneral  Hardee, 
responded  at  once,  and  organizing  a  company,  nmong  the 
young  men  of  hi.;  actpiaintance  chiefly,  many  of  wliom  as 
officers  were  attached  to  the  i32d  Pennsylvania  Regiment, 
went   to  the  front   immediately  as  Lieutenant  Colonel  of 


that  organization,  which  has  so  splendid  a  war  record  in 
the  history  of  the  war  by  Cenerals  McClellan  and  Palfrey. 
I'he  deeds  of  Colonel  Wilcox  and  what  he  did  for  the 
Union  in  his  generation  are  recorded  in  that  widely  cir- 
culated work  "  Martial  Deeds  of  Pennsylvania."  He  dis- 
tinguished himself  highly  in  the  terrible  battle  of  Antietam 
and  when  Colonel  Oakford  fell  mortally  wounded  Colonel 
Wilcox  assumed  command  and  was  promoted  to  a  full 
Colonelcy,  the  ])romotion  to  count  from  the  date  of  that 
memorable  fight  and  great  LInion  victory.  As  a  bright 
military  career  was  about  to  open  for  Colonel  Wilcox 
he  was  stricken  down  by  sickness  and,  before  he  had  re- 
covered again,  offered  himself  for  service.  But  the  Exam- 
ining Surgeon  refused  a  man  wrecked  from  months  of 
l)hysical  suffering,  and  much  against  his  will  Colonel  Wil- 
cox retired  from  active  service.  In  November,  1862, 
Colonel  Albright  of  his  regiment,  writing  to  him,  said  : 
"  You  are  known  to  be  a  brave,  capable  and  efficient  officer, 
beloved  by  all,  and  you  can  do  nothing  to  make  you  more 
so." 

After  this  Colonel  Wilcox  came  to  New  York,  and  when 
his  health  ])ermitted  accepted  a  resjjonsible  jjosition  from 
E.  &  H.  T.  Anthony  &  Co.,  doing  an  extensive  business  r.s 
importers  and  manufacturers  of  photographers'  supjjlies. 
In  1870,  Colonel  Wilcox  was  admitted  as  partner  and 
when  it  was  formed  into  a  corporation  was  made  Secretary, 
N  ice-President  and  President,  successively,  of  this  great  and 
famous  house,  the  greatest  of  the  kind  in  the  world. 

Colonel  Wilcox  is  a  man  of  s])lendid  i)hysi(iue  and  a  very 
flne  speaker.  Many  of  the  eloquent  addresses  delivered  to 
his  old  regiment  have  been  ])ublished.  He  is  an  Elder  in 
the  Phiili|)s  Presbyterian  Church  on  Madison  Avenue,  and 
one  of  the  ^^xecutive  Committee  of  the  Presbyterian  Union. 
He  is  Companion  of  the  Military  Order  of  the  Loyal  Legion 
of  the  United  States  and  member  of  the  Lafayette  Post, 
Ci.  A.  R.  In  1855  he  married  Miss  Catherine  Millicent 
Webb,  daughter  of  Dr.  Reynold  Webb.  Dr.  Reynold  Webb 
Wilcox,  well  known  as  a  ])hysician  and  lecturer,  is  one  of 
their  children  ;  the  other  died  in  infancy.  His  first  wife 
died  in  i860  and  Colonel  Wilcox  married  Miss  Martha  F. 
Dowd,  who  died  in  1873,  leaving  no  children.  In  1875  he 
married  his  present  wife.  Miss  Elizabeth  Bogart  Wells,  by 
whom  he  had  one  child,  Francis  Wells  Wilcox. 


CHARLES  MILNE,  M.D. 

Charles  Milne,  M.D.,  was  born  of  Scottish  parents,  on 
April  I,  T843,  i"  Wellington  County,  Ontario,  Canada,  and 
like  many  other  leading  members  of  the  jjrofession  in  this 
city  is  the  son  of  a  farmer.  His  father  died  a  few  months 
before  the  doctor  was  born,  leaving  a  widow  in  frail  health 
and  several  children  ;  she  died  two  years  later,  and  the 
children,  of  whom  Charles  was  the  youngest,  were  dis- 
tributed among  their  relatives,  and  Charles  fell  to  an  aunt. 

At  the  age  of  twenty-one  when  his  moral  obligations  to 
his  aunt  had  been  fulfilled,  young  Milne  went  to  Omaha, 
Nebraska,  to  seek  his  fortune,  but  not  finding  it  he  drifted 
to  St.  Paul,  Minn.,  where  he  secured  a  ])osition  in  one  of 
the  leading  drug  stores  of  that  city,  and  while  in  this 
cai)acity  became  acquainted  with  Dr.  Stewart,  then  Mayor 
of  St.  Paul,  who  advisid  him  to  study  medicine.  This, 
under  ordinary  conditions  would  be  rather  singular  advice, 
but  Dr.  Stewart  knew  what  was  in  the  young  man.  He 
(  ame  to  New  York  in  187 1  and  attended  lectures  in  the 
medical  d  partment  of  the  New  York  University,  earning  a 
living  ni'-anwhile  a>  clerk  in  a  drug  store.  The  year  follow- 
ing his  graduation  he  was  appointed  warden  of  ard  one  of 
the  assistant  phvsicians  in  the  Hospital  for  the  Rui)tured 
and  Cri])ple(l,  whii  h  he  held  until  the  Sjjring  of  1874,  when 
he  engaged  in  the  general  jjrai  tice  which  he  has  continued 


NEW   YORK,    T///-:  METROPOLIS. 


29 


ever  since  with  brilliant  results.  His  office  is  at  the  corner 
of  Lexington  avenue  and  Forty-fifth  street,  one  of  the  most 
desirable  parts  of  New  York,  and  he  has  an  extensive 
practice  in  this  city  and  suburbs. 

Dr.  Milne  was  married  in  1874  to  Miss  Harriett  E. 
Miller,  of  Coojjerstown,  N.  V.  This  lady  is  grand-daughter 
of  the  John  Miller  who,  conjointly  with  the  father  of 
Fenimore  Cooper,  the  novelist,  owned  the  section  afterwards 
called  Cooperstown. 

Physically,  Dr.  Milne  is  a  splendid  looking  man,  while 
as  for  his  intellectual  (jualities  they  have  raised  him  from 
the  almost  friendless  orphan  of  a  Canadian  farmer  to  be  one 
of  New  York's  foremost  physicians. 

He  has  no  specialty,  but  his  lines  are  obstetrics  and  the 
diseases  of  women  and  children.  He  is  a  prominent  Free- 
mason, is  trustee  of  the  Mediro-I.egal  Society  of  New  York, 
member  of  the  Academy  of  Medicine,  and  also  of  all  the 
principal  medical  societies  of  this  city. 


WILLIAM    F.  MOORE. 

William  F.  Moore,  Judge  of  the  Third  Judicial  District 
Court,  is  one  of  the  ablest  men  appointed  to  the  Bench  in 
this  city  of  New  York  for  many  years.  He  has  been  elected, 
too,  as  well  as  appointed  to  the  position,  which  goes  to  show 
that  while  popular  with  his  fellow  citizens  he  is  also 
esteemed  by  those  in  high  places  who  have  the  appointing 
power  vested  in  them  temporarily,  which  is  something  that 
cannot  be  said  of  many  w  ho  occupy  similar  places  of 
trust. 

Judge  Moore  was  born  in  Newburg,  Orange  Countv,  and 
is  now  thirty-seven  years  of  age.  He  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  and  graduated  from  the  Newburg  Academy, 
an  institution  in  which  many  men  now  prominent  in  public 
life  received  their  education.  He  came  to  New  York  like 
most  young  men  of  ambition  and  in  1876  began  the  study 
of  law  in  the  office  of  Fullerton,  Knox  &:  Crosby,  a  legal 
firm  which  held  high  rank  among  the  lawyers  of  the  Me- 
tropolis. He  soon  displayed  such  ajjplication  and  ability 
as  to  attract  the  notice  of  his  principals  and  was  placed  in 
charge  of  an  import  mt  department.  He  was  called  to  the 
bar  in  1880,  and  three  years  later  was  admitted  to  member- 
ship in  the  firm  as  a  recognition  of  his  capacity  and  success 
in  court  practice.  Since  that  time  he  has  associated  with 
Ex-Judge  Fullerton  in  many  important  cases,  among  them 
the  famous  trials  of  Huddensiek,  Jake  Sharp  and  Sheriff 
Flack,  in  which  he  manifested  marked  ability. 

When  George  B.  Deane,  Jr.,  died  two  years  ago  Judge 
Moore  was  appointed  by  Governor  Hill  to  fill  the  unexpired 
term,  altogether  without  his  solicitalion  and  although  he  was 
in  no  sense  of  the  word  an  active  politician.  This  was  in 
June,  1890,  and  in  the  fall  of  1891  he  was  nominated  for 
the  same  office  and  elected  by  a  majority  of  1,700,  which 
was  all  the  more  remarkable  seeing  that  Judge  Dean  had 
won  by  a  majority  of  5,400  in  1885  on  the  opposition 
ticket.    His  present  term  will  not  expire  until  1894. 

Judge  Moore  is  eminently  fitted  for  the  position  he  oc- 
cujjies.  He  is  a  sound  lawyer  and  is  gifted  with  the  quali- 
ties of  patience,  diligence  and  clear  perception  when 
dealing  with  complicated  cases.  Though  upholding  the 
dignity  of  the  bench  in  a  manner  that  keeps  interlopers  at 
a  respectful  distance  he  is  known  as  the  most  genial  and 
kind  hearted  of  men,  with  a  pleasant  word  for  all.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Iroquois  Club 


LOUIS  WINDMULLER. 

Louis  Windmiiller,  merchant  and  reformer,  was  born  in 
Westphalin,  and  educated  in  a  college  in  Miinster  founded 
by  the  Emi)eror  Charlemagne.  In  1853  he  emigrated  to 
New  York,  where  he  has  since  lived  ancl  carried  on  business 


as  a  successful  merchant,  at  first  alone,  but  since  1865  in 
copartnership  with  Alfred  Roelker.  The  business  of  the 
firm  consists  of  importing  and  exporting  on  commission. 

But  it  is  as  an  organizer  of  successful  institutions,  finan- 
cial and  otherwise,  that  Mr.  Windmiiller  is  more  jjopularly 
known.  He  has  assisted  in  founding  the  Title  Guaran- 
tee and  Trust  Company,  the  (ierman-American  Insurance 
Company,  the  Hide  and  Leather  National  Bank  and  the 
Bond  and  Mortgage  Guarantee  Company.  He  is  director 
in  some  of  those  comi)anies.  He  is  one  of  the  founders  of 
the  Reform  Club,  of  which  he  was  elected  Treasurer  in 
January,  1887,  and  has  been  instrumental  in  securing  for 
the  club  the  comfortable  home  which  it  now  occui)ies,  there- 
by contributing  largely  to  its  success  and  permanency.  Mr. 
Windmiiller  is  one  of  those  reformers  who  are  not  content 
merely  with  the  name;  his  acti\e  efforts,  es))erialb  in  the 


I.(  )11S  WINDMiJLLER. 


cause  of  sound  currency  and  tariff  reform,  have  been  made 
known  to  the  public  from  time  to  time  through  the  press. 
His  life  is  an  active  one,  for  apart  from  his  business  proper  he 
is  always  doing  something  which  he  thinks  of  benefit  to  the 
community  or  the  country  at  large.  He  is  Chairman  of  the 
Committee  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  on  Internal  Trade 
and  Improvements,  a  life  member  of  the  New  York  Histor- 
ical Society,  treasurer  of  a  fund  for  the  erection  of  a  monu- 
ment to  the  great  German  [)oet  Goethe,  and  of  the  (German 
Historical  Society. 

Mr.  Windmiiller  was  also  Chairman  of  the  Committee 
on  Arrangements  of  the  German  portion  of  the  Centennial 
celebration  of  George  Washington,  and  has  contributed 
some  articles  of  value  on  the  subject  to  a  work  published  by 
Clarence  H-  Bowen,  in  which  he  describes  the  memorable 
event-  In  i888  he  arranged  a  collection  of  paintings  for 
the  German  Hospital  Fair,  by  which  over  one  hundred 
thousand  dollars  were  cleared  for  this  charity. 

Mr.  Windmiiller  is  happily  married  and  the  father  of 
three  children.    He  is  a  member  of  the  Merchants',  German, 


3° 


NEW  YORK,   THE  METROPOLIS. 


Lotos,  Reform,  Insurance,  Athletic  and  other  chibs,  and  on 
the  whole  about  one  of  the  busiest  men  in  New  York,  and 
one  of  the  hardest  workers  and  most  prominent  citizens. 

Mr.  Windmiiller  is  more  than  a  dilettante  in  literature, 
having  contributed  to  the  Forutn  papers  on  the  subject  in 
which  he  takes  a  special  interest.  He  has  a  fine  library  and 
art  collection  of  his  own.  He  is  well  known  in  Europe, 
particularly  in  Germany.  Artists  coming  from  there  to  New 
York  are  sure  of  a  kindly  reception  from  him.  From  Mr. 
Windmiiller  they  receive  advice  and  sympathy,  and  when 
necessary  something  more  tangible  in  the  shape  of  material 
assistance.  As  an  illustration  of  his  influence  it  may  be 
stated  that  he  obtained  a  portrait  of  the  present  Em])eror 
of  Germany  painted  by  the  Diisseldorf  artist,  Julius  Gurtz, 
for  tile  (German  Club  of  New  York  City.    He  took  an  active 


city  about  the  beginning  of  the  century,  and  died  here  in 
1875,  universally  respected.  The  first  American  Andrews 
was  William,  who  was  one  of  John  Davenport's  companions 
in  the  settlement  of  New  Haven  in  1629.  He  built  the  first 
church  in  that  colony.  Loring  Andrews  is  still  kindly 
remembered  as  one  of  the  merchants  of  the  old  school, 
whose  sterling  qualities  made  him  influential,  and  have  left 
impressions  which  will  long  work  for  good  in  the  com- 
munity. The  elder  Mr.  Andrews'  fortune  was  made  in  the 
"  Swamp,"  in  the  leather  trade. 

His  son  Constant  was  educated  primarily  in  the  Columbia 
College  Grammar  School,  then  in  College  Place  ;  and  at 
about  sixteen  years  of  age  went  abroad  to  complete  his 
studies  in  Germany.  At  the  outbreak  of  our  civil  war,  two 
years  later,  he  was  recalled  to  this  city  ;  and  very  shortly 


CONSTANT  A.  ANDREWS. 


part  in  the  last  political  campaign  in  behalf  of  Grover 
Cleveland,  and  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  German- 
American  Cleveland  Union. 

CONSTANT  A.  ANDREWS. 

Constant  A.  .\ndrews,  one  of  New  York's  leading 
citizens,  was  born  in  Hnrclay  street,  when  that  now  busy 
commercial  thoroughfare  was  considered  the  residential 
centre  of  the  city.  He  is  essentially  a  New  Yorker,  and  an 
enthusiastic  worker  for  whatever  advances  the  well-being  of 
his  native  city.  His  father,  I.oring  .Andrews,  a  name  well 
known,  belonged  to  that  early  group  of  merchants  who  laid 
the  found.uion  of  the  city's  commercial  sn])rem:icy.  He 
.was  bom  in  (Greene  County,  N.  V.,  in  1799,  came  to  this 


thereafter  in  connection  with  the  late  Col.  Frank  K.  Howe, 
the  well-known  scale  manufacturer,  and  associates,  estab- 
lished a  hospital  on  the  corner  of  John  street  and  Broad- 
way, for  the  care  of  sick  and  wounded  Union  soldiers.  Al- 
though young,  Mr.  Andrews  manifested  much  enthusiasm 
in  this  humane  cause,  and  rendered  such  efficient  aid  that 
he  was  soon  elected  to  a  responsible  position  in  the  manage- 
ment of  the  institution. 

To  those  who  do  not  remember  the  exciting  incidents 
of  the  war,  a  narrative  of  the  personal  sacrifices  made  by 
the  good  men  and  women  of  this  city  in  those  anxious 
days  would  read  like  a  romance.  The  care  of  the  sick  and 
wounded  soldiers  sent  back  from  the  "front,"  and  jjassing 
through  this  hos])ital,  was  voluntarily  assumed  by  its 
association  of   ladies  and  gentlemen  ;    and  there   is  no 


NEW  YORK,    THE  METROPOLIS. 


brigliter  record  in  the  history  of  philanthropy  than  tlie  un- 
written story  of  the  self-sacrificing  personal  services  ren- 
dered by  these  volunteers. 

Later  on,  during  one  of  those  trying  jieriods  of  our 
struggle  when  through  reverses  of  arms  the  sick  and 
wounded  of  several  battles  had  accumulated  so  rapidly  on 
the  field  as  to  overtax  the  resources  of  the  army  medical 
staff,  and  the  cry  for  volunteers  to  go  to  the  front  came 
from  Washington,  Dr.  Post  and  Mr.  Andrews  at  once'  zeal- 
ously offered  their  services  and  were  detailed  to  join  the 
troops  at  White  House,  on  the  Pamunky  River.  It  would 
not  be  surprising  if  after  all  this  medical  service  and  expe- 
rience Mr.  Andrews'  tastes  and  talents  siiould  lead  him  to 
take  up  seriously  the  study  of  medicine  ;  but  his  career  had 
been  marked  out  for  him,  and  at  the  close  of  the  war  we 
find  him  hard  at  work  in  his  father's  store  learning  the 
leather  trade.  For  ten  years  he  assisted  his  father  in  the 
management  of  his  large  commercial  and  real  estate  inter- 
ests, and  then,  with  his  brother  William,  succeeded  to  the 
business,  mainly  with  a  view  to  closing  it  up. 

He  retired  from  the  leather  business  in  1879,  and  spent 
a  few  years  abroad  visiting  the  hospitals  and  attending  lec- 
tures at  the  Sorbonne,  and  then  returned  to  New  York, 
where  he  opened  a  private  banking  office  in  the  United 
Bank  p]uilding.  His  career  since  has  justified  the  early 
promise  of  a  useful  life  ;  for  a  reference  to  our  Charitable 
Boards  reveals  that  the  societies  with  which  Mr.  Andrews 
is  now  actively  co  operating,  are  those  institutions  which 
the  present  generation  of  New  Yorkers  has  most  to  be 
thankful  for.  The  New  York  City  Mission  and  Tract 
Society,  as  well  as  the  Charity  Organization  Society,  look  to 
him  not  only  as  their  Treasurer,  but  value  him  as  an  active 
laborer  in  their  respective  fields  ;  for  his  service  with  the 
former  began  as  early  as  1859,  and  he  has  been  identified 
with  the  latter  from  its  very  beginning. 

He  was  one  of  the  first  members  of  the  Manhattan  Club, 
and  charter  member  and  first  treasurer  of  the  Reform  Club 
of  this  city,  but  Mr.  Andrews'  habits  being  essentially 
domestic,  he  is  never  seen  indulging  in  the  social  i)ri\  ileges 
of  club  life. 

When  the  United  States  Savings  Bank  was  organized 
several  years  ago,  Mr.  Andrews  was  elected  its  President, 
and  under  his  conservative  management  the  institution  has 
steadily  prospered. 

As  one  of  the  prominent  members  of  the  Chamber  of 
Commerce,  his  wide  range  of  business  experience  and  tried 
conservatism  calls  him  to  frecjuent  service  on  standing  and 
special  committees.  Without  ostentation  he  pursues  his 
steady  course  of  loyalty  to  high  ideals,  and  justly  merits  the 
place  he  has  won  in  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  the 
community. 

EDWARD  HOGAN. 

Police  Justice  Edward  Hogan  was  born  in  Barclay  street, 
opposite  old  St.  Peter's  Church,  on  November  6,  1834.  He 
was  educated  in  Grammar  School  No.  29,  and  he  resided 
in  the  First  Ward,  where  he  took  an  active  part  with  the 
Democratic  Party  until  he  moved  from  there  in  1882.  Mr. 
Hogan  is  a  member  of  the  New  York  Bar,  and  is  the  oldest 
and  one  of  the  most  respected  of  the  Police  Magistrates. 
In  1865  Mr.  Hogan  married  Katharine,  second  daughter  of 
Thomas  Byrne,  Esq.,  of  the  First  Ward.  They  have  seven 
children  living. 

In  1857  Capt.  Isaiah  Rynders,  United  States  Marshal 
for  the  Southern  District  of  New  York,  appointed  Mr. 
Hogan  a  Deputy  Marshal,  which  position  he  held  for  about 
a  year.  He  then  engaged  in  the  forwarding  passenger  busi- 
ness, having  agencies  throughout  the  Western  country. 

In  1863  Mr.  Hogan  was  nominated  by  Tammany  and 
Mozart  Halls  for  Police  Justice  in  the  First  Judicial  Dis- 


trict, and  was  elected.  President  Eldridge,  of  the  Erie 
Railroad,  in  1868,  tendered  Mr.  Hogan  the  Emigrant  .Vgency 
for  that  company,  which  he  accepted  and  continued  with 
the  corporation  until  1870  when  he  resigned.  Subsequently 
he  renewed  his  connection  with  the  Erie  Railroad,  and  con- 
tinued with  that  company  for  over  five  years,  during  the  ad- 
ministration of  Hon.  Hugh  J.  Jewett. 

In  1869  he  was  a  candidate  for  the  second  time  for  the 
office  of  Police  Justice  in  the  First  Judicial  District.  He 
was  renominated  by  Tammany  Hall.  The  Republicans 
met  in  Convention  and  adopted  resolutions  endorsing  him, 
and  he  was  elected  by  acclamation.  In  1873,  Mr.  Hogan, 
with  all  the  Police  Justices  elected  in  1869,  was  legislated 
out  of  office,  and  refused  the  appointment  tendered  him  by 
Mayor  Havemeyer,  in  whom  sik  h  jiower  was  vested. 


EDWARD  HOG.'VN. 


In  1874  Mr.  Hogan  was  an  independent  candidate  for 
C^ongress  in  the  Fifth  Congressional  District,  the  stronghold 
of  Democracy,  against  Edwin  R.  Meade,  the  Tammany 
candidate.  After  a  most  exciting  canvass,  Mr.  Meade  was 
declared  elected  by  about  100  votes,  and  in  1877  he  de- 
feated Joseph  Shannon,  the  Anti-Tammany  candidate,  by 
over  10,000  majority  for  Senator  in  the  Fourth  District. 
He  was  in  1879  elected  Senator  for  the  new  Fifth  District, 
but  was  defeated  by  300  votes  in  1881.  On  May  22,  1889, 
Mayor  Hugh  J.  Grant  appointed  Mr.  Hogan  Police  Justice 
for  a  terin  of  ten  years.  On  the  Bench  he  is  kind  and 
lenient  and  just,  an  untiring  worker,  and  conscientious  in 
the  discharge  of  his  duties. 


GEORGE   GOSMAN    DE  WITT. 

Mr.  George  Gosman  De  Witt,  Secretary  of  the  St. 
Nicholas  Society,  head  of  the  well-known  law  firm  of  De 
Witt,  Lockman  &  De  Witt,  and  one  of  New  York's  distin- 
guished lawyers,  was  born  in  Callicoon,  Sullivan  County, 
of  this  State,  on  April  9,  1845.  He  comes  of  an  old 
Knickerbocker  family,  one  of  the  oldest  in  New  York  in 


32 


NEW  YORK,   THE  METROPOLIS. 


fact,  which  even  in  tlie  Mother  Country,  Holland,  held  a 
historical  position.  The  first  of  the  family  to  arrive  in  this 
country  was  Tjerck  Claessen  l)e  Witt,  who  settled  in  New 
Amsterdam  in  1656,  and  next  year  moved  to  Wiltwyck,  now 
Kingston,  New  York.  Since  then  this  State  and  City  of  New 
Yqrk  have  never  been  without  members  of  the  family 
figuring  prominently  in  social  or  political  life.  From  the 
founder  of  the  American  branch  of  the  family  Mr.  George 
Gosman  I)e  Witt  is  lineally  descended  in  the  seventh  genera- 
tion. His  grandfather,  Peter  l)e  Witt  was  in  his  time  a 
prominent  lawyer,  and  founder  of  the  well-known  legal 
firm  of  which  the  subject  of  this  sketch  is  a  member.  He 
practised  law  in  New  York  from  1804  to  185 1,  and  intro- 
duced the  practice  of  giving  his  clients  an  "  Abstract  of 
Title,"  now  so  generally  followed. 

Mr.  l)e  Witt  was  prepared  for  college  in  Columbia  Gram- 
mar School,  graduated  from  Columbia  College  in  the  class 
of  1867  with  the  degree  of  A.B.,  taking  the  degree  of  A.M. 
in  1870,  and  of  LL.B.  fr mi  the  Law  School  in  1869.  He 


GEO.  G.  De  WITT. 


was  called  to  the  bar  in  1H69,  and  entered  the  office  of  his 
uncles,  C.  J.  &  E.  De  Witt,  who  succeeded  their  father  when 
he  died  in  1851.  Edward  DeWitt  died  in  1872,  and  the 
firm  was  reorganized  under  the  title  of  De  W  itt,  Lockman 
Kip,  the  members  being  Cornelius  J.  De  Witt,  George  G. 
De  Witt,  Jacob  K.  Lockman,  John  T.  Lockman  and  George 
Goelet  Kij).  In  1878  Cornelius  J.  De  Witt  died,  and  in 
1874  Mr.  Kip  retired  from  practice,  whereu|)on  another 
reorganization  took  place,  the  new  firm  becoming  George 
G.  De  Witt,  Jacob  K.  Lockman,  John  T.  Lockman  and 
William  (i.  l)e  Witt,  brother  of  George.  Mr.  De  Witt's 
])ractice  is  confined  to  equity  cases,  trusts,  real  estate  and 
the  administration  of  estates  and  wills.  He  has  been 
counsel  in  many  important  legal  contests  of  this  nature, 
and  among  others  the  Hammersley,  Strecker,  Roosevelt, 
Welton  and  Marx  cases. 

Apart  from  his  law  j)ra<  tice  Mr.  De  \\'itt  takes  an  active 
interest  in  jiublic  affairs  and  is  one  of  the  city's  representa- 
tive men.     lie  is  Vice-President  of  the  Columbia  Alumni 


Association,  one  of  the  committee  on  Athletic  Grounds, 
and  was  its  Grand  Marshal  at  the  installation  of  President 
Low.  He  is  member  of  the  LTnion,  L'nion  League.  St. 
Nicholas,  Metropolitan,  City,  Tuxedo,  and  South  Side 
Clubs,  Governor  of  the  IJnion  Club,  also  of  the  New  York 
Hosjjital,  member  of  the  Bar  Association.  Secretary  of  the 
St.  Nicholas  Society,  Trustee  of  the  Holland  Society,  also 
for  the  Societies  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Ch'i'dren 
and  Animals,  and  of  the  Real  Estate  Loan  and  Trust  Com- 
])any  and  Eagle  Insurance  Company  and  Lawyer's  Surety 
Company. 


WAUHOPE  LYNN. 

It  is  no  exaggeration  to  say  of  Wauhope  Lynn,  successor 
to  the  late  Peter  Mitchell  as  Judge  of  the  First  District 
Court,  that  he  is  a  man  of  talent.  It  is  possible,  too,  that 
before  his  career  is  closed  he  may  be  called  a  man  of  genius. 
But  be  this  as  it  may,  his  history  is  beyond  all  question  as 
remarkable  as  it  is  interesting  and  instructive.  Twenty 
years  ago  Mr.  Lynn  was  a  mechanic,  ten  years  ago  he  was 
a  Docket  Clerk  in  one  of  the  civic  departments,  to-day  he 
is  a  Judge  on  the  bench,  while  to-morrow — well,  who  knows 
what  to-morrow  may  bring  forth  ? 

He  was  born  in  Ballymena,  County  Antrim,  Ireland,  the 
same  section  of  the  Green  Isle  that  produced  the  Sheridans, 
and  many  other  famous  men  whose  records  are  to  be  found 
in  America's  most  glorious  annals. 

judge  Lynn  was  born  on  December  14,  1856.  His 
father  had  been  in  the  United  for  years,  but  went  back  to 
the  old  land  in  1846.  Mr.  Lynn  made  money  in  America, 
but  lost  it  in  Ireland,  and  returned  to  New  York  in  1867. 
He  settled  in  the  Eighth  Ward,  where  young  Wauhope  grew 
u]),  and  was  far  more  remarkable  for  play  and  pranks  than 
for  love  of  lessons.  At  the  age  of  twelve  he  went  out  to 
earn  his  bread  and  help  his  mother.  He  obtained  employ- 
ment as  a  maker  of  philosophical  and  surgical  instruments, 
and  at  nineteen  was  jiromoted  to  the  position  of  foreman. 
In  the  interval  young  Lynn  had  lots  of  time  to  grieve  over 
lost  opportunities  and  to  regret  with  all  his  heart  that  he 
had  not  attended  school  more.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Alexander  Literary  Society  of  the  Eighth  Ward,  where  his 
elocjuence  surprised  all  who  came  in  contact  with  him. 
"  \\  hat  a  jiity  it  is  that  Lynn  is  not  educated,"  was  an  ex- 
pression he  was  often  obliged  to  hear.  Conscious  of  his 
native  talents  he  resolved  to  make  up  for  lost  time  and  edu- 
cate himself.  He  attended  the  oratory  class  in  the  Cooper 
Union,  and  in  1880  delivered  the  Washington  birthday  cele- 
bration, for  which  he  was  complimented  by  the  venerable 
Peter  Cooper  himself.  After  this  achievement  he  was  at 
once  elected  President  of  the  class,  which,  by  the  way,  con- 
tained such  celebrities  as  Judge  Fitzgerald,  County  Clerk 
Scullv,  Michael  J.  Mul(]ueen,  Civil  Justice  Steckler  and 
John  W.  Goff,  the  last  named  holding  opinions  and  possess- 
ing a  streak  of  genius  not  unlike  his  own.  Goff,  like  Lynn, 
was  born  in  Ireland,  entertained  an  intense  love  for  her, 
rendered  imi)ortant  services  to  Parnell  and  his  cause,  be- 
came Assistant  District  .Attorney  and  is  a  born  orator. 

About  this  time  Lynn  was  studying  hard  for  the  bar  in 
the  New  York  University  Law  School.  He  had  thrown  the 
surgical  instruments  behind  him,  but  the  (]uestion  was  how 
he  coul  l  maintain  himself  during  the  years  of  his  training. 
He  graduated  from  the  law  school  with  honor  and  the  degree 
of  LL.B.  At  this  time  a  three  years' clerkship  before  or 
after  the  course  was  required  before  the  asjiirant  was  al- 
lowed to  i)ractise,  but  this  Lynn  did  not  have,  and  so,  with 
his  usual  activity  and  firm  resolve,  he  posted  to  .Albany  and 
induced  the  Legislature  to  i)ass  an  act  doing  away  with  such 
a  restriction.    Behold  him  now,  a  full  tledged  lawyer. 

'IMie  career  of  Judge  Lynn  since  then  is  well  known.  He 
bec  ame  one  of  the  orators  of  the  County  Democracy,  but 


NEW  YORK,    Till-:   M ETRO POLI S. 


33 


on  the  decline  of  that  organization,  like  thousands  of  others, 
joined  Tammany  Hall.  Here  he  found  a  friend  and  ad- 
mirer in  Richard  Croker.  He  had  often  heard  Lynn  in  the 
debating  club,  and  projjhesied  great  things  of  him.  Mr. 
Croker  was  largely  instrumental  in  obtaming  for  him  his 
position  in  the  District  Attorney's  office.  When  Mr.  Croker 
asked  District  Attorney  Delancey  NicoU  to  take  him  into 
his  office,  that  gentleman  demurred  and  said  he  had  never 
heard  of  him  before.  He  gave  him  a  chance,  however,  at 
$3,500  salary,  after  three  months  promoted  him  to  one  of 
his  chief  assistants  at  $7,500,  and  told  Mr.  Croker  the  first 
time  he  met  him  that  his  protege  was  the  ablest  man  he  had. 

On  the  whole,  it  will  be  universally  admitted  that  in  the 
elevation  of  Judge  Lynn  to  the  bench  no  mistake  has  been 
made.  He  is  qualified  for  the  place,  eminently  so,  and  is  a 
brilliant  man. 

REYNOLD  WEBB  WILCOX,  M.D. 

Reyr.old  W.  \\'ilcox,  M.A.,  M.D.,  LL.D.,  was  born  in 
Connecticut  on  March  29,  1856.  His  father,  Vincent 
Weiss  Wilcox,  president  of  the  E.  &  H.  T.  Anthony  Co., 
served  in  the  Civil  War  as  Colonel  of  the  i32d  Pennsylvania 
Regiment,  and  is  a  Companion  of  the  New  York  Com- 
mandery  of  the  Loyal  Legion,  Comrade  of  ]-afayetie  Post, 
G.  A.  R.,  and  an  elder  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

The  Doctor  was  educated  in  Yale,  whence  he  was 
graduated  as  B.A.  in  1878;  he  received  the  degree  of  iSLA., 
in  1881.  from  Hobart  College,  subsequently  in  the  same 
year  that  of  M.D.  from  Harvard  University,  and  in  1892 
was  honored  with  the  degree  of  LL.D.  by  Maryville  College. 
After  spending  some  time  in  Boston  as  house  physician  in 
several  of  its  hospitals,  he  travelled  in  Europe  and  visited 
the  hospitals  of  Vienna,  Edinburgh,  Heidelberg  and  Paris, 
and  returning  home  was  appointed  house  surgeon  to  the 
Woman's  Hos])ital  in  New  York.  In  1884  he  was  made 
clinical  assistant  in  the  New  York  Post-Graduate  Medical 
School,  and  two  years  later  instructor,  followed  in  1889  by 
an  appointment  to  the  Professorship  of  Clinical  Medicine, 
which  position  he  still  holds. 

Dr.  Wilcox  is  member  of  the  Clinical  Society,  Harvard 
Medical  Society,  Lenox  Medical  Society,  New  York  Academy 
of  Medicine,  and  Fellow  of  the  American  Academy  of  Medi- 
cine. He  is  also  membt-r  of  the  New  York  Society  of  Sons 
of  the  Revolution,  of  the  General  Society  of  the  War  of 
1812,  a  Companion  of  the  New  York  Comma  dery.  Military 
Order  of  the  Loyal  Legion,  a  member  of  the  Sons  of  Veter- 
ans, of  which  organization  he  is  the  Surgeon-General.  He 
is  also  a  member  of  the  Manhattan  Club,  and  the  Committee 
on  Organization  of  Tammany  Hall.  He  is  an  eloquent 
speaker  and  has  delivered  many  addresses  before  various 
societies  and  medical  organizations. 

Dr.  Wilcox  is  also  assistant  visiting  physician  to  the 
Bellevue  Hospital,  lecturer  at  the  Post-Graduate  Training 
School  for  nurses,  and  attending  ])hysician  to  the  Demilt 
Dispensary.  He  is  a  voluminous  writer  and  is  very  often 
quoted  as  an  authority  on  medical  subjects.  During  the 
last  ten  years  he  has  published  eighty  different  ])apers,  in 
which  he  has  popularized  such  drugs  as  apomorphine, 
naphthaline,  hydrastis,  cocillana  and  cactus,  besides  present- 
ing careful  studies  of  allied  subjects.  As  therapeutic  editor 
of  the  American  founial  of  the  Medical  Sciences  he  has 
obtained  wide  celebrity.  He  has  edited  Dr.  Hale  White's 
"Materia  Medica  and  Therapeutics,"  a  book  of  six  hundred 
pages,  which  has  been  adopted  as  the  text-book  in  many  of 
the  leading  medical  schools  ot  this  country. 

CLARENCE  W.  MEADE. 

Police  Justice  Clarem  e  W.  Meade  was  born  in  New 
^'ork  City  on  November  27,  1841.  Like  many  others  of  our 
public  men,  including  even  thc'se  who  have  achieved  literary 


distinction,  he  was  educated  in  the  juiblic  schools.  In  1857, 
being  then  sixteen  years  old,  young  Meade  went  into  the 
drygoods  business,  but  on  the  breaking  out  of  the  war, 
seeing  a  prospect  of  making  money,  he  went  down  and 
joined  the  Produce  Exchange,  opening  an  office  as  broker. 
After  the  war  this  business,  which  had  been  overdone, 
shrank  to  something  like  its  original  jjroportions,  and  Mr. 
Meade  retired  from  the  Exchange,  of  which  he  is  still,  how- 
ever, a  member. 

He  is  of  an  energetic  disposition,  and  being  a  born  New 
Yorker  it  goes  without  saying  that  he  cultivated  a  taste  for 
politics.  He  is  a  Republican  and  from  the  time  he  cast 
his  first  ballot,  which  was  in  1863,  he  took  a  hand  in  ward 
and  civic  contests.  His  abilities  soon  brought  him  to  the 
surface  and  from  1866  until  1890,  when  he  was  apijointed 
to  his  present  position,  he  was  one  of  the  recognized  leaders 
of  the  Thirteenth  Assembly  District.  He  was  appointed 
As-istant  A])])raiser  by  President  Johnson  in  1866,  and  Post 


CLARENCE  W.  .MEADE. 

Warden  by  Governor  Cornell  in  1880,  which  latter  place  he 
held  until  made  Police  Justice  by  Mayor  Hugh  J.  Grant. 
His  appointment  by  Mayor  Grant  was  a  tribute  to  his 
ability  appreciated  by  his  friends,  for  while  having,  as  a  rule, 
to  adapt  himself  to  party  exigencies  in  the  selection  of  a 
Democrat  to  the  bench  it  is  only  reasonable  to  assume  that 
in  the  appointment  of  a  Republican  he  may  enjoy  the  lux- 
ury of  being  governed  solely  by  a  strict  sense  of  public 
duty. 

Justice  Meade's  family  is  not  unknown  in  New  York 
City.  His  father,  Abraham  B.  Meade,  was  appointed  Ap- 
praiser by  (ieneral  Jackson  and  filled  that  responsible 
position  for  many  years.  Previous  to  this  he  was  a  member 
of  the  wholesale  firm  of  King  &  Meade,  of  whom  A.  T. 
Stewart  bought  his  first  stock  of  drygoods  when  embarking 
in  business  in  this  city. 

Ajjart  from  his  public  life  and  duties  Judge  Meade  is  a 
popular  man.    He  is  genial  and  witty  and  makes  a  point 


NEW  YORK,    THE  METROPOLIS. 


34 


of  adapting  himself  to  circumstances.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Republican  and  other  clubs,  social  and  political,  and 
he  lives  in  the  block  on  'I'wenty-second  street  on  which  he 
was  born. 

JOHN  B.  SNOOK. 

Mr.  John  B.  Snook  may  be  considered  the  Nestor  of 
New  York  Architects.  He  certainly  is  the  oldest  ])ractising 
member  of  the  profession  in  this  city,  and  with  his  three 
sons  and  his  son-in-law,  who  are  in  ])artnership  with  him, 
controls  one  of  the  largest  architectun^l  firms  in  the  country. 

Mr.  Snook  was  born  in  England  on  July  i6,  1815,  and 
was  brought  to  this  country  by  his  parents  in  1817.  He 
was  educated  and  taught  the  trade  of  carpenter  in  New- 
York.  From  carpentering  to  building  the  transition  is  easy 
and  natural,  and  he  was  engaged  in  the  latter  business  until 
in  1842.  Having  studied  architecture  while  pursuing  his 
business  aS  a  builder  he  became  desirous  of  following  it  as 
a  profession  and  entered  the  office  of  Mr.  Joseph  Trench, 
at  No.  12  Chambers  street,  with  whom  two  years  later  he 
entered  into  partnership.    Were  Mr.  Snook  that  way  dis- 


JOHN  H.  SNOOK. 

posed  he  could  in  1892  have  celebrated  the  golden  jubilee 
of  that  interesting  old  office  on  Chambers  street,  for  he  has 
never  left  it  since  he  entered  it  in  1842.  Not  only  that, 
but  he  still  uses  the  same  desk  he  took  with  him  when  i.e 
moved  in  and  it  is  pretty  safe  to  assume  will  use  it  to  the 
end. 

Mr.  Snook  erected  among  his  other  great  works  the 
Stewart  Building,  Niblo's  (iarden  'I'heatre,  the  Metropolitan 
Theatre,  the  old  St.  Nicholas,  the  Metropolitan  and  the 
Metropolis  Hotels,  the  Hoffman  House,  Commodore  Yan- 
derbilt's  residence,  W.  H.  \'anderl)ilt's  two  mansions,  ihe 
residences  of  his  daughters,  the  (irand  Central  Depot,  St. 
John's  I'ark  i'^eiyht  l)e])Ot,  All  Angels'  Church,  the  ])resent 
Brooklyn  Tabernac  le,  and  many  of  New  York  and  adjacent 
cities'  most  famous  ornate  edifices,  private  and  i)ub]ic-. 


He  married  in  this  city  on  October  25,  1836,  Miss  Maria 
A.  AVeekes.  the  daughter  of  Captain  Seaman  Weekes,  and 
has  had  eleven  children,  nine  of  whom  are  living  and  all 
married  excepting  one.  The  three  sons  in  ])artnership  with 
him  are  James  H.,  Samuel  B.  and  Edward  T.  Snook.  The  » 
son-in-law  is  John  W.  Boylston. 


ANDREW  J.  WHITE. 

Police  Justice  Andrew  J.  White  was  born  in  New  York 
City,  in  June,  1846,  and  was  educated  in  the  public  schools 
and  the  De  La  Salle  Institute,  .\fter  leaving  school  he 
joined  his  father,  Patrick  White,  in  business  and  remained 
with  him  till  he  died.  In  187c,  with  his  brother  Thomas  F., 
he  began  business  as  a  manufacturer  of  fertilizers  under  the 
name  of  "  P.  White's  Sons."  They  conduct  the  business 
now  with  jjrofit.  In  1872,  when  John  Kelly  reorganized 
Tammany  Hall,  purging  it  of  the  Tweed  element,  Mr.  White 
with  some  young  friends  formed  an  association  in  the  Second 
.Assembly  District,  and  he  became  active  in  politics  for  the 
first  time.  He  rendered  material  service  to  his  party  from 
that  year  up  to  1881,  without  taking  office,  though  often 
asked  to  do  so.  In  1881  he  was  appointed  Police  Justice, 
and  was  soon  after  exjjelled  from  Tammany  Hall  by  John 
Kelly  for  refusing  to  act  against  his  conscientious  convic- 
tions. Among  others  who  were  disciplined  at  the  same  time 
was  Ex-Fire  Commissioner  Purroy,  and  the  recalcitrants  at 
once  organized  a  new  and  rather  formidable  party  known  as 
"Little  Tammany."  This  society  remained  in  existence 
three  years,  and  in  1884  was  merged  in  the  County  Democ- 
racy, of  which  William  R.  Grace  was  the  head  and  Judge 
White  one  of  the  ablest  lieutenants.  He  was  member  of  the 
Executive  Committee  of  the  County  Democracy  until  1888, 
when  he  resigned.  In  1885  he  opi)osed  Hugh  J.  (irant  for 
the  office  of  Sheriff,  but  though  he  polled  a  large  vote  he 
was  defeated.  In  i88iy  he  with  many  other  leaders  left 
the  County  Democracy  altogether  and  joined  Tammany 
Hall,  of  whose  General  Committee  he  was  elected  member 
representing  the  Twenty-third  .Assembly  District.  He  is  on 
the  General  Committee  at  present,  and  has  been  a  member 
of  the  Tammany  Society  (Columbian  Order)  since  1873. 

Owing  to  his  splendid  record  on  the  bench,  he  was  in 
1892  appointed  by  Mayor  Grant,  his  old  opponent,  to  a  fur- 
ther term  of  ten  years.  Judge  White  is  a  member  of  the 
Stuyvesant,  Catholic,  the  Manhattan  and  other  prominent 
clubs,  and  is  President  of  the  Sagamore.  Nevertheless,  he 
is  not  essentially  a  c  lub  man,  being  as  he  is  domestic  in  his 
nature  and  firmly  held  by  home  family  ties. 

He  is  a  most  energetic  man,  and  on  the  bench  cle.irs  off 
a  calendar  of  from  seventy-five  to  a  hundred  with  astonish- 
ing rajjidity.  His  long  experience,  knowledge  of  the 
common  law  and  keen  insight  into  human  nature  enable 
him  to  do  this  and  at  the  same  time  render  strict  justice. 


JOSIAH  C.  CADY. 

Josiah  Cleveland  Cady,  one  of  New  York's  leading  archi- 
tects, was  born  in  Providence,  R.  L,  in  1838,  and  is  the  son 
of  Josiah  Cady  of  Killingly,  Conn,  .\fter  a  preparatory 
course  in  Bird's  Collegiate  Institute  he  entered  'Trinity  Col- 
lege and  became  a  member  of  the  class  of  i860  In  1880 
his  .Alma  Mater  conferred  upon  him  the  degree  of  M..A.  in 
recognition  of  his  achievements  in  the  profession  of  archi- 
tecture. While  at  college  he  belonged  to  the  Parthenon 
Literary  Society  and  the  fraternity  of  Delta  Psi.  It  was 
afterwards  Mr.  Cady's  pride  and  privilege  to  design  the 
beautiful  home  of  that  society  at  Trinity,  and  it  is  now  a 
monument  to  his  taste  and  artistic  skill.  In  fac  t,  he  is  a 
designer  of  College  buildings  and  their  branches  and  con- 
nections, as  the  following  amongst  many  other  collegiate 


NEW   YORK,    THE  AfETIWPOlJS. 


35 


institutions  which  his  firm  have  carried  out  bear  testimony  : 
Peabody  Museum,  North  Sheffield  Hall,  Dwight  Hall, 
Chittenden  Memorial  Library,  Berzelius  Hall,  Hall  of 
the  Sheffield  School,  while  at  Williams  College  there 
are  Morgan  Hall  and  the  Laseli  (Jymnasium,  at  Trinity 
College  Jarvis  Hall  of  Science,  Epsilon  Chajjter  House  for 
Delta  Psi,  and  at  Wesleyan  University  a  building  for  scien- 
tific purposes.  Of  other  buildings  which  he  designed  the 
most  noted  are  the  New  York  City  Metropolitan  Opera 
House,  Museum  of  Natural  History,  Central  Park,  new 
buildings  connected  with  the  Pn^sbyterian  Hospital,  Gal- 
latin National  Bank,  the  I.oomis  Laboratory,  Protestant  Half 
Orphan  Asylum,  Young  Women's  Christian  Association 
Building,  Brooklyn,  Hartford  Public  Library,  St.  Andrew's 
Church,  Seventy-sixth  street.  New  York  City,  New  York 
Avenue  Church  in  Brooklyn,  the  Manjuand  Memorial 
Church  at  Hampton,  Va. 

Mr.  (]ady  is  a  member  of  the  Century,  AUiine,  University 
and  (^uill  Clubs,  and  is  connected  with  the  American  Science 
Association,  State  Charities  Aid  Association,  trustee  of  the 
Skin  and  Cancer  Hospital,  the  Deniilt  Dispensary  and  New 
York  City  Mission. 


DAVID  McADAM. 

Hon.  David  McAdam,  Judge  of  the  Superior  Court,  was 
born  in  this  city  in  1838  of  Scotch  parents.  His  father  was 
a  native  of  Glasgow,  a  tailor  by  trade,  who,  coming  to  New 
York  in  1836,  soon  established  himself  uptown  as  a  success- 
ful merchant  tailor.  David  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools,  entered  a  law  office  as  an  office  boy  in  1849  and 
commenced  the  study  of  the  law.  In  1855  '^"^  became 
managing  clerk  for  F.  F.  Marbury,  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
in  1859.  He  started  business  for  himself  in  i860,  and 
being  intelligent  and  industrious,  achieved  a  fair  measure  of 
success  from  the  start.  He  took  a  hand  in  Democraiic 
municipal  politics  while  still  quite  young,  and  though  not 
known  for  what  President  Cleveland  terms  "pernicious 
activity,"  his  party  services  were  so  well  appreciated,  that 
in  1873  he  was  nominated  for  Justice  of  the  Marine  Court 
and  elected  by  a  handsome  majoriiy.  He  was  re-elected 
in  1879  and  again  in  1885,  having  previously  (1883)  been 
elected  Chief  Justice  of  the  Court  by  his  Associates.  It  was 
mainly  through  his  efforts  that  the  jurisdiction  of  the  court 
was  enlarged,  and  the  name  changed  to  its  present  one 
(City  Court).  In  1890  he  was  elected  Judge  of  the  Superior 
Court.  As  a  judge,  it  is  universally  conceded  that  he  has  been 
faithful,  intelligent,  u!)right,  and  an  ornament  to  the  bench. 

Judge  McAdam  is  a  high  legal  authority  on  certain 
branches  of  law,  and  four  books  he  has  written  are 
recognized  by  the  legal  profession  as  standard  works.  These 
works  are  "  Landlord  and  Tenant,"  "  Marine  Court  Prac- 
tice," "  The  Stillwell  Act,"  and  "  Terms  of  Court."  He  is 
besides  author  of  several  important  legislative  enact- 
ments :  First,  The  act  which  prevents  landlords  dispossess- 
ing monthly  tenants  in  the  City  of  New  York  without  giving 
five  days'  previous  notice  of  their  intention  to  pursue  the 
summary  remedy  (Laws  of  1882,  ch.  303).  This  has  proved 
so  beneficial  in  its  effects  that  it  has  been  extended  to  other 
cities  and  adopted  in  several  Slates.  Second,  The  code 
provision  authorizing  courts  to  discharge  debtors  detained 
in  civil  process  who  were  unable  to  endure  the  imprison- 
ment. Third,  The  code  provision  authorizing  courts  to 
grant  new  trials  in  cases  in  which  the  complaint  waswTong- 
fuUy  dismissed  at  the  trial — all  of  which  have  proved 
serviceable  to  the  public  and  the  legal  profession. 

Judge  McAdam  is  an  eloquent  speaker  and  lecturer,  and 
is  always  ready  to  help  a  good  cause  on  the  platform. 
Among  the  best  known  of  his  lectures  are  "  George  Wash- 
ington," "  Lincoln  and  Grant,"  "  Robert  Burns,"  "  Lawyers," 
"Wise  and  Otherwise,"  and  "  Legal  Chestnuts." 


HENRY  WOODWARD  SACKETT. 

The  well-known  New  York  lawyer,  Henry  Woodward 
Sackett,  was  born  in  Enfield,  N.  Y.,  in  1853,  and  comes  of 
Revolutionary  stock.  His  paternal  great-grandfather.  Major 
liuell  Sackett,  one  of  the  .\merican  officers  in  command  of 
the  detachment  on  duty  at  the  execution  of  Major  .\ndre, 
was  a  member  of  an  old  Rhode  Island  family,  and  on  his 
mother's  side  his  great-grandfather  was  Sir  Benjamin  Wood- 
ward, a  west  of  England  gentleman  and  well  known  naturalist 
of  his  time.  His  father.  Dr.  Solon  P.  Sackett,  was  a  physician 
of  Ithaca  who  married  Lovedy  K.  Woodward,  and  of  this 
marriage  the  subject  of  our  sketch  was  born. 

Mr.  Sackett  was  fitted  for  college  by  a  preparatory  course 
in  the  celebrated  Ithaca  Academy,  and  graduated  from 
Cornell  University  in  the  class  of  1875  with  the  degree  of 
A.B.  He  was  for  two  terms  president  of  the  college's  lead- 
ing literary  .society,  was  class  essayist  at  graduation,  attained 
the  highest  rank  in  mathematics  and  won  a  Phi  Beta  Ka])pa 


HENRY  WOODW.VRD  .S.\CKETT. 


key.  After  leaving  college  he  studied  law  and  meanwhile 
taught  Greek  and  Latin  in  the  Monticello  Military  Academy. 
He  came  to  New  York  ini876  to  continue  his  studies  at  the 
Columbia  Law  School,  but  soon  found  that  the  sittings 
of  the  courts  in  this  city  afforded  an  opportunity  for 
a  more  advantageous  study  of  the  law  than  any  law 
school.  He  began  writing  for  the  JVezo  York  Tribune 
reports  of  special  cases  adjudicated  in  the  Supreme 
Court  of  Appeals  and  United  States  courts,  and  continued 
this  method  of  supplementing  his  law  studies  until  he  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  1879.  He  had  in  the  meantime 
been  a  law  clerk  in  the  office  of  the  late  Cornelius  .\.  Runkle, 
who  was  for  many  years  the  counsel  for  The  1  ribune.  Soon 
afterward  he  became  associated  in  business  with  Mr.  Runkle, 
and  when  the  latter  died  in  1888,  Mr.  Sackett  succeeded  him 
as  attorney  for  The  Tribune  and  has  since  been  its  regular 
counsel.  For  seven  or  eight  years  he  has  written  the  legal 
editorials  which  have  appeared  in  that  paper,  remarkable  for 


36 


,V£//'   YOJiK,    THE  METROPOLIS. 


their  point  and  clear  reasoning.  As  a  lawyer  Mr.  Sackett 
has  been  very  successful,  and  the  firm  of  which  he  is  the 
head — Sackett  &  Bennett — does  an  extensive  business,  chiefly 
for  estates,  corporations  and  syndicates.  He  has  tried  nearly 
all  the  libel  suits  against  The  Tribune  during  the  last  seven 
yeajs  and  in  no  single  instance  has  a  larger  judgment  tlian 
six  cents  been  collected  against  that  newspaper. 

Mr.  Sackett  was  married  in  1866  to  Miss  Lizzie  Titus, 
daughter  of  the  late  Edmund  Titus,  of  Brooklyn,  and  has  a 
summer  residence  at  Riverdale-on-the  Hudson.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  University  Club,  the  City  Club,  the  County 
C'lub.  the  New  York  Bar  Association,  Troop  A,  the  Society 
of  Medical  Jurisprudence,  pnd  many  other  social  and  scien- 
tific organizations. 


FRANK  T.  FITZGERALD. 

Frank  'J".  Fitzgerald,  Associate  Surrogate,  was  born  in 
New  York  City  in  May,  1857.  He  was  educated  at  the 
public  schools,  at  St.  Francis  Xavier  College,  the  famous 
Jesuit  seat  of  learning,  at  St.  Mary's  College,  Niagara  Falls, 
and  at  the  Columbia  College  Law  School.  From  the  latter 
institution  he  graduated  in  1878,  and  in  that  year  he  was 
admitted  to  the  bar.  While  pursuing  his  legal  studies  Mr. 
Fitzgerald  was  in  the  law  office  of  Smith  M.  Weed  and  some 
of  his  methods  in  profession  1  and  public  affairs  may  be 
traced  to  that  master  in  law  and  politics.     Mr.  Fitzgerald 


l-KANK   T.  1"1TZ(;i:RAI.I). 


was  for  many  years  a  member  i.f  the  law  firm  of  Mapes, 
Kelly  iV  Fitzgerald. 

Prom  early  youth  Mr.  Fitzgerald  took  a  lively  interest 
in  political  affairs,  and  he  became  (juickly  prominent  in 
movements  designed  to  ameliorate  the  condition  of  the 
laboring  masses.  In  18S8  he  was  elected  to  Congress  to 
rejiresent  the  Sixth  Congressional  District,  which  then  con- 
sisted of  the  First,  Fifth  and  Ninth  .Vssembly  Districts, 
including,  the  largest  settled  i)orti()n  of  the  t  ity  with  its 
greatest  financial  institutions,  and  a  constituencv  tvi)ical  of 


the  combination  of  the  old  and  characteristically  American 
element  in  the  Ninth  District  with  more  recent  accessions  to 
New  York's  population  in  the  First  and  Fifth. 

In  1889  Mr.  Fitzgerald  was  elected  Register  of  the 
County  as  the  Tammany  Democratic  nominee.  He  was  ^ 
regarded  ?.s  distinctively  the  young  men's  candidate,"  rep- 
resenting the  youthful  and  more  vigorous  element  in  Tam- 
many Hall,  and  his  popularity  was  demonstrated  by  the 
very  large  vote  cast  for  him.  Representative  Fitzgerald 
thereupon  resigned  and  assumed  the  duties  of  Register  on 
January  ist,  1890.  In  the  early  prime  of  life,  with  a  record 
frej  from  the  suspicion  of  a  stain,  of  high  standing  i>rofes- 
sionally  as  well  as  politically,  Frank  T.  Fitzgerald  is  one  of 
the  men  to  whom  New  York  has  a  right  to  look  for  a 
brilliant  future. 

In  the  session  of  the  Legislature  before  the  last  an  act 
was  passed  creating  an  additional  Surrogate  for  the  city  of 
New  York,  and  in  the  fall  election  of  1892  Mr.  Fitzgerald, 
having  been  nominated  by  his  party,  was  elected  by  an 
overwhelming  majority  for  the  post.  That  he  is  qualified 
for  it  has  been  already  made  manifest,  and  there  is  no  doubt 
that  he  will  win  the  same  meed  of  ap])lause  for  ability  and 
conscientious  jierformance  of  duties  that  he  earned  for  the 
carrying  out  of  his  duties  as  Register  of  New  York  City. 
Indeed,  considering  all  th  ngs,  he  may  without  a  breach  of 
truih  be  said  to  have  been  New  York's  greatest  Register. 


JOHN  B.  McELFATRICK. 

John  B.  McElfatrick  was  born  in  Harrisburg,  Pa.,  in  1827,  ' 
and  received  the  rudiments  of  his  education  in  the  i)ublic 
S(  hools.  He  studied  engineering  and  railroad  building  in 
Philadelphia,  and  in  1851  started  into  business  in  his  native 
city.  Since  then  Mr.  McElfatrick  has  built  more  than  a 
hundred  theatres  in  various  parts  of  the  United  States, 
many  of  them  models  of  modern  architectural  beauty  and 
all  of  them  solid  and  substantial.  In  fact  he  makes  of 
theatre  building  a  specialty. 

He  removed  to  Cleveland,  Ohio,  in  1853,  and  then  to 
Fort  \\'ayne,  Chicago,  Louisville  and  St.  Louis  in  succession. 
He  has  offices  in  St.  Louis  and  New  York,  his  son  W  illiam 
H.  McElfatrick  being  in  charge  of  the  New  York  office. 
He  o])ened  a  branch  of  his  great  and  ever  growing  business 
in  St.  Louis  in  1878  and  placed  it  under  the  direction  of  his 
son  John  M..  who  has  since  died.  William  H.  McElfatrick 
was  admitted  to  partnership  in  1883  and  since  1876,  when 
John  M.  was  admitted,  the  firm  has  been  known  by  the  title 
of  J.  B.  McElfatrick  &  Sons,  architects  and  builders.  Need- 
less to  state  this  firm  has  not  confined  itself  to  theatres 
exclusively,  as  the  subjoined  list  of  the  princii>al  of  its  works 
goes  to  show:  Bank  of  Harlem,  New  York  City;  Broadway 
Theatre,  Harlem  Opera  House,  Standard  'I'heatre,  Bijou, 
Herrmann's,  Star,  Columbus,  all  of  New  York  ;  Am])hion 
Academy  and  Park  Theatre,  Brooklyn  ;  National  Theatre. 
Washington.  D.  C;  Court  Stpiare  Theatre,  Springfield. 
Mass.;  Opera  House,  Detroit,  Mich.;  Opera  House.  Madi- 
son, Wis  ;  (iranil  Theatre,  Kansas  City,  Mo.;  'Theatre  Yen- 
dome,  Nashville,  Tenn  ;  Cirand  Opera  House  and  Memphis 
Theatre,  Memphis.  Tenn.;  Metrojiolitan  Opera  House,  St. 
Paul,  Minn.;  'Tremont  'Theatre,  Boston;  Park,  Bijou,  Ger- 
man Opera  and  National  'Theatres,  Philadel])hia;  Duipiesne, 
Grand  Opera  and  Bijou  in  Pittsburg,  Opera  House  and 
People's  Theatre  in  Chicago,  Grand  ( )pera,  Robinson's  Opera 
and  Havclin's,  Cincinnati  ;  McAuley's  Opera  House,  Ma- 
sonic Temple  'Theatre  and  Harris'  Theatre  in  Louisville, 
Olympic.  "  The  Hagan,"  Grand  0|)era,  Po]ies,  Standard, 
Music  Hall  in  St.  Louis,  and  many  others  all  over  the 
( ountry. 

Mr.  McElfatrick'^  father,  Edward,  was  an  eminent  archi- 
tect in  his  time. 


NEW  YORK,    THE  METROPOLIS. 


37 


CHARLES    DEADY,  M.D. 

Charles  Deady,  M.D.,  Q.  et  A.  Cliir.,  was  born  in  New- 
York  City  on  August  27,  1850,  and  received  his  primary 
education  in  the  public  schools  of  New  York  and  Brooklyn. 
Having  gone  successfully  through  the  grammar  grades  and 
passed  through  the  High  School,  he  began  the  study  of  med- 
icine in  the  New  York  HomcEopathic  Medical  College  in 
1873  and  graduated  after  a  three  years"  course.  vSoon  after 
entering  on  the  practice  of  his  profession  he  was  appointed 
visiting  physician  to  the  Homoeopathic  College  Dispensary, 
which  ])osition  he  held  for  two  years.  Desiring  to  take  up 
ophthalmology  as  a  specialty  he  entered  the  College  of  the 
New  York  Ophthnlmic  Hospital  and  graduating  from  there 
in  1878  was  at  once  made  assistant  surgeon  of  the  institu- 
tion. Two  years  later  he  was  appointed  house  surgeon 
and  in  1880  received  the  degree  of  Q.  et  A.  Chir.  Since 
then  he  has  been  among  the  foremost  in  advancing  the 
interests  of  the  profession  and  especially  the  college  with 
which  he  is  so  closely  and  so  honorably  connected. 

In  1882  Dr.  Deady  was  elected  Secretary  of  the  Homoeo- 
pathic Medical  Society  of  the  County  of  New  York,  and 
in  1892  occupied  the  position  of  its  Vice-President.  He 
also  served  as  Secretary-Treasurer  of  the  American 
Homoeopathic  Ophthalmological  and  Otological  Association. 
In  1884  he  was  appointed  surgeon  to  the  New  York  Oph- 
thalmic Hospital  and  subsequently  a  governing  surgeon  and 
executive  officer  of  the  board  in  rapid  succession.  He  is 
now  Dean  of  the  Faculty  of  the  New  York  Ophthalmic 
Hospital  and  is  Professor  of  Ophthalmology  in  the  College 
of  the  New  York  Ophthalmic  Hospital  ;  also  Treasurer  of 
the  Homoeopathic  Medical  Society  of  the  State  of  New 
York  and  Chairman  of  the  Executive  Committee  of  the 
Alumni  Association  of  the  New  York  Homoeopathic  Medical 
College. 

.Among  Dr.  Deady's  writings  are  many  contributions  to 
the  different  medical  journals,  but  more  especially  to  the 
fouriial  of  Op/ii/ial/>ni/oo  y^  Otology  and  Laryngology,  of  which 
he  has  been  chief  editor  since  the  death  of  its  founder, 
(ieorge  S.  Norton,  M.D.  He  has  at  times  been  Chairman 
of  the  Bureau  of  Ophthalmologv,  of  the  State  Society,  the 
County  Society  and  the  American  Institute  of  Homoeopathy. 

During  the  first  four  years  of  his  professional  career  Dr. 
Deady  was  a  general  ])ractitioner,  but  on  March  ist,  1880, 
he  resigned  his  family  practice  and  since  that  time  has 
confined  himself  exclusively  to  the  treatment  of  diseases  of 
the  eye  and  ear.  In  1873  he  married  Corinne  Louise  Hop- 
per, daughter  of  Henry  G.  Hopper,  of  Hackensack,  N.  J., 
by  whom  he  has  had  four  children,  two  of  wliom,  a  son  and 
a  daughter,  are  living. 

T.  J,  OAKLEY  RHINELANDER. 

T.  J.  Oakley  Rhinelander,  lawyer,  real  estate  manager 
and  man  of  affairs  generally,  was  born  in  this  city  in  May, 
1858.  He  belongs  to  one  of  those  American  families  who 
have  since  the  earliest  Colonial  times  been  prominent  in  the 
history  of  the  city,  State  and  country  at  large.  On  the 
mother's  side  he  is  descended  from  the  Crugers,  a  name 
eciually  illustrious  in  the  annals  of  this  State,  and  if  ances- 
try is  of  advantage  in  a  democratic  country  such  as  this, 
can  lay  claim  to  place  in  the  front  rank.  Through  his 
father,  William  Rhinelander,  he  is  descended  in  a  direct  line 
from  Philip  Jacob  Rhinelander,  who  came  to  America  in 
1685  immediately  after  the  Revocation  of  the  Edict  of 
Nantes,  and  settled  at  first  in  New  Rochelle,  but  after 
awhile  came  to  New  York  (then  New  Amsterdam),  where 
the  family  has  since  resided  and,  generation  after  generation, 
taken  a  leading  part  in  the  social  and  i)olitical  life  of  the 
city. 

His  mother  is  lineally  descended  from  John  Cruger,  who 
settled  in  this  city  in   1696.     John  Cruger  married  Miss 


Cuyler,  of  .Mbany,  whose  grandfather,  Jean  Schepmoes, 
came  out  as  early  as  1038  John  Cruger  was  Mayor  of  New 
York  in  1739,  and  was  annually  reappointed  till  1744,  when 
he  died  in  office.  He  held  other  iinportant  offices  and  his 
son  Henry  Cruger  was  for  fourteen  years  a  member  of  the 
Provincial  Assembly,  for  many  years  a  member  of  His 
Majesty's  Council  and  also  Chamberlain  of  the  City  of 
New  York.  His  son,  another  Henry,  was  Mayor  of  Bristol, 
England,  in  T781,  and  from  his  place  in  Parliament  in  the 
reign  of  (ieorge  HI.  was  the  only  member  of  that  body  who 
had  the  courage  and  the  audacity  to  proclaim  that  the  Ameri- 
can colonies  had  the  right  to  be  free.  Henry  Van  Schaick,  the 
historian,  mentions  it  as  a  significant  fact  that  for  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  years  the  Crugers  held  the  most  important 
offices  in  the  State,  which  fact  is  indeed  patent  to  the  most 
superficial  student,  who  finds  the  history  of  the  times  bris- 
tling with  statesmen  of  that  name. 

Mr.  Rhinelander's  title  to  membershi])  in  the  Society  of 


T.  J.  <).  RiliNKL.VNDER. 


the  Colonial  Wars  comes  to  him  from  the  Crugers.  also 
through  Hendrik  Cuyler,  who  was  Captain  and  Major  of  the 
Albany  Troop,  that  fought  in  the  French  and  Indian  cam- 
paigns, and  his  claim  to  membership  in  the  Sons  of  the 
Revolution  is  based  on  the  part  taken  by  his  third  great- 
grandfather on  the  maternal  side,  Jesse  Oakley,  who  raised 
and  equipped  his  own  company  and  fought  in  many  battles 
of  the  war.  The  famous  Judge  Oakley  was  also  a  grand- 
father of  Mr.  Rhinelander. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  graduated  as  A. B.  from  the 
Columbia  Ac:idemic  Department,  and  in  1880  took  the 
degree  of  LL  B.  from  the  same  institution,  after  which  he 
was  called  to  the  bar,  but  subsequently  devoted  all  his 
business  time  to  the  management  of  the  Rhinelander  estate. 
He  takes,  like  his  ancestors,  a  prominent  i)art  in  the  social 
life  of  New  York  as  well  as  in  all  movements  towards 
progress,  for  he  is  pronounced  in  his  Americanism.  He  is, 
and  has  been  for  years,  a  member  of  the  Seventh  Regiment, 


38 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


belongs  to  the  Sons  of  the  Revolution,  St.  Nicliolas  Society, 
is  Deputy  Governor  of  the  Society  of  the  Colonial  Wars, 
Governor  of  the  Seventh  Veteran  Club.  Vice-President  of 
the  Seventh  Regiment  Veteran  League,  President  of  the 
Delta  Phi  College  Club,  and  member  of  the  Metro])olitan, 
Union,  County  and  City  clubs. 


COLLIS  P.  HUNTINGTON. 

Mr.  Collis  P.  Huntington  has  long  been  one  of  the  most 
prominent  figures  in  the  railroad  world,  as  he  has,  also,  in 
\\'all  street  affairs — ])rominent  in  the  former  because  of  the 
vastness  of  the  interests  in  which  he  is  engaged,  and  in  the 
latter  by  reason  of  his  great  wealth  and  the  ]iower  that  he 


Congress  of  the  Act  of  1862,  which  authorized  the  con- 
struction of  the  Union  and  Central  Pacific  roads,  and  Mr. 
Huntington's  efforts  in  behalf  of  the  latter  corporation  are 
events  too  well  known  to  need  more  than  jjassing  mention. 
The  engineering  feats  which  surmounted  the  difficulties  pre- 
sented were  all  but  superhuman,  while  the  raising  of  capital 
during  the  war,  even  for  semi-public  enterprises,  was  far 
from  being  an  easy  task.  Nevertheless,  in  October,  1864,  the 
Central  Pacific  road  was  organized.  Practically,  from  that 
time  until  the  ])resent  Mr.  Huntington  has  been  at  the  helm, 
as  the  general  manager  of  the  projjerty  and  the  master-spirit 
of  tile  financial  policy,  and  all  through  the  i)ul)lic  controversy 
over  tlie  question  of  the  ultimate  payment  of  the  debt  of  the 
corporation  to  the  Government  he  has  evinced  a  degree 


wields.  Mr.  Huntington  is  a  well  preserved  man  of  about 
seventy  years  of  age,  and  is  as  full  of  vigor  as  he  ever  was, 
possessing  an  elasticity  of  step  and  a  ruddiness  of  color  that 
might  well  be  envied  by  many  a  younger  man. 

For  many  years  Collis  P.  Huntington  was  known  to  Wall 
street  only  because  of  his  connection  with  the  ("entral  Pacific 
Railroad,  of  which  he  was  the  chief  promoter  and  most  active 
builder.  When  early  in  the  sixties  the  necessity  of  a  trans- 
continental line  of  railroad,  not  only  as  tending  to  the  de- 
veloi)ment  of  the  country,  but  as  furnishing  a  means  for  the 
possii)le  future  transportation  of  troo|)s,  was  beginning  to  be 
recognized  by  the  Government,  Mr.  Huntington  was  quick 
to  recognize  the  opportunity  before  him.     I  he  |)assage  by 


of  fairness  and  care  for  the  interests  of  the  stockholders 
which  does  him  credit. 

Mr.  Huntington's  interests  in  the  Central  Pacific,  how- 
ever, were  long  ago  subordinated  to  other  and  greater  enter- 
prises. The  story  of  the  building  of  the  Southern  Pacific 
from  San  Francisco  to  New  Orleans  and  his  great  construc- 
tion race  across  I'e.xas  witli  the  Texas  Pacific — of  which 
Tom  Scott  was  the  ])resident  and  dominant  sjiirit — and  his 
measuring  of  swords  with  the  latter  before  the  Congressional 
Committee,  is  too  long  to  be  retold  in  a  sketch  of  this  nature; 
but  it  includes  many  interesting  episoiles  illustrating  the 
mental  characteristics  of  the  former  in  a  contest  where  in- 
tellectual vigor,  fertility  of  resource  and  proni]nness  and 


NEW  YORK,  THE  M ETROPOLIS. 


39 


decisiveness  of  action  carried  the  day.  The  ultimate  ])rac- 
tical  consolidation  of  the  vast  railroad  interests  west  of  the 
Mississippi — comprising  the  Central  Pacific,  the  line  from 
San  Francisco  to  Portland,  Oregon,  the  various  railroad  sys- 
tems through  southern  California,  Arizona,  New  Mexico, 
Texas  and  Louisiana — and  the  Morgan  line  of  steamships 
from  New  Orleans  to  New  York  into  one  great  parent 
organization  called  the  Southern  Pacific  Company,  was  the 
direct  outcome  of  his  own  financial  policy,  and  resulted  in 
the  marvellous  achievement  of  a  line  of  transportation  from 
Portland,  Oregon,  to  New  York  City  under  the  control  and 
management  of  one  ownership.  The  Southern  Pacific  Com- 
pany to-day  operates  a  total  trackage  of  over  eight  thousand 
miles  and  steamship  lines  from  New  Orleans  to  New 
and  San  Francisco  to  Yokohama.  Mr.  Huntington  and  his 
associates  also  own  railroads  in  Mexico  and  Guatemala- 

Besides  these  vast  and  complex  interests,  Mr.  Huntington, 
as  an  individual,  controlled  at  one  time  the  Chesapeake  and 
Ohio  Railway,  the  Kentucky  Central,  the  Newport  News 
and  Mississippi  Valley  Co.  (which  included  the  Elizabeth- 
town,  Lexington  and  Big  Sandy  and  the  Chesapeake,  Ohio, 
and  Southwestern  railroads  in  Kentucky  and  Tennessee), 
and  the  Louisville,  New  Orleans  and  Texas  from  Memphis 
to  New  Orleans  ;  thus  practically  forming  an  uninterrupted 
railroad  line  from  Portland,  Oregon,  to  deep  water  at 
Hampton  Roads,  Va. 

Mr.  Huntington,  moreover,  is  a  large  owner  in  the  Pacific 
Mail  Steamship  Co.  and  the  Old  Dominion  Steamship  Co., 
and  is  a  director  in  the  Western  Union  Telegraph  and  many 
other  companies  in  which  he  is  financially  interested.  His 
organization  of  the  Old  Dominion  Land  Co.,  which  bought  the 
land  and  started  a  city  at  Newport  News,  Va. — an  enter- 
prise in  which  the  late  A.  A.  Low  was  largely  interested,  and 
which  he  lived  long  enough  to  see  develop  into  an  industrial 
and  manufacturing  interest  that  has  made  Newport  News 
one  of  the  principal  seaports  on  the  Atlantic  coast — is  too 
well  known  to  need  further  mention. 

But  the  latest  achievement  of  Mr.  Huntington's  genius  is 
the  great  shipyard  at  Newport  News,  where,  almost  alone  in 
the  financial  responsibility  involved,  he  has  built  up  a  great 
industrial  enterprise  which  employs  fifteen  hundred  to  two 
thousand  men,  and  has  already  turned  out  merchant  steam- 
ships of  large  tonnage,  whose  unusual  records  on  their  trial 
trips  have  excited  newspaper  comment. 

All  these  undertakings  attest  the  marvellous  business 
genius  of  the  man  upon  whom  his  fifty-six  years  of  unre- 
mitting labor  and  "  days'  works  "  have  told  so  lightly  ;  but 
this  brief  record  would  not  be  complete  unless  some  allusion 
were  made  to  his  philanthropic  spirit,  which  has  expressed 
itself  in  the  most  useful  ways.  While  his  benefactions  are 
many,  to  a  man  whose  mind  is  constituted  like  Mr.  Hunting- 
ton's the  truest  kindness  to  a  beneficiary  is  in  giving  him 
employment  by  which  he  can  earn  money  rather  than  in 
giving  him  the  money  itself.  The  celebrated  Industrial 
Works  at  Hampton,  Va.,  where  students  of  Negro  and 
Lidian  parentage  receive  the  benefits  of  an  education  of  the 
hand  as  well  as  the  head,  are  an  example  of  this  ;  while  the 
Huntington  Library  and  Reading  Room  in  his  own  town  of 
Westchester,  N.  Y.,  which  he  has  recently  given  to  the  town, 
with  an  endowment  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  is  an- 
other illustration  of  his  practical  philanthropy  in  a  similar 
direction.   

L.  DUNCAN  BULKLEY,  M.D. 

Although  the  life  of  a  physician,  no  matter  how  success- 
ful, is  a  hard  one,  and  the  more  successful  the  harder — it  is 
a  noticeable  fact  that  sons  are  more  prone  to  follow  their 
fathers  in  that  profession  than  in  any  other.  This  is, 
perhaps,  because  it  is  a  fascinating  study  and  is  looked  upon 
as  the  most  noble  profession,  as  capable  of  doing  the  most 
good  to  humanity. 


L.  Duncan  Bulkley,  A.M.,  M.D.,  is  a  case  in  point.  He 
is  one  of  New  York's  most  successful  ])h)sicians  and  is  the 
foremost  dermatologist  in  the  United  States.  His  father 
before  him,  13r.  Henry  D.  Bulkley,  was  a  jjhysician  and  a 
prominent  one  of  his  time.  He  died  in  187  2,  and  the  New 
York  Medical  Journal  of  the  time  says  of  him  : 

''  The  death  of  Dr.  Bulkley  occurred  on  the  4lh  of  Jan- 
uary, 1872.  For  nearly  half  a  century  he  has  been  identified 
with  the  medical  profession  of  this  city  and  might  be 
considered  as  one  of  the  links  which  connected  the  physi- 
cians of  old  New  York  with  those  now  living  among  us." 

The  elder  Dr.  Bulkley  was  a  distinguished  man.  He  was 
a  graduate  of  Yale,  an  extensive  traveller  in  Eurojie  in  the 
ac()uisition  of  professional  knowledge,  lecturer  of  a  high 
order,  editor  of  the  New  York  Medical  Times,  President  of 
the  New  York  .Academy  of  Medicine,  and  also  of  the  Medical 


L.  D.  BULKLEY. 


Society  of  the  County  of  New  York,  and  in  fact  he  was 
connected  in  one  shape  or  another  with  all  that  was  honor- 
able and  progressive  in  an  honorable  profession.  He  was 
the  first  lecturer  on  dermatology  in  the  country. 

His  son  is,  for  his  age,  no  less  distinguished.  He  was 
born  in  this  city  on  January  12,  1845,  and  graduated  from 
Yale  in  the  class  of  1866.  Three  years  later — 1869 — he 
received  the  degree  of  M.D.  from  the  College  of  Physicians 
and  Surgeons  and  of  A.M.  from  his  Alma  Mater.  After 
leaving  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  he  was  for 
some  time  house  physician  in  the  New  York  Hospital,  and 
subsequently  traveled  in  Europe  and  studied  dermatology 
in  London,  Paris  and  Vienna.  In  1870  Dr.  liulkley  was 
awarded  the  Stevens  Triennial  Prize  of  the  College  of 
Physicians  and  Surgeons  of  New  York,  for  an  essay  on 
"  Thermometry  in  Disease,"  and  the  Alvarenga  prize  by  the 
College  of  Physicians  of  Philadelphia,  in  1891,  for  an  essay 
on  "  Syphilis  Insontium."  He  is  well  known  as  the  trans- 
lator of  Neumann's  "  Handbook  of  Skin  Diseases,"  editor  of 
the  "Archives  of  Dermatology,"  author  of  a  treatise  on 


40 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS 


eczema,  a  manual  of  diseases  of  the  skin,  a  treatise  on 
acne,  and  numerous  other  articles  in  medical  journals  and 
encyclop.'edias. 

One  of  the  achievements  of  Ur.  Bulkley's  life  is  the 
originating  of  the  New  York  Skin  and  Cancer  Hospital,  of 
which  he  is  attending  physician.  He  is  likewise  attend- 
ing physician  for  skin  and  venereal  diseases  in  the  New 
York  Hospital,  consulting  dermatologist  of  the  Manhattan 
Eye  and  Ear  Hospital,  of  the  Hospital  for  Ruptured  and 
Crippled,  professor  of  dermatology  and  syphilis  in  the 
Post-Graduate  Medical  School,  meml)er  of  the  American 
Academy  of  Medicine,  American  Dermatological  Associa 
tion,  and  of  the  Union  League,  Quill,  and  Patria  c:iul)s. 
He  was  married  on  May  28,  1872,  to  Miss  Kate  La  Rue 
Mellick,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Brick  Presbyterian  Church. 


HENRY  MELVILLE. 

Henry  Melville,  of  the  bar  of  New  York  City,  the  eldest 
son  of  Josiah  H.  and  Nancy  (Nesmith)  Melville,  was  born 
in  Nelson,  N.  H..  August  25.  1858.  Preparing  himself  for 
college  largely  by  his  own  unaided  efforts,  he  entered  Dart- 
mouth at  the  age  of  sixteen  and  was  graduated  with  honors 
in  1879.  After  spending  two  years  as  the  head  of  a  High 
School  in  Massachusetts  he  entered  the  Law  School  of 
Harvard  University,  from  which  he  received  the  degrees  of 
A  M.  and  LL.B.  cum  laude,  in  1884,  at  the  same  time  being 


HENRY  MEI.VIM.K. 

appointed  by  the  faculty  to  represent  the  Law  Sc  hool  at  the 
University  Commencement.  His  oration,  on  the  subject  of 
"  National  Regulation  of  Interstate  Commerce,"  received 
much  commendation. 

Coming  to  New  York,  he  spent  a  year  in  the  office  of 
James  C;.  Carter  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1885  Soon 
after  he  formed  i)usiness  relations  with  New  York's  late 
distinguished  Senator,  Roscoe  Conkling.  which  continued 
until  the  death  of  the  latter.  Death  has  also  dissolved  his 
subsetpient  firm  of  Dougherty,  Melville  &  Sweetser  in  the 


taking  away  of  the  Silver  Tongued  Daniel  Dougherty.  Mr. 
Melville  devotes  his  attention  to  a  general  civil  practice  in 
the  higher  courts,  making  a  si)ecialty  of  cor])oration,  patent 
and  trademark  causes,  in  connection  with  which  he  has 
figured  in  prominent  and  important  litigations.  He  finds  » 
time,  however,  for  an  active  jiarticipation  in  politics — having 
been  secretary  of  the  Republican  Club  for  a  number  of 
years — and  for  many  social  matters.  Among  the  other 
organizations  in  which  he  takes  a  special  interest  are  the 
Association  of  the  Bar,  Harvard  Club,  New  England  Society, 
Seventh  Regiment  and  Sons  of  the  Revolution.  In  the 
Roster  of  the  last  it  ai)ijears  that  no  less  than  eight  of  his 
ancestors  fought  for  American  Independence.  His  career 
thus  far  has  been  a  success  and  augurs  well  for  the  future. 


AUGUST  SCHMID. 

Among  the  pioneer  brewers  of  this  country  there  is 
no  name  more  distinguished  than  August  Schmid,  not  only 
because  of  his  success  in  business,  but  because  of  his  in- 
trinsic merits  as  a  citizen,  a  man  of  culture  and  of  high 
character  generally. 

Mr.  Schmid  was  born  in  St.  Gallen,  or  St.  Gall,  in  one 
of  the  German  cantons  of  Switzerland.  His  father,  Joseph 
Schmid,  owned  a  large,  old-established  brewery  in  St.  Gall, 
and  was  therefore  able  to  give  his  son  a  good  education. 
At  an  early  age  the  boy  was  sent  to  the  Benedictine  College, 
where  the  basis  for  a  classical  training  was  laid,  with  the 
view  to  a  university  course. 

Me.intime  the  great  European  revolution  of  1848  broke 
out,  and  the  Swiss  brewer,  being  a  man  of  prominence,  hold- 
ing at  the  same  time  o|)inions  in  sympathy  with  those  essay- 
ing the  overthrow  of  despotism,  many  political  refugees 
froiii  various  lands  claimed  the  hospitality  of  his  home  on 
their  way  to  America.  Several,  also,  bad  been  in  America, 
visited  the  Schmid  mansion,  and  ex]>atiating  on  the  wide  field 
that  existed  in  the  New  World  for  brains  and  capital,  Mr. 
Schmid  himself  concluded  to  come  to  this  country,  which  he 
did  accordingly  ( 1835 ),  after  disposing  of  his  interests  in 
Switzerland.  Arriving  m  New  York,  he  looked  around  for  an 
opening,  and  deciding  that  the  West  i)resented  the  best  o])por- 
tunities,  he  went  to  Rock  Island,  111.,  and  buying  out  one  of 
the  oldest  and  most  extensive  brewers  in  that  section  started 
into  business.  At  that  time  the  (ierman  element  in  the 
West  was  comparatively  feeble,  and  the  ingredients  com- 
posing it  did  not  hold  a  high  status.  Mr.  Schmid,  a  man 
of  culture  and  education,  did  much  toward  raising  the 
standard,  and  soon  became  a  leader  of  much  influence  and 
po])ularity  in  the  Western  States. 

Meanwhile  August,  his  son,  was  sent  to  New  York  to 
resunie  an  educational  course  where  it  had  been  interrupted 
on  account  of  the  deixirture  from  Germany,  and  was  en- 
tered at  the  famous  academy  of  Dr.  Dulon,  of  which  Gen- 
eral Lranz  Sigel  was  one  of  the  professors.  Dr.  Dulon  was 
a  gentleman  of  the  old  school,  and  under  his  tuition  young 
Schmid  obtained  a  thorough  classical  training,  completed 
subsecpiently  in  the  colleges.  When,  therefore,  he  left  New 
York  to  associate  himself  in  business  with  his  father  he 
was  well  equipped  in  an  educational  sense,  and  in  the  Rock 
Island  brewery  gained  that  practical  knowledge  which  en- 
abled him  later  on  to  achieve  such  distinguished  success  in 
business  and  such  eminence  as  a  citizen.  But  in  order  to 
keep  pace  with  the  times  and  find  out  what  were  the  latest 
scientific  improvements  in  the  trade,  he  |)aid  a  visit  to  the 
Fatherland,  inspected  the  famous  breweries  of  Munich  and 
Yienna,  and  then  entered  the  tuiiversity  to  obtain  scientific 
training.  Mr.  Schmid  thoroughly  enjoyed  his  student  life, 
anil  ever  after  looked  back  u|)on  it  with  i)leasure  as  being 
mellow  with  joyous  reminiscences.  During  Mr.  Schmid's 
absence  in  Europe  his  father  sold  out  his  interest  in  the 
Rock  Island  brewery,  and  coming  to  New  York  entered 


YORK,  THE  METROPOLI. 


42 


JV£JV  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


into  partnership  with  Emanuel  IJornhcimer  in  purchasing 
the  Lion  Brewery,  on  Ninth  Avenue  and  One  Hundred 
and  Eighth  Street,  even  at  that  time  (1866)  considered 
one  of  the  leading  breweries  in  the  United  States. 

In  1867  August  Schmid  returned  from  Germany  and  at 
once  -took  practical  hold  of  the  enterprise.  His  ideas  were 
aggressive,  his  intelligence  keen  and  his  foresight  marvel- 
lous. He  worked  for  the  future,  and  every  one  knows  the 
result,  namely,  a  i)henomenal  success.  His  manufacture  of 
Pilsner  beer  was  the  result  of  these  ideas.  He  madealarge 
fortune  within  a  comparatively  short  time,  but  with  him 
money  was  a  secondary  consideration,  merely.  The  event 
of  his  life  was  his  marriage  to  a  charming  young  woman, 
his  social  equal,  handsome,  refined  and  educated,  with 
whom  he  lived  the  happiest  years  of  his  life.  He  had  three 
cliildren,  and  when  one  of  them,  August,  the  eldest,  his  only 
boy,  died  in  1886  at  the  age  of  eleven,  he  received  a  shock 
from  which  he  never  recovered.  Mr.  Schmid  was  a  fine- 
looking  man  physically,  full  of  gayety  and  exuberance  of 
sjjirits,  but  after  this  calamity  the  strong  man  drooped  and 
continued  to  droop,  and  never  rallied.  He  grew  weaker 
until  he  died  on  June  4,  i88g,  to  the  intense  sorrow  of  his 
family  and  friends. 

He  was  a  man  of  fine  character,  and  lield  a  high  social 
position.  He  gave  of  his  means  left  and  right  to  what  and 
whom  he  deemed  deserving,  and  was  a  philanthropist  in 
tile  highest  sen.se  of  the  word.  Though  a  man  of  devour- 
ing energy,  he  was  never  too  busy  to  do  good,  and  it  is 
known  of  him  that  he  was  a  genuine  friend  of  both  the  Ger- 
man Society  and  the  German  Hospital.  Had  he  lived  a 
bright  future  lay  before  him. 

His  widow,  Mrs.  Josephine  Schmid,  is  as  remarkable  in 
her  way  as  he  was  in  his.  She  took  up  the  reins  where,  in 
the  prime  of  his  manhood  he  left  them  down,  and  is  follow- 
ing the  same  lines,  and  as  his  successor  in  the  brewery 
interest  has  developed  into  a  clever  business  woman. 
-Apart  from  that,  she  follows  the  bent  of  an  intellectual 
mind  and  the  domestic  circle,  and  in  society  is  the  model 
of  what  a  true  lady  should  be. 


JAMES  ARMSTRONG  BLANCHARD. 

James  .Armstrong  Blanchard,  lawyer,  the  senior  member 
of  the  well-known  law  firm  of  Blanchard,  Gay  X:  Phelps  and 
ihe  younge-t  child  of  Philip  Blanchard  and  Catharine 
Drummond,  was  born  in  Jefferson  County,  New  York, 
forty  seven  years  ago.  His  ancestral  lines  on  the  side  of 
his  father  run  back  to  the  Huguenots,  and  to  the  Scotch  on 
the  side  of  his  mother.  When  he  was  nine  years  of  age  his 
parents  moved  to  Fond  du  I.ac  County,  Wisconsin,  and 
settled  on  a  farm.  Here  the  boy  battled  with  hoe  and 
scythe  in  summer  and  attended  the  district  school  in  winter. 
At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  lost  his  father  and  was  thrown  u])on 
his  own  resources.  For  a  year  or  two  he  worked  his  mother's 
farm  and  all  he  made  was  given  to  him.  'I  he  war  was  in 
progress  and  like  thousands  of  brave  and  patriotic  bo)  s  he 
enlisted.  He  joined  tlie  Second  Regiment  of  Wi.sconsin 
Cavalry  and  served  to  the  close  of  the  war.  On  his  return 
home  the  farm  had  been  sold  and  his  career  as  a  farmer 
was  at  an  end.  I-ike  every  boy  of  spirit  he  had  some  blind 
gropings  of  ambition  and  felt  the  need  of  education.  He 
entered  Ri])on  College,  intending  to  remain  a  year  and  then 
to  engage  in  business  with  his  brothers,  but  was  induced  by 
his  mother  and  teachers  to  remain  longer.  He  i)repared 
for  college,  pursued  the  classical  course  and  graduated  from 
that  institution  in  1871.  During  his  stay  at  college  he 
taught  some  to  meet  his  expenses  and  for  two  years  edited 
the  college  magazine. 

We  next  find  him  in  New  \wV  at  the  I, aw  School  of 
-Columbia  (College,  from  whi<  ii  he  graduated  in    187  5  and 


was  at  once  admitted  to  the  bar.  From  that  time  to  the 
present  his  career  has  been  marked  by  success.  Mr. 
Blanchard's  political  activities  for  some  years  have  been 
numerous,  varied  and  constant.  He  has  been  active  in  the 
regular  organization  as  well  as  the  club  work  of  his  party. 
He  represents  at  the  present  time  the  famous  Twenty-first 
-Assembly  District  (probably  the  wealthiest  Assembly  dis- 
trict in  the  country)  on  the  Executive  Committee  of  the 
Republican  (bounty  Committee,  and  brings  to  his  duties  a 
rare  energy  and  high  order  of  intelligence.  He  is  President 
of  the  Republican  Club  of  the  city  of  New  York,  which  club 
is  well  known  throughout  the  United  States.  It  was  this 
club  that  organized  the  National  Convention  of  Republican 
clubs.  Mr.  Blanchard  was  one  of  the  five  members  of  the 
club  who  in  the  spring  of  1887  were  appointed  a  committee 
for  the  purpose  and  who  brought  about  the  convention, 
which  was  held  at  ("bickering  Hall,  New  York,  in  Decem- 
ber of  that  year,  composed  of  1,500  delegates  representing 
more  than  a  thousand  clubs  from  twenty-eight  States  in  the 


.1  \MKS  A.  lU  ANC  HARD. 


linion.  This  convention  rijjened  into  the  Republican 
League  of  the  United  States.  Mr.  lilanchard  was  Us  Vice- 
President  for  the  State  of  New  A'ork  in  1888  and  1889,  and 
since  that  time  he  has  been  its  Executive  Member  for  this 
Slate  and  is  at  iireseiu  Cliairnian  of  its  Sub-l%\ecutive  Com- 
mittee. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  Bar  Association,  Lafayette  Post 
G.  -A.  R.,  the  Union  League  Club  and  various  other  organ- 
izations. He  is  possessed  of  artistic  and  literary  tastes,  and 
apart  from  the  profit  derived  from  a  large  legal  practice  he 
is  fond  of  the  study  of  law  as  a  science.  He  has  a  fine 
lii)rary  in  which,  ahhough  legal  works  predominate,  is  to  be 
found  a  valuable  miscellaneous  collection  as  well.  Mr. 
Blanchard  was  married  about  twelve  years  ago.  His  wife, 
Sallie  Medbery,  was  born  and  educated  in  Massachusetts. 
She  is  descended  from  the  earliest  settlers  of  New  England 
and  is  a  lineal  descendant  of  Roger  Williams.  They  have 
one  child,  a  boy  of  nine,  and  reside  at  No.  3  East  Seventy- 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


43 


seventh  Street,  this  city,  in  a  house  overlooking  the  park, 
bat  could  Mr.  Blanchard  follow  his  own  tastes  he  would 
prefer  to  live  in  a  quiet  country  home  surrounded  by  his 
books  and  his  friends. 


FRANCIS  H.  KIMBALL. 

Francis  H.  Kimball  was  born  in  the  village  of  Kcnne- 
bunk,  Maine,  on  September  23,  1845.  He  was  educated  in 
the  public  schools  and  entered  the  ofifice  of  his  broth-er-in- 
law  in  Haverhill,  Mass.,  at  an  early  age  to  learn  the  trade  of 
building.  Soon  after  the  war  broke  out,  however,  he  en- 
listed in  the  Navy,  and  after  serving  his  term  entered  the 
office  of  Louis  P.  Rogers,  a  prominent  architect  of  Boston 
who  was  soon  after  associateti  with  Gridley  J.  F.  Bryant. 
The  experience  he  gained  in  the  office  of  those  two  men  was 
of  inestimable  value  to  him  and  he  progressed  very  rapidly, 
so  rapidly  that  after  si.xteen  months  he  was  sent  to  Hartford, 
Conn.,  to  superintend  the  construction  of  the  Charter  Oak 
Life  Insurance  buildings,  both  immense  granite  edifices,  and 
Connecticut  Mutual. 

After  the  termination  of  his  engagement  with  this  firm 
he  was  employed  by  James  G.  Batterson,  of  Hartford,  who 
was  extensively  engaged  in  building  operations,  to  prepare 
competitive  drawings  for  the  new  capitol  proposed  to  be 
built  in  Hartford.  The  purchase  of  the  Trinity  College 
property  for  the  capitol  led  the  college  to  locate  a  little  out 
of  the  city,  and  the  college  authorities  engaged  William 
Burges,  a  celebrated  British  architect,  to  prepare  plans  for  a 
group  of  buildings.  Mr.  Kimball  was  deputed  to  go  to  Lon- 
don and  familiarize  himself  with  the  details,  and  after  nearly 
a  year  spent  in  Mr.  Burges'  office  for  this  purpose  he  returned 
to  Hartford  and  exercised  personal  supervision  over  the  con- 
struction of  the  college  buildings.  His  engagement  with  the 
TrinityCollege  authorities  as  a-sociate  architect  lasted  three 
years.  In  1879  he  was  called  to  Nevv  York  to  rebuild  the  Madi- 
son Square  Theatre  on  Twenty-fourth  street,  and  associated 
himself  with  Thomas  Wisedell,  who  died  in  1884.  Among 
other  buildings  he  erected  while  in  partnership  with  Mr. 
Wisedell  were  the  Casino,  Harrigan  &  Hart's  Theatre,  and 
while  alone  after  that  gentleman's  death,  the  Emmanuel 
Baptist  Church  in  Brooklyn,  the  Catholic  Apostolic  Church 
on  Fifty-seventh  street,  the  Corbin  Building,  corner  of  John 
street  and  Broadway,  the  remodeling  of  Austin  Corbin's 
residence  on  Fifth  avenue,  Fifth  Avenue  Theatre,  Har- 
rigan's  New  Theatre,  the  Montauk  Club,  Brooklyn,  and 
many  elegant  private  residences  in  Nevv  York  and  other 
cities.  He  is  now  associated  with  Mr.  G.  K.  Thompson  in 
the  erection  of  the  highest  office  building  in  the  world  for 
the  Manhattan  Life  Insurance  Company. 

Mr.  Kimball  was  married  in  Hartford,  Conn.,  to  Miss 
Jennie  C.  Witherell,  a  native  of  Falmouth,  Mass.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Players'  Club  and  a  Mason. 

JOHN    SABINE  SMITH. 

John  Sabine  Smith,  the  well-known  lawyer  and  Repub- 
lican politician,  was  born  on  Ajiril  2,  1842,  in  Randolph, 
Vt.  His  father  was  John  Spooner  Smith,  a  physician  who 
practised  in  that  town  for  fifty  years.  Dr.  Smith  was  the 
son  of  Samuel  Smith  and  grandson  of  the  Captain  Steele 
Smith  who  is  recorded  in  the  Vermont  State  annals  as  hav- 
ing been  the  first  settler  of  the  town  of  Windsor.  John 
Smith's  mother  was  Caroline  Sabine,  daughter  of  the  Rev. 
James  Sabine,  an  Episcopal  clergyman  who  came  to  this 
country  from  England  in  the  early  part  of  the  present  cen- 
tury. Hence  the  middle  family  name  of  Sabine.  His 
maternal  grandmother  was  a  daughter  of  Mr.  John  Danford, 
a  well-known  Phiglish  barri^ter  of  his  time. 

Mr.  Smith,  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  educated  in 
Orange  County  Grammar  School  and  was  entered  at  Trinity 
College,  Hartford,  when  sixteen  years  old.     He  graduated 


at  the  head  of  the  class  in  1863  and  immediately  began 
teaching  school  in  Troy,  N.  Y.  Like  many  other  young 
men  Mr.  Smith  got  i.ito  debt  for  his  education  and  college 
expenses  generally,  but  of  this  debt  he  licpiidated  every  dol- 
lar from  his  earnings  as  a  teacher  and  then  began  the  study 
of  law  with  a  light  heart.  He  pursued  his  legal  studies 
under  George  Gould,  ex-Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court,  in 
Troy,  and  was  called  to  the  bar  in  Poughkeepsie  in  May. 
1868.  Coming  to  New  York  in  1869  he  entered  the  law 
office  of  W.  E.  Curtis,  afterward  Chief  Justice  of  the 
Superior  Court,  and  has  ever  since  been  engaged  in  the  suc- 
cessful practice  of  the  law  in  this  city. 

Among  his  clients  are  several  well-known  capitalists. 
Mr.  Smith  has  always  been  a  staunch  Republican.  He  was 
the  Chairman  of  the  Sub-FLxecutive  Committee  of  the 
Re])ublican  League  and  had  charge  of  their  work  during 
the  Presidential  contest  resulting  in  the  election  of  General 
Harrison.  He  is  now  the  President  of  the  Republican  Club 
of  the  City  of  New  York.    In  the  late  campaign  (1892)  he 


JOHN  SABINE  SMITH. 


was  the  Chairman  of  the  Caini)aign  Committee  of  Fifty  of 
that  club.  He  was  the  Republican  candidate  for  Surrogate 
in  New  York  City  the  same  year,  and  received  the  highest 
vote  of  any  candidate,  national,  state  or  local,  on  the  ticket. 
Mr.  Smith  is  now  the  President  of  the  Republican  County 
Committee  of  the  City  and  County  of  Nevv  York. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  Universiiy  Club,  the  Lawyers' 
Club,  the  Church  (Episcopal)  Club,  the  Phi  Beta  Kappa 
Society,  Treasurer  of  the  East  Side  House,  President  of 
the  New  York  Association  of  the  Alumni  of  Trinity  College, 
President  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  Society  of  Medical 
Jurisprudence,  is  in  fact  a  club  man  essentially,  and  a  hard 
worker  in  many  organizations,  social  and  political. 


MARTIN  B.  BROWN. 

To  the  serious  student  there  is  no  more  interesting  read- 
ing than  the  history  of  the  growth  and  develoi)ment  of  the 
printing  press.    If  he  has  imagination  he  can  easily  picture 


44 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


to  himself  the  shade  of  Benjamin  Franklin  gazing  from 
the  stars  at  the  tremendous  power  and  energy  of  the 
printing  presses  of  to-day  in  com|jarison  with  their  puny 
efforts  in  his  own  time.  Nor  would  the  comparison  be  con- 
fined to  newspaper  presses  of  the  great  dailies.  It  would 
naturally  extend  to  the  immense  dis])arity  in  the  ordinary 
printing  establishment  of  to-day  and  a  hundred  years  ago. 
Let  us  take,  for  instance,  the  mammoth  establishment  of 
Martin  B.  Brown  on  Park  Place,  as  it  is  engaged  turning  out 
the  millions  of  ballots  necessary  for  the  New  York  City 
election  in  a  Presidential  year,  the  City  Record,  which  is  the 
official  pul)lication  of  New  York  City,  and  in  fine  news- 
papers, pamphlets,  literary  matter  of  all  kinds,  until  the 
brain  almost  reels  in  their  contemplation.  But  that  is  not 
all,  for  in  other  departments  the  printing  and  binding  of 
ledgers  and  mercantile  books  of  every  description  for  various 


of  energy,  ])erseverance  and  native  ability  he  arrived  at  the 
stage  where  we  find  him  at  jiresent  in  the  midst  of  a  bril- 
liantly successful  career. 

In  the  intervals  of  his  business  Mr.  Brown  has  taken 
time  to  attend  to  public  affairs  in  which  he  has  always 
manifested  a  keen  interest,  but  though  a  very  popular  man 
in  the  city  he  has  with  a  single  exception  never  accepted 
office.  When  it  was  found  necessary  in  Governor  Fenton's 
time  to  organize  t!ie  fire  de])artment  in  a  manner  commen- 
surate with  the  growth  of  the  <:ity,  tliat  statesman  appre- 
ciating his  organizing  powers  a|)pointed  him  fire  commis- 
sioner. How  well  he  did  his  w  ork  the  annals  of  the  city  go 
to  show. 

For  many  years  he  has  done  the  greater  jjartof  the  city's 
printing  as  well  as  the  manufacturing  of  the  ledgers  and 
other  account  books  for  the  public  offices  and  departments. 


M \ KTIN 

corporations  are  going  on  and  hundreds  of  hands  are  kept 
busy.  The  mere  sujierintending  of  such  an  establishment 
requires  a  high  order  of  executive  ability.  It  is  true  that 
Mr.  Brown's  printing  house  is  one  of  the  largest  and  best 
ecpiipijed  in  the  world  and  is  therefore  hardly  a  fair  test  of 
even  the  average  metropolitan  establishment,  but,  jjerhajjs, 
for  that  very  reason  it  goes  to  show  what  an  enormous 
advance  has  been  made  in  the  art  since  Benjamin  Franklin 
turned  a  hand  i)ress  to  bring  out  his  small  newspaper. 

Martin  15.  Brown  was  born  in  Ireland,  but  having  been 
l)rought  to  this  country  at  the  age  of  seven  his  earliest  recol- 
lections are  of  the  United  States,  its  free  institutions  and 
the  broad,  field  it  presents  for  the  ambitious  and  enter- 
prising. Leaving  school  at  the  age  of  thirteen  he  aj)plied 
himself  to  the  printing  trade  and  step  by  step  by  sheer  force 


1!.  liK(  >\\  N. 

He  has  printed  the  City  Rccoi  il  since  its  ince|)tion,  and  the 
eleven  millions  of  ballots  recpiired  at  elections  are  printed 
and  tlistributed  under  his  direction.  He  does  the  work  well 
and  if  remarkable  for  one  (piality  more  than  another  it  is 
reliability.  He  has  three  establishments,  and  notwithstand- 
ing the  apparent  diversity  in  the  various  branches  of  his 
business  everything  moves  smoothly,  and  we  may  add, 
scientifically,  under  his  skillful  management. 

Notwithstanding  the  magnitude  of  his  business  Mr. 
Brown  finils  time  to  engage  in  other  enteri)rises.  He  is 
largely  interested  in  the  ice  manufacturing  industry  at  Far 
R()(  kaway.  the  only  ice  concern  of  that  nature  on  Long 
Island.  He  is  vice-president  of  the  Nineteenth  \\  ard  Bank, 
also  of  the  Excelsior  Steam  Power  Co.,  a  member  of  the 
Manhattan,  Press,  Catholic  and  Sagamore  Clubs  :  the  Home 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


45 


Club,  Democratic  ("lub,  Tammany  Society,  Arion  Society, 
Liederkranz  and  many  other  organizations.  He  was 
married  in  1873  to  Miss  Tillie  Burke,  daughter  of  Edward 
Burke,  of  the  First  Ward,  and  has  a  daughter  seventeen 
years  of  age. 

Mr.  Brown  being  of  middle  age  has  a  still  more  useful 
career  before  him.  Personally,  he  is  genial,  affable,  cour- 
teous and  possesses  all  the  attributes  which  render  him  so 
deservedly  popular  among  his  fellow  citizens. 


CHARLES  H.  HASWELL. 

Charles  H.  Haswell,  the  eminent  civil,  marine  and  con- 
sulting engineer,  was  born  in  this  city  in  1809,  and  is  now 
the  oldest  member  of  his  profession  in  harness  in  the  United 
States.  He  is  distinguished  in  all  the  branches  of  a  profes- 
sion requiring  education  and  ability,  and  in  his  time  has 
been  connected  with  great  works  in  this  and  other  cities 
since  he  began  his  professional  career  in  1828.  In  that  year 
he  entered  the  employ  of  James  P.  Allaire,  of  New  York, 
manufacturer  of  steam  engines,  and  in  1836  entered  the 
United  States  Navy  as  the  Chief  Engineer,  and  in  1843  was 
commissioned  Engineer-in-Chief.  During  his  service  in  the 
navy  he  designed  and  constructed  the  first  steam  launch, 
the  "  Sweetheart."  On  her  first  trip  in  the  East  River  she 
was  saluted  by  the  steamboats  and  assemblages  of  people  on 
the  piers  ;  also  by  ten  war  vessels.  After  retiring  from  the 
navy(i85i)he  built  five  merchant  steamers,  constructed 
the  crib  bulkhead  on  Hart's  Island,  half  a  mile  in  length, 
laid  out  the  surveys  for  the  Produce  Exchange,  New  Jersey 
Central  building  and  many  other  important  M'orks,  including 
Field's  Wells'  Standard  Oil.  He  has  in  one  way  or  the 
other,  during  the  past  forty  years,-  been  connected  with 
the  growth  of  New  York  City  in  a  professional  sense,  and 
as  conceded  by  all,  has  done  his  work  faithfully,  accurately 
and  intelligently.  His  record,  of  which  he  may  justly  be 
proud,  has  given  him  a  national  reputation,  and,  as  the  dean 
of  engineers  in  this  country,  is  looked  up  to  with  respect  and 
esteem.  He  dedicates  most  of  his  time  and  talent  at  present 
to  city  surveying,  and  as  consulting  engineer  is  often  called 
into  activity.  Mr.  Haswell  also  gives  much  of  his  attention 
to  designs  and  specifications  of  steamers,  engines  and  boilers, 
the  superintendence  of  construction  and  setting  of  boilers 
for  elevators,  steam  heating  apparatus,  rock  and  earth  work, 
rapacity  of  floors  and  stores,  and  many  other  things  con- 
nected with  his  profession.  In  1853  Emperor  Nicholas  pre- 
sented him  with  a  diamond  ring  for  some  professional 
service. 

Mr.  Haswell  was  Trustee  of  the  Brooklyn  Bridge,  is  a 
member  of  the  American  Society  of  Civil  Engineers,  the 
Civil  Engineers'  Society  of  New  York,  Boston  and  Phil- 
adelphia, of  the  Institute  of  Civil  Engineers  and  Naval 
Architecture  of  Great  Britain,  the  Meteorological  and  the 
Microscopical  Societies,  and  many  kindred  organizations. 

JOSEPH  WILD. 

In  the  summer  of  1891  an  air  of  bustle  pervaded  the 
Oriental  Hotel  on  Manhattan  Beach.  Guests  kept  arriving 
rapidly,  waiters  hurried  hither  and  thither,  and  it  was 
apparent  to  even  the  most  superficial  observer  that  some- 
thing unusual  was  going  on.  In  fact  it  was  a  golden  wed- 
ding that  was  being  celebrated,  and  the  celebrants  were  Mr. 
Joseph  Wild,  the  well-known  manufacturer,  and  his  wife, 
Eliza  Julia,  he  had  married  half  a  century  before.  Since 
then  (1841)  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wild  have  sailed  down  the  stream 
of  time,  calmly  and  smoothly,  enjoying  uninterrupted  pros- 
perity, meeting  with  few  reverses,  doing  good  everywhere 
they  could.  Hence  it  is  small  wonder  that  they  looked 
much  younger  than  they  were,  or  that  follvs  wondered  how 
Mr.  Wild  could  be  celebrating  his  golden  wedding,  though 


as  a  matter  of  fact  he  was  in  his  seventy-ninth  year. 
Mr.  Wild  came  to  this  city  from  Halifax,  Yorkshire,  Eng- 
land, in  1852,  and  was  employed  as  agent  for  the  big  carpet 
house  of  Crossley  tS:  Sons,  with  whom  he  remained  until 
1865,  when  he  started  in  business  for  himself  instead  of 
returning  to  England  as  he  originally  intended-  He  asso- 
ciated Mr.  John  Cartledge  with  him  in  business  and 
that  gentleman  is  still  a  partner.  They  began  by  importing 
carpets  and  connected  with  the  carjjet  industry  and  have 
now  three  factories  in  operation  in  which  they  manufacture 
for  themselves,  one  in  .\storia,  one  in  Brooklyn,  and  a  third 
on  Staten  Island.  They  purchase  all  kinds  of  skins,  includ- 
ing goats,  sheep,  leopards  and  tigers,  and  in  the  Brooklyn 
factory  they  do  preparing  and  dyeing.  In  1872  the  firm 
purchased  the  English  patent  right  for  the  manufacture  of 
linoleum  and  estal)lished  works  on  Staten  Island,  covering 
200  acres,  for  the  business,  with  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  water 
front.  In  this  factory  are  sixteen  steam  engines  and  a  very 
large  number  of  hancls  are  employed,  as  they  arc  the  only 
makers  of  inlaid  or  tile  linol'^nm  in  the  country. 


.4 


\ 


JOSEPH  WILD. 

The  firm  have  also  a  factory  in  British  India  where  cocoa- 
nut  matting  is  made,  and  they  import  extensively  from  China, 
Japan.  Persia  and  the  Orient  generally.  The  career  of  the 
house  has  been  one  of  steady  prosperity  not  stayed  by  the 
panic  year  of  1857,  the  war,  or  the  disastrous  year  of  1873 
which  overthrew  so  many  apparently  solid  commercial  con- 
cerns. The  secret  of  this  success  lies  largely  in  the  intelli- 
gence, ]jerseverance  and  high  character  of  Mr.  Wild  and  his 
partner. 

Mr.  U'ild  lives  in  Bay  Ridge,  overlooking  New  York  Bay, 
to  which  pleasure  grounds  of  fourteen  acres  are  attached. 
He  allows  himself  more  leisure  now  than  when  he  was  build- 
ing up  his  magnificent  business,  and  devotes  a  good  deal  of 
it  as  well  as  his  money  to  church  and  charitable  works.  In- 
deed, Mr.  Wild  is  a  j^hilmthropist  in  the  highest  sense  of  the 
word.  He  is  deacon  in  Dr.  Hull's  Baptist  Church  on  Fourth 
avenue  and  Fifteentli  street,  Brooklyn  ;  takes  a  keen  in- 
terest in  home  and  foreign  missions  and  has  been  mainly 


46 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


instrumental  in  building  the  West  End  Baptist  ("hun  h,  also 
the  Old  Toadies'  Home. 

In  fine  Mr.  Joseph  Wild  is  a  man  of  whom  two  great 
cities  are  justly  proud  as  well  they  may  be,  representing  as 
he  does  the  best  elements  of  both. 


LUDWIG  NISSEN. 

Ik'forc  the  World's  Fair  Committee  of  the  New  York  Leg- 
islature in  Albany  in  the  spring  of  1892,  together  with  dele- 
gations from  the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  the  New  ^'ork 
Board  of  Trade,  the  various  mercantile  exchanges  and  rep- 
resentatives of  all  important  trades  and  industries  of  the 
State,  appeared  a  delegation  of  three  representing  the  differ- 
ent branches  of  the  jewelry  trade,  asking  that  the  State 
appropriation  for  exhibits  be  increased.  The  members 
com])osing  this  delegation  were  Charles  L.  Tiffany,  a  name 
familiar  wherever  diamonds  are  worn,  Joseph  Fahys,  hardly 
less  celebrated  in  his  line  and  Ludwig  Nissen.  Mr.  Nissen 
was  chairman  of  the  delegation.  He  is  a  man  of  s])lendi(l 
physique,  aristocratic  features  and  gentlemanly  bearing. 
People  began  inquiring  at  once  who  the  gentleman  was,  and 
were  informed  that  he  was  Fudwig  Nissen,  Treasurer  of  the 
New  York  Jewellers'  Association,  a  position  that  in  itself 
commands  instant  respect.  And  when,  in  his  cai)acity  of 
chairman,  he  began  to  advance  rea.sons  why  the  World's 
Fair  grant  should  be  increased,  he  riveted  the  closest  atten- 
tion by  his  modest  and  graceful  delivery.  Not  only  that, 
but  his  reasoning  was  so  clear,  his  diction  so  elegant  and  his 
logic  so  convincing,  it  was,  in  fact,  so  fine  an  effort,  that  the 
New  York  Tribune  correspondent  telegrajihed  the  speech  to 
New  York,  verbatim,  which  is  an  honor  only  accorded  to 
the  unusual  utterances  of  extraordinary  men. 

And,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  Mr.  Nissen  is  an  extraordi- 
nary man  with  an  extraordinary  history,  as  the  readers  of 
his  biographical  sketch  in  this  volume  will  acknowledge, 
.^nd  it  is  also  instructive  as  showing  the  glorious  possibilities 
of  this  country  to  those  possessing  cap;icity,  energy  and  the 
resolve  to  ignore  such  a  word  as  failure  in  their  vocabulary. 

Ludwig  Nissen  was  born  in  Husum,  Schleswig-Holstein, 
on  December  2,  1855.  He  came  of  distinguished  family, 
and  was  connected  by  blood  with  the  famous  Danish  states- 
man, George  Nicholaus  von  Nissen.  On  the  maternal  side 
he  traces  his  descent  from  the  old  I'olish  nobility.  His 
mother  was  a  direct  descendant  of  Count  von  Dawartzky, 
who,  for  having  taken  an  active  part  in  the  Polish  revolution 
toward  the  close  of  the  eighteenth  centur)',  was  exiled  and 
his  estates  confiscated  by  the  Russian  government. 

Mr.  Nissen  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  his 
native  town,  and  was  at  an  early  age  appointed  to  a  position 
in  the  Im|)erial  District  Court  of  Schleswig-Holstein.  The 
redtape  of  offices  chafed  his  spirit,  and  he  grew  discon- 
tented. He  had  the  consciousness  of  jjosscssing  abilities 
for  the  accomplishment  of  greater  things  than  handling 
official  documents.  Above  all  he  desired  to  engage  in  mer- 
cantile ])ursuits,  and  to  do  so  in  the  United  States,  where 
the  possibilities  were  boundless.  .Against  this  idea  his 
father  set  his  face,  but  the  son  persisting,  he  said  to  him  at 
length  : 

"Well,  you  can  go  to  America  ;  you  can  be  a  merchant  if 
fortune  favors  you  ;  but  consider,  here  you  have  a  good 
situation,  while  there  you  will  be  absolutely  friendless,  per- 
haps jjenniless." 

'I'his  was  not  encouraging,  but  l.udwig  accepted  the 
alternative  and  landed  here  in  New  \'ork  on  September  11, 
1 87 2,  with  the  magnificent  sum  of  $2.50  in  his  pocket  and 
the  Western  Hemisphere  all  in  front  of  him.  Mr.  Nissen, 
Sr.,  doubtless  thought  that  his  son,  disgusted  with  the  pros- 
])ect  before  him  in  .America,  would  at  once  write  for  money 
to  take  him  home,  but  he  evidently  was  ignorant  of  the  real 
character  of  liis  son  and  his  dauntless  resolution. 


As  may  be  supjjosed,  it  did  not  take  long  to  spend  $2.50, 
even  with  the  most  grinding  economy,  and  the  young  sprig 
of  European  nobility  had  to  scan  the  want  columns  of  the 
metropolitan  pajiers  for  a  chance  to  do  something  by  which 
to  earn  a  living.  One  day  he  was  fortunate  enough  to  pro- 
cure a  place  as  barber's  assistant  through  the  columns  of 
the  Staats  Zeifung.  To  be  sure  it  w-as  not  exactly  what  he 
wanted  or  in  the  direct  line  of  his  mercantile  ambition,  but, 
as, the  Spaniards  say,  "When  you  cannot  get  what  you  like, 
you  must  like  what  you  can  get,"  and  so  Ludwig  Nissen,  the 
elegant  of  Husum,  installed  himself  as  barber's  assistant  on 
Madison  Street,  New  York  City.  His  duties  in  this  role 
were  more  numerous  than  aristocratic,  among  them  being 
stove-polishing,  boot-blacking  and  dusting  the  coats  of  his 
employer's  customers.  But  he  did  those  things  well,  for  he 
does  everything  well,  and  after  four  months'  servitude  re- 
signed for  the  ])urpose  of  taking  a  ])osition  as  dishwasher  in 
a  hotel  on  Dey  Street.  Here  he  gained  the  favor  of  his  em- 
])loyer,  and  was  promoted  successively  to  waiter,  book- 
keeper and  cashier.  This  was  doing  well,  but  as  his  central 
idea  was  mercantile  he  w'as  not  satisfied,  and  so  he  procured 
a  situation  in  a  factory  where  he  hoped  to  gain  knowledge 
of  details  and  become  a  manufacturer  himself.  After  a 
short  time  the  factory  became  insolvent,  and  Mr.  Nissen, 
too  i)roud  to  go  back  to  the  hotel,  went  in  as  assistant  to  a 
butcher,  and  later,  ha\  ing  saved  some  money,  engaged  in 
the  business  himself.  Here  he  met  a  streak  of  bad  luck 
and  failed  of  success,  but  ])aid  his  creditors  in  full  and  left 
the  store  with  a  capital  of  58  cents  to  begin  the  world  afresh 
with.  In  other  words  he  was  poorer  by  nearly  $2  than 
when  he  landed  in  New  York.  This  would  be  discouraging, 
only  that  Mr.  Nissen  was  barely  twenty-one,  and  had  a  fine 
jjhysical  system  surcharged  with  hope,  ambition  and  a  strong 
resolution  to  climb  to  the  top.  His  small  business  ventures 
had  enabled  him  to  show  that  he  ])ossesscd  integrity  and 
character,  and  hence  he  made  many  influential  friends,  one 
of  whom  placed  at  his  disposal  ^^500  with  which  to  purchase 
a  half  interest  in  a  restaurant.  After  a  while  his  partner 
left  for  Europe  on  family  affairs,  and  buying  out  his  interest 
Mr.  Nissen  became  sole  proprietor.  He  was  doing  well  in 
this  venture  when  he  was  induced  to  go  into  partnershiji  in 
the  wholesale  wine  business  by  a  smooth  tongued  man  who 
made  great  {)romises.  After  an  experience  of  eight  months 
he  discovered  that  his  partner  was  everything  but  what  he 
represented  himself  to  be,  found  his  ca])ital  of  S5.000  gone 
and  himself  $1,000  in  debt.  Thus  for  the  third  time  he 
found  himself  with  nothing  but  an  exuberant  fiow  of  sjjirits, 
which  all  the  misfortunes  in  the  world  could  not  deprive 
him  of,  and  the  all-pervading  idea  of  becoming  a  great  mer- 
chant. The  opportunity  jjresented  itself  sooner  than  he  ex- 
pected, though,  of  course,  he  knew  it  had  to  come. 

In  May,  1881,  he  entered  into  i)artnership  with  a  Mr. 
Schilling  in  the  diamond  .setting  and  jewelry  business  under 
the  firm  name  of  Schilling  &:  Nissen.  Here  he  was  in  his 
element.  He  was  a  merchant.  He  worked  day  and  night, 
mastered  such  details  and  displayed  such  ability  as  salesman, 
|)urchaser  and  business  manager  that  in  the  nature  of  things 
the  firm  name  was  transposed  to  Ludwig  Nissen  &  Co. 
Five  years  later  he  bought  his  old  partner  out  and  admitted 
a  new  one,  the  firm  name  remaining  the  same.  He  fought 
step  by  stc])  against  capital  and  fierce  competition,  overcame 
every  difficulty,  surmounted  every  obstacle,  became  im- 
mensely popular  with  the  trade,  built  u|)  his  business  to  one 
of  the  first  in  his  line,  until  finally,  as  already  implied,  he 
was  elected  Treasurer  of  one  of  the  most  conservative  cor- 
]iorations  in  the  world.  He  is  a  Director  of  the  Sherman 
Bank  in  New  York,  and  various  other  business  corporations. 

After  having  read  this  too  brief  sketch,  who  will  say 
there  is  no  romance  in  trade? 

For  the  re^t,  Mr.  Nissen  takes  a  keen  interest  in  jjublic 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METRO J'OL/S. 


47 


48 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


affairs.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Liederkranz,  the  (ierman 
Society,  the  (lerman  Hosi)ital,  lielongs  to  the  high  social 
clubs — one  the  famous  Hanover  Club  of  Brooklyn,  in  which 
city,  where  he  lives,  he  is  as  popular  as  he  is  in  New  York, 
where  he  does  business.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Ger- 
manic of  Brooklyn.  Ten  years  ago  he  married  a  German- 
American  lady,  but  has  no  children. 

Mr.  Nissen  is  still  a  young  man  with,  in  probability, 
a  brilliant  career  before  him — a  career  which  his  talents 
entitle  him  to,  undoubtedly. 


S.  A.  BROWN. 

\\'hen  a  business  house  has  been  in  existence  more  than 
three-(|uarters  of  a  century  in  this  new  world  with  its  rapid 
changes  and  mutations  it  may  without  exaggeration  be  set 
down  as  an  old  landmark.  Such  is  the  wholesale  and  retail 
drug  store  of  S.  A.  Brown,  28  and  30  Fulton  street,  which 
was  founded  in  1806,  and  is  therefore,  so  to  speak,  in  its 
third  generation.  The  philosophical  saying  that  the  "fittest 
survive"  has  no  truer  meaning  than  when  applied  to  old 
commission  houses  which  have  stood  the  shocks  of  financial 
disaster  tiiat  destroyed  others  deemed  solid  until  the  test 
came  and  laid  their  jtride  in  the  dust.  Through  foreign  and 


S.  .\.  likOWN. 


domestic  wars,  through  financial  jjanics,  which  includes 
Black  Friday,  through  all  kinds  of  revolution  this  ancient 
house  has  stood  and  nourished  and  planted  its  roots  more 
firmly  in  the  ground,  until  to-day  it  is  known  all  over  the 
country  and  receives  orders  even  iKmi  Mexico  and  the 
South  .American  Republics. 

Dr.  S.  A.  Brown  its  proprietor,  was  born  in  I'liilacK  Ijiliia 
in  1847  and  served  an  apprcnti(  eship  of  four  years  witli  I,. 
J.  R.  Augey,  one  of  the  oldest  drug  houses  of  that  city.  He 
graduated  in  Pharmacy  in  1867  and  in  Medic  ine  in  1875. 
He  entered  the  present  establishment  in  1867,  and  as- 
sumed the  pro|)rietorshi])  in  1881,  succeeding  Hiram 
Nott  and  Iv  .Armstrong,  and  |)nr(hasing  tlie  patent 
'rights  of  the  former.     i  Ik-  fame  of  the  house  has  lost 


nothing  in  the  hands  of  Dr.  Brown,  but  has  on  the  contrary 
increased.  In  this  store  a  comprehensive  stock  of  drugs, 
chemicals,  toilet  articles  and  everything  that  should  be  in- 
cluded in  an  establishment  of  the  kind  is  carried.  Medical 
chests  for  ships  and  families  are  furnished,  and  orders,  small 
as  well  as  large,  receive  proinpt  attention,  and  are  filled  at 
the  lowest  inarket  rates.  A  specialty  is  made  of  chamois 
skins,  carriage  sponges,  etc.,  which  as  well  as  the  other 
supplies  in  the  store  are  the  best  procurable  for  money.  Of 
Dr.  Brown  and  his  business  a  late  edition  of  the  A'ew  York 
Historical  Review  says  : 

"  Dr.  Brown's  is  essentially  a  representative  establish- 
ment, and  the  large  trade  it  controls  is  but  the  legitimate 
result  of  the  energy,  skill  and  approved  methods  of  its 
proprietor,  than  whom  there  is  no  inore  highly  esteemed 
gentleman  in  general  business  and  social  circles." 

The  estate,  of  which  he  is  the  sole  proprietor,  has  lately 
taken  the  premises  from  226  to  230  Fulton  street  for  manufac- 
turing ])hysicians'  supplies  and  specialties  under  the  name 
of  the  "  Sabron  Medicine  Comjjany." 

In  1875  Dr.  Brown  married  the  daughter  of  Colonel  J. 
Lentz  of  Philadeljihia. 


CYRUS  EDSON,  M.D. 

Among  all  the  distinguished  men  whose  names  appear 
in  these  sketches  there  is  none  more  brilliant  than  Cyrus 
Kdson,  M.D.,  Chief  of  the  New  York  Board  of  Health.  He 
is  a  man  of  marked  ability  and  of  versatile  talents  who  has 
been  tried  in  many  positions  and  been  successful  in  all. 
This  success  of  his  may  be  set  down  to  two  causes — one 
natural  genius,  the  other  untiring  investigation,  which  latter, 
of  course,  means  hard  work. 

Dr.  Edson  was  born  in  Albany,  N.  Y.,  and  was  the 
eldest  of  seven  children.  He  comes  of  a  family  of  good  old 
English  stock  and  can  trace  his  descent  on  one  side  from 
Deacon  Samuel  Edson,  who  came  to  this  country  in  1635 
and  settled  in  Bridgewater,  Massachusetts,  and  on  the  other 
from  Roger  Williarns,  the  famous  founder  of  Rhode  Island. 

He  came  to  New  A'ork  in  1866,  and  began  his  studies  in 
the  Albany  Academy.  At  the  age  of  thirteen  he  was  sent 
to  the  military  boarding  school  at  Tlirogg's  Neck  and  was 
subseipiently  entered  at  the  Columbia  College  for  a  thorough 
classical  education.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  his  father  sent 
him  to  Europe,  over  which  he  travelled  extensively  as  well  as 
in  this  country  on  his  return  from  abroad,  observing  every- 
thing the  while  from  a  medical  student's  standpoint,  and 
visiting  famous  hosj)itals  in  the  great  cities  for  i)urposes  of 
study.  Re-entering  Columbia  College  he  was  soon  noted 
for  his  progress  in  scholarly  attainments  and  his  faculty  for 
absorbing  ideas  as  well  as  for  his  proficiency  in  athletics.  He 
was  one  of  the  successful  crew  that,  after  defeating  its  Amer- 
ican competitors,  was  sent  by  the  Alumni  of  Columbia  Col- 
lege to  Europe  to  measure  itself  against  the  crews  of  Oxford 
and  Cambridge,  from  whom  it  ( arried  off  the  visitors'  cup. 
.\fter  leaving  Columbia  young  Edson  entered  the  College  of 
Physicians  and  Surgeons.  Here  he  waselected  Grand  Marshal 
of  the  graduating  ceremonies  by  his  fellow  students,  a  time- 
honored  custom  which  entitles  the  most  pojjidar  man  to 
lead  his  class  to  graduation.  He  left  this  institution  with 
honors  and  .soon  after  began  |)ractice  as  an  ambulance  sur- 
geon in  the  Chambers  Street  Hosi)ital. 

In  fanuarv.  1882,  Dr.  Edson  was  apjjointed  on  the  med- 
ic ai  staff  of  the  Health  Department  as  assistant  inspector 
and  his  duties  were  connectetl  with  the  sujjpression  of  the 
small-pox  epidemic  of  that  year.  Here  his  services  were 
found  so  valuable  and  so  highly  a]>])reciated  by  the  author- 
ities that  he  was  jjlaced  on  the  permanent  staff  of  the  Health 
Department  and  promoted  successively  to  the  ditterent 
grades  until  he  reached  the  high  jiosition  he  now  holds  as 
Medical  Commissioner  of  the  Board.    In  the  dilTerent  posi- 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


49 


tions  In-  lias  lu'ld  lie  lias  achicN  t-d  distinction  and  rendered 
valuable  services  to  the  puljjic.  Under  his  supervision  e])i- 
demics  have  been  stam])ed  out  with  a  rapidity  and  an  intel- 
ligence rarely  ecpudled,  and  his  mastering  of  the  ty])hus 
fever  epidemic  of  1892  has  made  him  famous  all  over  tlic 
world.  He  has  also  done  much  toward  the  suppression  of 
food  adulteration,  the  selling  of  bad  drugs  ancl  ])oisonous 
confectionery  and  would  have  accomjilished  imuc  had  he 
fuller  powers. 

He  has  written  many  articles  on  hygiene  and  other  im- 
portant subjects  for  the  No'th  Aiiiericaii  Rez-uw,  and  con- 
sidering the  hard  work  imposed  upon  him  and  the  limited 
time  ai  his  disposal,  may  be  considered  a  prolific  writer. 
Among  the  many  positions  of  trust  he  holds  may  be  men- 
tioned those  of  Surgeon,  with  the  rank  of  Colonel,  in  the 
New  York  State  Militia,  visiting  ]ihysician  to  the  Charity 
Hos])ital,  Secretary  of  the  Committee  on  Hygiene.  He  is 
member  also  of  many  medical  societies.  He  is  President  of 
the  Board  of  Pharmacy  and  has  held  the  latter  office  for 
three  successive  terms. 

His  first  wife  was  Miss  Virginia  Churchill  Page,  grand- 
niece  of  the  Fifth  Duke  of  Marlborough,  by  whom  he  has 
five  children.  She  died  in  July,  1891,  and  Dr.  Edson  mar- 
ried again  in  May,  1892.  His  second  wife  was  Mrs.  Mary 
E.  Quick,  nee  Van  Velsor. 

The  appointment  of  Dr.  Edson  to  be  Health  Commis- 
sioner of  the  city  of  New  York  in  this  crisis  has  been  hailed 
with  delight  by  all  citizens,  in  the  first  place,  for  no  one  is 
more  deserving  and  better  (jualified,  and  in  the  second 
place,  for  the  purely  selfish  reason  that  he  above  all  others 
is  better  fitted  to  fight  the  cholera,  whose  advent  is  so 
dreaded  and  expected. 

HUDSON  CAMPBELL. 

Hudson  Campbell,  one  of  New  York's  most  eminent 
Public  Accountants,  was  born  in  Hudson  City,  N.  J.,  on 
December  15,  1857,  of  Scotch  parents,  and  since  the  outset 
of  his  career  has  been  engaged  in  many  prominent  positions 
in  the  line  of  his  profession.  He  was  employed  by  the 
famous  Manpiis  de  Mores  in  St.  Paul,  Minn  ,  who  was  then 
running  a  large  ranch  out  West  for  the  supply  of  fresh  beef, 
to  take  charge  of  the  accounts  of  the  corporation  of  which 
De  Mores  was  the  head.  He  was  with  the  Marquis  for  two 
years,  after  which  he  came  to  New  York,  where  from  time 
to  time  he  has  been  employed  by  many  prominent  corpora- 
tions to  audit  their  accounts.  He  is  looked  upon  as  a  very 
clever  accountant,  and  not  only  that  but  is  always  prompt 
in  fulfilling  his  numerous  engagements,  and  reliable  because 
of  his  high  character  and  acknowledged  integrity.  He  has 
much  experience  in  winding  u])  the  business  of  mercantile 
firms  and  corporate  bodies,  and  for  a  thorough  investigation 
of  the  most  intricate  books  and  clear  deductions  he  has 
no  superior  in  New  York  City.  His  first  business  connec- 
tion— at  the  early  age  of  fourteen — was  with  Wotherspoon 
&  Co.,  one  of  the  oldest  grain  and  export  houses  in  the  city 
of  New  York.  He  stayed  with  Wotherspoon  &  Co.  seven 
years,  after  which  he  went  as  accountant  into  the  banking 
and  brokerage  business. 

Mr.  Campbell  is  an  expert  all-round  accountant,  but  his 
specialty  is  in  the  building  and  loan  business,  to  which  he 
gives  the  deepest  study  and  attention. 

Since  his  settlement  in  New  York  the  business  of  Mr. 
Campbell  has  so  increased  that  he  has  been  obliged  to  em- 
ploy several  assistants,  all  of  whom  have  their  own  specialties 
and  are  reliable  and  trustworthy. 


WILLIAM  G.  PECKHAM. 

The  saying  that  it  takes  all  sorts  of  people  to  make  up 
a  world  is  quite  true,  and  it  is  also  true  that  in  one  man  are 
often  combined  the  characteristics,  we  had  almost  said  the 


indi\  idualities,  of  man)'  persons.  'I'here  is.  for  instance 
William  C.  Peckham,  the  well-known  New  York  lawyer, 
who  besides  lieing  eminently  successful  in  his  profession 
has  ])ul)lished  more  than  one  volume  of  poems,  has 
been  instrumental  in  reforming  and  ]nirifying  jjolitics,  and 
has  erected  the  charming  little  building  known  as 
"  University  Inn  "  on  Chapel  Hill,  North  Carolina,  for  the 
convenience  of  college  men.  It  is  seldom  that  a  good  poet 
makes  a  good  lawyer,  and  rarer  still  that  the  combination, 
when  it  exists  at  all,  makes  a  practical  business  man.  Mr. 
Peckhain  has  broken  this  general  rule  in  many  places,  for 
besides  being  a  jioet,  a  lawyer,  a  reformer  and  college 
philanthropist,  in  his  way,  he  is  essentially  a  inan  of  affairs 
and  he  does  everything  well.  Mr.  Peckham  was  born  in 
Newport,  R.  I.,  on  February  7,  1849,  and  graduated  from 
Harvard  College  in  the  class  of  1867,  when  at  the  age  of 
eighteen.  Since  then  Harvard  has  not,  and  would  not, 
graduate  a  man  under  twenty.  He  was  what  mav  be  termed 
a  bright  and  aggressive  student.    He  was  first  editor  of  the 


WILLIAM  G.  PFXKH.VM. 

Jlarvard  Colle^^iaii,  and  of  its  successor,  the  Harvard  Advo- 
cate, which  is  still  the  literary  newspaper  of  the  college.  Some 
of  the  editors  of  college  papers  it  was,  Mr.  Peckham  notice- 
able among  them,  who  eft'ected  elective  instead  of  compul 
sory  attendance  at  chapel.  Mr.  Peckham  also  studied  in 
Heidelberg,  Germany,  and  won  specialists'  certificates  in 
the  years  '68  and  '69.  He  received  the  degree  of  LL.B. 
from  the  University  Law  School  and  was  called  to  the 
bar  in  1870.  Previous  to  this  he  studied  law  in  the  offices 
of  Joseph  H.  Choate  and  William  Maxwell  Evarts.  .\s 
a  lawyer  Mr.  Peckham  will  long  be  remembered  in  con- 
nection with  the  robbery  of  the  Northampton  National 
Bank,  which  was  looted  of  $2,000,000.  It  was  the  greatest 
robbery  on  record.  Mr.  Peckham,  in  behalf  of  the  bank, 
brought  suit  against  various  stock  brokers  and  others  who 
had  received  some  of  the  stolen  securities,  and  also 
defended  suits  brought  against  the  bank  in  the  same  matter. 
Many  of  the  suits  were  carried  to  the  Court  of  Appeals  in 
Albany  and  the  Supreme  Court  in  Washington,  and  he  was 


5° 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


51 


invariably  sucressful.  He  has  been  retained  in  all  the  suits 
against  the  New  York  Elevated  Railroad,  and,  in  fact,  his 
forte  is  railroad  litigation,  though  he,  with  his  partner,  Mr. 
Tyler,  engages  in  general  civil  litigation.  Mr.  Peckhanf  is 
independent  in  politics.  He  has  been  for  six  years  a 
colleague  of  George  W.  Curtis  and  Carl  Schurz  on  the  com- 
mittee that  managed  the  independent  part  of  the  Cleveland 
campaign  of  1884,  and  was  Chairman  of  the  New  Jersey 
Mugwumps  in  the  same  year.  Notwithstanding  the'man's 
busy  life  he  has  found  time  to  indulge  in  sports  of  which 
he  is  fond,  and  is  a  crack  shot  and  excellent  fisherman. 
He  is  member  of  the  Lawyers'  Club,  Bar  Association,  Reform 
Club, Common  wealth  Club  and  Newjersey  Historical  Society. 

GRAEME    MONROE   HAMMOND,  M.D. 

Tliis  is  an  epoch  in  the  medical  history  of  the  country 
when  specialists  are  taking  the  front  place  in  the  profession. 
Dotted  here  and  there  we  find  among  the  most  successful 
physicians  and  surgeons  those  who  have  made  a  special 
study  of  one  particular  branch  and,  as  a  consetpience,  are 
recognized  as  leaders  in  the  grand  army  of  medical  men. 
Such  a  position  is  occupied  by  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  G. 
M.  Hammond,  M.D.  The  working  son  of  a  famous  sire,  he 
has  successfully  taken  up  the  burden  laid  down  by  that 
distinguished  surgeon  and  soldier,  William  A.  Hammond, 
Surgeon  General  of  the  United  States  Army.  Born  in  the 
City  of  Philadelphia  on  February  i,  1858,  he  was  brought  to 
New  York  when  six  years  old,  since  which  time  he  has  made 
this  City  his  home.  His  early  education  was  completed  in 
the  School  of  Mines  and  Columbia  College,  and  his 
professional  education  was  begun  and  finished  in  the 
Medical  Department  of  the  New  York  University.  He 
graduated  in  1880  and  soon  after  became  assistant  in 
the  department  of  nervous  diseases,  in  the  New  York  Post- 
Graduate  Medical  School,  at  the  same  time  acting  as 
physician  to  St.  Elizabeth  Hospital.  In  1882  he  was  made 
lecturel"  on  nervous  diseases,  two  years  later  associate 
professor,  and  in  1889  was  elected  full  professor  to  the 
chair  of  nervous  diseases  in  the  Post-Graduate  School, 
which  position  he  still  holds.  In  1891  he  was  elected 
chairman  of  the  neurological  section  of  the  Academy  of 
Medicine.  He,  also,  is  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the 
.\merican  Neurological  Association,  treas-urer  of  the  New 
York  Neurological  Society,  member  of  the  County  Medical 
Society,  the  State  Medical  Society,  the  Academy  of 
Medicine,  the  Society  of  Medical  Jurisprudence  and  the 
Physicians'  Aid  Society.  In  conjunction  with  his  father  he 
edited  a  work  on  diseases  of  the  nervous  system  (ninth 
edition,  1891),  a  text-book  read  in  every  civilized  country 
in  the  Morld.  Dr.  Hammond  is  married  to  Miss  Louisa 
Ellsworth,  daughter  of  Edward  Ellsworth  of  New  York. 
He  has  four  children. 


JOHN  W.  QUINCY. 

.\mong  the  old  hardware  houses  of  New  York  is  that  of 
John  W.  Quincy  cS:  Co.  Mr.  Quincy,  one  of  the  founders 
of  the  establishment  and  head  of  the  house  for  nearly  half  a 
century,  died  in  1883,  but  in  this,  as  in  other  solid  business 
concerns,  though  partners  come  and  go  and  the  personnel 
of  the  firm  changes,  it  often  happens,  in  fact  the  rule  is  be- 
ginning to  obtain,  that  the  narte  under  which  it  flourished 
and  became  commercially  popular  is  allowed  to  remain.  It 
is  an  old  establishment  founded  more  than  half  a  century  ago. 
Its  first  name  was  Davenport  &  Quincy,  then  Davenport, 
Quincy  &  Co.,  subsequently  Quincy  &:  Davenport,  finally,  as 
at  jjresent,  John  W.  Quincy  .S:  Co.  Mr.  Quincy,  who  was 
head  of  the  firm  almost  from  its  foundation  until  his  death, 
witnessed  many  changes.  John  W.  Quincy  was  a  native  of 
Portland,  Me.,  but  spent  the  early  years  of  his  life  in  Boston 
and  attended  the  English  High  School  of  that  city.   He  ob- 


tained his  knowledge  of  the  hardware  business  in  the  store  of 
Homer  &  Co.,  a  large  and  highly  respected  Boston  firm,  and 
came  to  New  York  in  1835,  after  which  he  spent  a  year  with 
R.  Hyslop  &  Son  and  one  year  and  a  half  with  G.  Gascoigne. 
He  entered  into  partnership  with  John  A.  Davenport  in 
1837.  The  house  at  first  engaged  exclusively  in  the  hard- 
ware trade,  but  after  awhile  branched  into  the  metal  busi- 
ness. Mr.  Quincy  was  looked  upon  as  an  exceptionally 
clever  man  by  the  trade.  He  possessed  great  abilities  and 
kept  a  keen  eye  over  the  markets  of  the  world,  their  capaci- 
ties and  their  recpiirements.  He  had  been  very  active  in 
works  of  ch;irity  and  philanthropy  and  was  a  public-spirited 
citizen  besides.  A  few  years  before  he  died  the  style  of 
John  W.  Quincy  &  Co.  was  assumed,  the  present  members 
of  the  firm  being  J.  E.  Thompson  and  A.  Digby  l)0nnell. 
Mr.  Thompson  was  born  in  Rhode  Island  and  belongs 
to  one  of  the  old  families  of  that  State.  His  great-grand- 
father, the  Rev.  Charles  Thom])son,  was  the  first  valedictorian 
of  the  Brown  Universitv,  and  his  grandfather  a  celebrated 


JOHN  \v.  yriNcv. 

physician  of  Rhode  Island.  On  his  mother's  side  he  is 
descended  from  old  Quaker  stock.  He  came  to  New  York 
in  i860  and  entered  the  well-known  hardware  firm  of  Tufts 
&  Colley.  When  the  war  broke  out  Mr.  Thompson  entered 
the  house  of  Quincy  &  Co.  as  clerk,  but  by  his  ability, 
energy  and  integrity  was  promoted  from  step  to  step  until 
he  was  ultimately  admitted  to  partnership.  He  has  always 
resided  in  New  York  and  is  a  member  of  the  Fifth  Avenue 
Baptist  Church,  also  member  of  the  Metal  Exchange  and  the 
Fulton  Lunch  Club.  The  other  member  of  the  firm,  Anning 
Digby  Bonnell,  was  born  in  New  Brunswick,  Canada,  in  1842. 
His  grandfather,  whose  sympathies  were  with  (ireat  Britain 
in  the  Revolutionary  struggle,  belonged  to  a  New  York  family, 
but  sought  refuge  in  Halifax,  N.  S.,  after  the  war  and  became 
a  large  shipowner.  His  son,  Anning's  father,  owned  a  coun- 
try store  in  New  Brunswick,  in  which  the  gentleman  who  is 
now  one  of  the  firm  of  John  W.  Quincy  &  Co.  worked  as  a 
clerk  when  a  boy,  but  came  to  New  York  in  1864  and  ob- 
tained a  place  as  bookkeeper  in  the  house  of  George  Savory 
&:  Co.,  then  engaged  in  the  South  .\merican  trade.  He 


A^FJV  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


became  one  of  ihc  partners  (jt  lluil  firm  in  i<S69  and  on  its 
dissolution  in  1872  entered  the  house  of  John  \V.  (^)uincy  i-V' 
Co.  as  bookkeeper.  In  1879  he  obtained  an  interest  in  the 
business  and  two  years  later  was  admitted  to  full  |)artner- 
ship.    Mr.  Bonnell  lives  in  Brooklyn. 


JOHN  C.  BARRON,  M.D. 

In  this  country  piiysicians,  as  a  rule,  do  not  go  deeply 
into  business,  although  there  are  numerous  and  brilliant 
exceptions,  one  of  whom  is  John  (".  Barron,  M.I).,  Presi- 
dent of  the  Carpenter  Steel  Works,  this  city.  Neverthe- 
less, though  Dr.  Barron  is  not  now  in  practice,  he  has  a 
medical  war  history  of  which  he  feels  justly  ])roud.  He 
was  born  in  Woodbridge,  Middlesex  Co.,  N.  J.,  on 
November  2,  1837,  and  comes  from  ancestry  whit  h  were 


and  .Surgeons,  and  in  April  of  the  same  year,  ha\  ing  ob- 
tained his  degree,  he  at  once  entered  the  U.  S.  \'olunteer 
.Army  as  assistant  surgeon.  He  was  assigned  to  the  "  Me- 
<  hnnics'  Rifles,"  but  the  69th  being  already  in  the  field,  he 
was  transferred  to  that  gallant  regiment  at  his  own  request. 
Indeed,  he  was  one  of  the  very  first  of  his  profession  to 
offer  his  services  to  the  National  Government  ;  not  only 
that,  but,  in  order  to  em])hasize  his  devotion,  he  presented 
5^1,000  to  the  hos])ital  dejjartment  out  of  his  own  private 
pupse  for  medical  supplies.  He  was  with  the  69th  when 
that  corps  lost  two  hundred  men  at  the  disastrous  battle  of 
Bull's  Run,  and  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  full  surgeon. 
He  was  later  appointed  Surgeon-C.eneral  of  the  First 
Division,  N.  (i.  S.  N.  Y,  with  the  rank  of  colonel,  on 
the  staff  of  Major-General  Shaler.  He  was  surgeon  of  the 
7th  N.  V.  Regiment  from  1863  to  1871.    Another  gentleman 


lOlIN  C.  BARRON.  M.  D. 


deemed  of  importance  enough  in  the  State  to  obtain  am|)le 
space  in  the  l>iogra])hical  Encyclop;edia  of  New  Jersey,  and 
also  in  the  Biograi)hical  History  of  Westchester  County, 
N.  Y.  His  father  was  John  Barron,  a  man  of  high  character 
in  Middlesex  Co.,  and  his  paternal  grandfather  was  Joseph 
Barron,  in  his  time  President  of  the  Woodbridge  and  Phila- 
delphia Turniiike,  which  used  to  be  the  line  of  transfer 
taken  to  Philadeljjhia  and  Washington  before  the  advent  of 
railroads.  He  was  also  a  farmer,  a  merchant,  and  had  a 
tannery  in  connection  with  his  general  business.  One  of 
his  maternal  grandfathers  was  Colonel  Richard  Conner  of 
Staten  Island,  also  a  farmer  and  merchant.  \  great-tun  Ic 
of  his,  I'^llis  Barron,  was  in  1776  Captain  of  the  l'"irst  Mid- 
dlesex Colonial  Infantry.  There  can,  therefore,  be  no 
(piestion  regarding  Dr.  Barron's  Revolutionary  ancestry. 
]n  1 86 1   he   graduated  from  the  College  of  Physicians 


of  the  same  family,  uncle  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  who 
was  famous  for  his  i)id)lic  spirit  and  his  contributions  to  the 
sanitary  fund  of  the  national  army  during  the  war,  was 
Thomas  Barron,  director  of  the  Louisiana  branch  of  the  U.S. 
Bank,  a  sketch  of  whom  ai)pears  in  W.  Woodford  Clayton's 
"  History  of  Union  and  Middlesex  C'ounties  of  New  Jersey." 
After  the  war  Dr.  Barron  travelled  extensively  abroad. 
From  ICurope  he  went  to  the  Orient,  and  satisfied  his  s])irit 
ot  adventure  by  a  tri])  of  seven  hundred  miles  uj)  the  River 
Nile.  On  his  return  to  .America  he  embarked  in  bu.siness, 
and  what  a  bright,  energetic  and  successful  man  he  has 
been  thousands  of  business  men  in  this  city  are  cheerfully 
willing  to  admit.  He  bears  the  same  reputation  for  integ- 
rity and  high  character  generally  as  his  father.  John  Bar- 
ron, did,  which  is  .saying  a  good  deal.  He  is  President  of 
the  Kentu(  ky  Coal,  Iron  and  Development  Company  ;  Presi- 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS.  .  53 


dent  of  tlic  L.  C  Ranch  anil  Cattle  Company  ;  President  of 
the  Gila  Farm  Company  ;  and  i'resident  of  the  Carpenter 
Steel  Com])any.  He  was  at  one  time  Vice-Commodore  of 
the  Atlantic  Yacht  Club  ;  Rear-Commodore  of  the  Seawan- 
haka  Corinthian  Yacht  Club  ;  Rear-Commodore  of  the  New 
York  Yacht  Club,  and  is  at  present  Vice-Commodore  of  the 
Hudson  River  Ice  Yacht  Club.  His  country  place  is  at 
Tarrytown-on  Hudson,  where  he  spends  the  greater-part  of 
the  summer. 


JOHN    B.  WEBER. 

Col.  lohn  15.  W  eber  was  Ixirn  in  liuffalo.  New  A'ork, 
September  21,  1842.  He  received  a  good  education  in  the 
public  schools  of  that  city  and  when  not  quite  nineteen  years 
old  enlisted  in  the  People's  Ellsworth  Regiment,  known  as 
■'  The  Avengers,"  which  was  composed  of  men  represent- 
ing each  ward  and  town  in  N.  Y.  State,  young  Weber 
representing  the  Seventh  Ward  of  Buffalo.  When  the  or- 
ganization was  completed  he  was  made  Corporal  and  subse- 
quently Sergeant  and  then  Sergeant-Major.  After  the 
siege  of  Yorktown  he  was  commissioned  2d  Lieutenant, 
and  during  the  seven  days'  fight  before  Richmond  had 
command  of  his  company.  Shortly  after  this  he  resigned 
to  accept  the  Adjutancy  of  the  ii6th  N.  Y.,  under  his 
old  Colonel,  Chapin.  At  Baton  Rouge,  La  ,  Col.  C'hapin 
was  made  brigade  commander  and  Adj.  Weber  became 
Assistant  Adjutant-General,  in  which  position  he  remained 
until  Chapin  was  killed  at  Port  Hudson,  when  he  organized 
a  colored  regiment,  and  on  Sept.  19th,  1863,  became  Colonel 
of  the  89th  U.  S.  Col.  Infantry.  Young  Weber  in  two 
years  had,  therefore,  passed  through  every  grade  of  pro- 
motion and  was  a  Colonel  in  the  United  States  Army  before 
he  was  twenty-one  years  of  age.  We  may  search  the 
records  of  the  Civil  War  in  vain  for  a  more  brilliant  rec  rd. 
Alter  the  war  Col.  Weber  was  a  commission  merchant  in 
Buffalo  and  for  some  years  a  wholesale  grocer.  In  1870  he 
ran  for  Sheriff  in  Buffalo  and  was  defeated  by  Grover 
Cleveland  by  fewer  than  300  votes.  In  1871  he  was  ap 
jjointcd  deputy  postmaster.  In  1873  he  again  .  ran  for 
Sheriff  and  was  elected  by  2,000  majority  over  Mr.  Wilbur. 
Col.  Weber  served  two  terms  in  Congress  from  1885  to 
1889,  representing  the  33d  district,  and  making  a  veiy  fine 
record.  In  1888  he  was  delegate  to  the  Republican  Con- 
vention and  in  April,  1890,  appointed  by  President  Harrison 
Commissioner  of  Emigration.  In  the  summer  of  1890  he 
was  made  Chairman  of  the  Special  Committee  of  Investigation 
oil  Emigration,  which  visited  Europe  in  American  interests. 
Col.  Weber  is  a  man  who  has  a  host  of  friends,  ])articu- 
larly  in  the  G.  A.  R.  He  is  always  courteous  and  suave, 
and  his  record  is  one  of  which  he  may  justly  be  })roud. 
He  was  married  in  Buffalo  in  1864  to  Miss  Elizabeth  J. 
Farthing,  and  during  his  term  of  office  was  a  resident  of 
PJrooklyn.  He  holds  his  citizenship,  however,  in  Erie  Co., 
owning  a  fine  farm  at  West  Seneca,  which  he  calls  "  Home." 
On  the  advent  to  power  of  his  old  opponent — Grover 
Cleveland — Colonel  Weber  resigned  his  position  as  Com- 
missioner of  Emigration. 


RASTUS  SENECA  RANSOM. 

Raslus  Seneca  Ransom,  Surrogate  of  New  York,  was 
born  in  Mount  Holly,  Peoria  Co.,  111.,  on  March  31,  1839. 
He  is  of  New  England  ancestry.  His  grandfather,  Robert 
Ransom,  was  a  native  of  Vermont,  and  his  grandmother, 
Lucy  (Stacy)  Ransom,  of  New  Salem,  Mass.  His  father, 
Reuben  Harris  Ransom  was  born  in  Hamilton  County, 
N.  Y.,  to  which  place  he  returned  from  Illinois  soon  after 
the  birtli  of  Rastus. 

Owing  to  domestic  bereavements  Rastus  was  thrown 
upon  his  own  resources  at  the  tender  age  of  eleven,  but  like 
many  other  boys  who  fill  j)ages  in  American  history  he 


struggled  bravely  against  the  tide,  educated  himself  in  a 
great  measure,  taught  school  at  seventeen,  went  to  Wis- 
consin and  stayed  three  years  with  an  uncle,  returned  to 
New  York  at  the  age  of  twenty,  completed  his  education 
in  an  academy  and  began  the  study  of  law  in  the  office  of 
Judge  Theodore  North,  in  Elmira.  He  was  not  long  at  his 
studies  wiien  the  bugle  blast  calling  for  men  to  defend  the 
L^nion  was  heard  all  over  the  land,  and  Rastus  S.  Ransom 
responded.  As  lieutenant  in  the  50th  N.  Y.  Volunteers  he 
served  in  the  Peninsular  Campaign,  where  he  took  fever  and 
was  ordered  home.  Then  he  resumed  his  law  studies  and 
in  1863  was  called  lo  the  bar.  In  1867  he  was  ai)pointed 
attorney  for  the  city  of  Elmira  and  held  the  office 
for  two  full  terms.  He  removed  to  New  York  in  1870 
and  soon  after  became  managing  clerk  for  Chester  A. 
Arthur,  afterward  President  of  the  United  States.  When 
Mr.  Arthur  was  appointed  Collector  of  the  Port,  the  law 
firm  of  Arthur,  Pheljis  &  Knevals  was  established  with 
Ransom  as  junior  member.  On  the  elevation  of  Mr. 
Arthur  to  the  Presidency  the  firm  was  known  as  Knevals  & 


R.^STUS  SENECA  RANSOM. 

Ransom.  In  1885,  Mr.  Ransom,  a  Democrat  save  in  his 
])ersonal  support  of  Arthur,  was  nominated  for  Su]jerior 
Court  judge  by  Tammany.  He  was  once  more  nominated 
by  Tammany  in  1887,  this  time  for  Surrogate  and  elected  by 
a  plurality  of  nearly  50,000.  He  has  been  Surrogate  ever 
since  and  it  is  admitted  on  all  sides  that  a  more  efficient  one 
never  sat  on  the  bench  in  this  city.  His  reputation  stands 
high  and  his  character  for  integrity  and  capacity  has  never 
been  questioned.  In  fact  Mr.  Ransom  is  an  ideal  Surrogate. 
He  was  for  a  short  time  connected  with  the  National 
Guard  as  Adjutant  of  the  iioth  Regiment,  joined  the 
(i.  A.  R.  in  1868,  and  is  now  a  member  of  Lafayette 
Post.  Is  also  connected  with  the  Loyal  Legion,  member  of 
the  Masonic  organization,  of  the  New  England  Society,  and 
the  ^Manhattan  Club.  He  has  been  twice  mnrried,  first  to 
Sarah  Elizabeth  Morgan,  who  died  in  1883,  and  second  to 
Miss  Carol  Bowne  F^dwards,  daughter  of  the  late  Charles 
Henry  P^dwards  of  Brooklyn,  one  of  the  founders  of  the 
N.  Y.  Life  Insurance  Company. 


54 


J^EW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


GEORGE  WILSON. 

The  business  people  of  New  York  who  have  not  at  one 
time  or  another  been  brought  into  personal  relations  with 
Mr.  George  Wilson,  Secretary  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce, 
are  comparatively  speaking  very  few,  while  those  who  have 
and  went  away  with  any  but  the  most  favorable  im])ressions 
are  still  fewer.  Mr.  Wilson  was  born  in  New  York  City  on  the 
seventh  of  January,  1839,  of  New  England  parentage.  His 
father,  Jothani  \\  ilson,  was  a  native  of  New  London,  Conn. 
His  grandfather  fought  in  the  war  of  1812-14,  and  one  of 
his  great-grandfathers,  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution,  was 
killed  at  the  disastrous  battle  of  Monmouth  while  fighting 
for  American  independence.  He  received  the  ordinary 
public  school  education,  but  being  naturally  bright,  and 
making  the  most  of  his  opportunities,  he  was,  at  the  age  of 
nineteen,  able  to  take  the  position  of  Assistant  Secretary 
to  the  Chajiiber  of  Commerce.  This  was  thirty-five 
years   ago,   when    the  Chamber   of  Commerce   had  not 


GEORGE  WILSON. 


attained  to  anything  like  its  present  magnificent  ]iro))ortions 
or  its  standing  as  one  of  the  leading  commercial  corporations 
in  the  world.  Neither  had  its  affairs  ])cen  crystallized  into 
their  present  routine  smoothness  and  perfect  discipline,  and, 
as  a  matter  of  fact,  Assistant  Secretary  is  rather  a  vague 
way  of  defining  Mr.  Wilson's  position,  which  was  really  that 
of  a  man  of  all  work.  But  as  the  Chamber  grew  he  grew 
with  it,  and  manifesting  the  powcs  of  concentration  and 
organization  that  he  did,  the  (piestionof  his  being  Secretary 
was  only  a  (piestion  of  time.  In  1868  he  was  elected  to  that 
office.  Mr.  Wilson  is  remarkable  fc^r  the  manner  in  whii  h 
he  directs  all  his  energies  upon  one  thing,  and  also  for  his 
])rofound  knowledge  of  the  commercial  statistics  not  only 
of  New  \'ork  City  but  of  the  United  States.  He  married,  in 
1863,  Miss  Mary  15.  .Vnierman,  niec  e  of  the  great  showman. 
He  is  a  very  accessible  man,  and  is  (piite  pojjular,  especially 
with  the  nfcws])a]ier  fraternity,  for  whom  he  is  alw  avs  willing 
to  go  out  of  his  way  to  furnish  information. 


GEORGE  W.  BOSKOWITZ,  M.D. 

Ceorge  W.  Boskowitz,  M.I).,  Dean  of  the  Eclectic  Med- 
ical College  of  New  York,  and  a  well-known  eclectic 
physician,  was  born  in  New  York  City  on  October  8,  1856. 
His  father,  Herman  Boskowitz,  born  in  Austria,  arrived  in 
this  country  in  1848.  and  as  a  physician  of  the  homoeopathic 
school  practised  in  Brooklyn,  where  he  was  much  respected 
for  upwards  of  twenty  yea  is. 

Dr.  Boskowitz,  subject  of  tiiis  sketch,  was  graduated 
from  the  Eclectic  Medical  College  of  New  York  in  1877, 
and  has  practised  in  this  city  with  success  since  that  time 
He  is  looked  upon  by  the  ])rofes-ion  as  a  clever  surgeon, 
whose  operations  are  generally  attended  with  success,  while 
as  Dean  of  the  Eclectic  College  he  has  displayed  much  ex- 
ecutive ability.  Dr.  Boskowitz  served  two  terms  as  Presi- 
dent of  the  Eclectic  Medical  Society  of  the  State  of  New 
York,  he  is  ex  President  of  the  Eclectic  Medical  Society  of 
the  City  and  County  of  New  York,  Consulting  Physician  to 
the  Eclectic  Free  Dispensary,  and  Consulting  Surgeon  of 
the  Woodstock  Hospital,  honorary  member  of  the  Yermont 
Eclectic  Medical  Society,  member  of  the  National  Eclectic 
Medical  Association,  member  of  the  Charity  Organization 
Society,  ex-President  of  the  Regent  State  Board  of  Medical 
Examiners  to  represent  the  Eclectic  School  of  Medicine. 
He  is  also  Trustee  of  the  Eclectic  Medical  College  of  the 
City  of  New  York,  is  recognized  as  a  writer  <  f  the  School 
of  Medicine  to  which  he  belongs,  and  is  editor  of  the 
Eclectic  A'erinc. 

Dr.  Boskowitz  is  a  member  of  the  Darcy  Lodge,  F.  &: 
A.  M.,  and  was  its  Master  three  years  ;  also  the  Olympic 
Lodge,  I.  O.  O  F..  Grace  Lodge,  K.  of  H  ,  Cremation 
Society^  and  many  other  organizations. 

He  was  married  on  April  10,  1891,  in  this  city,  by  Felix 
Adler.  to  Lena  B.  Toms,  daughter  of  Captain  Toms,  of 
Stamford.  Conn. 


CORNELIUS  N.  BLISS. 

Cornelius  N.  Bliss,  political  leader,  prominent  merchant 
and  man  of  affairs,  is  one  of  New  York's  foremost  citizens 
and  has  been  such  for  a  cpinrter  of  a  century. 

He  was  born  in  Fall  River,  Mass.,  and  comes  of 
American  ancestry,  which  dates  back  to  the  year  1635. 
His  father  was  from  Rehoboth,  in  the  same  State,  and  died 
while  Cornelius  was  an  infant.  Mrs.  Bliss,  after  some  years 
of  widowhood,  married  Edward  S.  Keep  of  Fall  River, and 
removed  to  New  Orleans  in  1840  with  her  husband,  leaving 
her  boy  at  school  in  the  former  city  until  he  was  fourteen, 
when  he  joined  his  moiher  and  completed  his  education  in 
New  Orleans,  and  entered  his  step  father's  counting  house 
as  clerk.  After  a  year  in  this  ])Osition  he  went  to  Boston 
and  entered  the  house  of  James  M.  Beebe  <!v'  Co.,  at  that 
time  the  largest  im]iorting  and  jobbing  drygoods  establish- 
ment in  the  United  States.  In  1866  Mr.  iili-s  entered  the 
commission  house  of  John  S.  Eben  Wright  iV  Co.  as 
|)artner,  but  the  civil  war  having  changed  the  business 
aspect  of  the  country,  and  above  all,  having  made  New 
York  the  centre  of  the  drygoods  trade,  Mr.  Bliss  almost 
naturally  gravitated  to  the  Aletropolis,  and  here  established 
a  branch  of  the  Boston  concern,  in  which  he  had  an 
interest.  The  firm  of  John  S.  iS:  Eben  Wright  vV  Co. 
became  eventually  Wright,  Bliss  is:  Fabyan  and  later  Bliss, 
Fabyan  Co.  (of  Boston.  New  York  and  Philadelphia), 
and  acted  as  agents  and  distributers  for  many  of  the  most 
prominent  New  England  manufacturers.  The  firm  is  one 
of  the  largest  commission  houses  in  the  I'nited  States,  with 
a  world  wide  reputation  among  bankers  and  commercial 
men.  It  is  still  in  existence  and  is  located  in  the  very 
heart  of  New  York'sdrygoods  district. 

Mr.  Bliss  has,  almost  from  his  ad\ent  in  New  N'ork, 
taken  a  keen  interest  in  public  alTairs,  and  become  one  of 


N'EW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


55 


the  recognized  leaders,  national  as  well  as  civic,  in  Kepul)- 
lican  politics.  He  has  been  for  several  years,  and  is  now, 
a  Vice-President  of  the  Union  League  Club.  Whenever 
great  public  interests  are  discussed  in  the  city,  whether 
connected  with  politics  or  not,  his  counsel  is  sought  and 
generally  accepted.  He  took  a  prominent  part  in  the 
World's  Fair  movement,  for  instance,  and  it  is  not  through 
any  fault  of  his  that  Chicago  instead  of  New  York  is  about 
to  enjoy  the  great  commercial  advantages  accruing  from  its 
possession.  Nevertheless,  he  has  never  held  a  public  posi- 
tion which  carried  a  dollar  of  salary  with  it,  and  has  refused 
the  nomination  for  Governor  of  the  State  of  New  York, 
when,  in  his  case,  such  nomination  meant  election.  For 
Mr.  Bliss  has  a  stainless  record,  has  the  full  confidence  of 
the  community  and  is  known  throughout  the  State  as  a  man 
of  very  great  ability  and  executive  capacity,  conservative 
in  his  views  but  aggressive  in  his  action  when  it  is  for  the 
public  good.  He  has  been  Republican  Delegate  to  City, 
County  and  State  Conventions,  and  in  1884  was  chairman 
of  the  committee  of  100  business  men  appointed  at  a  large 
])ublic  meeting,  held  in  Cooper  Union,  to  attend  the 
National  Convention  in  Chicago  for  the  purpose  of  urging 
the  nomination  of  President  Arthur.  In  the  year  following 
and  again  in  1891  he  declined  the  nomination  for  Governor, 
tliough  in  the  first  instance  (notwithstanding  his  refusal)  he 
received  a  large  complimentary  vote.  In  fine,  we  do  not 
kno'v  of  any  one  in  this  city  of  New  York  that  occupies  a 
more  exalted  position  in  public  estimation  than  Mr.  Bliss, 
or  a  larger  share  of  the  public  attention.  He  is  always  to 
be  found  wherever  he  is  most  useful.  Hence  his  name  is 
synonymous  with  practical  benevolence. 

Mr.  Bliss  married,  in  1859,  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  the 
Hon.  Avery  Plumer,  of  Boston,  and  has  two  children 
living.  He  is  Vice-President  of  the  Fourth  National  Bank, 
has  been  Chairman  of  the  Executive  Committee  and  Vice- 
President  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  and  is  a  Governor  and 
Treasurer  of  the  New  York  Hospitnl,  and  besides  exercising 
supervision  of  his  own  immense  establishment  is  at  the  head 
of  many  social,  political  and  benevolent  organizations. 


WILLIAM  A.  POTTER. 

William  A.  Potter,  the  well-known  New  York  architect, 
is  one  of  a  family  distinguished  in  American  life  by  reason 
of  its  leadership  in  the  ministry,  in  the  army,  in  literature, 
in  law  and  in  scientific  art,  lie  was  born  in  1847  and  edu- 
cated in  the  Episcopal  Academy  at  Philadelphia,  and  at 
Union  College,  Schenectady,  From  the  latter  institution  he 
was  graduated  in  1864.  Choosing  architecture  as  his  pro- 
fession, he  studied  with  his  brother,  E.  T.  Potter,  and  to 
complete  his  technical  and  aesthetic  instruction  he  visited 
every  section  of  Europe,  inspecting  the  famous  architectural 
models  of  the  Old  World.  Meanwhile,  his  New  York  office, 
with  \vhich  his  connection  was  established  in  1867,  was 
maintained,  and  notable  professional  success  secured  for  him 
at  a  comparatively  early  age  the  position  of  Supervising 
Architect  of  the  United  States  Treasury,  which  I  e  filled 
during  1875  and  1876.  The  position  of  Professor  of  Archi- 
tecture in  Union  College  came  to  him  as  a  distinguished 
alumnus  of  that  seat  of  learning.  As  an  architect,  William 
A.  Potter  has  gained  the  greatest  celebrity  through 
structures  of  the  Gothic  and  Romanescjue  order,  such  as 
the  Holy  Trinity  Church  in  Harlem,  St,  Agnes'  Chapel 
of  Trinity  Parish  in  Ninety-second  Street,  several  buildings 
on  the  grounds  of  Princeton  and  Union  colleges,  the  St. 
James'  Lutheran  Church,  St.  John's  Church  in  Stamford, 
Conn  ;  Christ  Church  in  Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y.;  the  New  South 
Church  at  Springfield,  Mass.,  and  libraries,  art  buildings 
and  public  buildings  in  various  parts  of  the  United  States, 
Professor  Potter  is  Chairman  of  the  Board  of  Trustees 
of  the  New  York  College  for  training  teachers.    The  edi- 


lice  for  the  college  designed  by  Mr.  I'otteris  now  ap|)roach- 
ing  completion  and  will  furnish  a  model  of  what  the 
.American  high  schools  should  be.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
famous  Potter  family  which  has  done  so  much  for  art,  liter- 
ature and  religion  in  this  country, 

WILLIAM  ALEXANDER  SMITH. 

The  Convnercial  AdTrrliscr,  of  May  17th,  1892,  treating 
of  the  Centennial  .\nni\ersary  of  the  Stock  Exchange, 
says  : 

"  The  oldest  active  member  of  the  Exchange  is  William 
Alexander  Smith,  who  joined  the  Board  on  December  17, 
1844.  Heis  the  head  of  the  firm  bearing  his  name,  and  is 
at  his  office,  No.  70  Broadway,  nearly  every  business  day, 
attending  to  his  interests  with  as  much  attention  to  details 
as  when  he  first  became  a  stock  broker.  He  is  a  man  of  pre- 
possessing appearance,  is  of  medium  height,  and  his  hair  has 
turned  white  with  years.  His  manners  are  genial  and  affable." 
Mr,  Smith  w^as  born  in  Pottstown,  Pennsylvania,  on  Sep- 
tember 9,  1820,  and  came  of  a  good  old  American  family. 
His  paternid  grandfather,  Robert  Smith,  was  CajUain  in 
Colonel  Malcolm's  Regiment,  a  body  which  was  one  of  the 


WILLIAM  ALEXANDER  SMITH. 

first  organized  by  the  State  of  New  York,  in  the  war  of  the 
Revolution,  Ca])tain  Smith,  was  wounded  at  the  battle  of 
White  Plains,  and  again  at  the  bloodv  battle  of  Monmouth. 
PL's  father  was  Robert  Hobart  Smith,  who  married  Miss 
Mary  Potts,  daughter  of  Joseph  Potts. 

He  was  educated  in  Philadelphia  and  Princeton  Acad- 
emy, but  at  the  early  age  of  thirteen  entered  a  counting 
house  in  the  former  city.  In  1844,  he  arrived  in  New  York, 
and  became  connected  with  the  old  banking  house  of  Colt 
&  Smith,  of  which  his  uncle  was  one  of  the  ])artners.  In 
the  year  following  ( 1845)  he  became  partner  himself  in  that 
house.  He  has  since  been  engaged  in  the  banking  and 
brokerage  business,  and  not  only  is  known  as  the  father  of 
the  Stock  Exchange,  but  as  one  of  its  most  respected  and 
esteemed  members,  always  looked  up  to  as  the  embodiment 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


of  what  an  Anierican  banker  should  be.  He  was  elected 
treasurer  of  the  Stock  Exchange  in  1861,  and  held  the  posi- 
tion for  four  years.  He  was  ])resident  once  more  in  18C6-7. 
Mr.  Smith  was  married  twice  ;  in  the  first  instance 
(1847)  to  a  daughter  of  the  Reverend  Levi  Bull,  I).])  ,  who 
died  in  1857,  and  in  the  second  (1863)  to  a  daughter  of 
George  and  Serena  (Mason)  Jones.  Among  other  institu- 
tions Mr.  Smith  is  connected  with  are  the  following  :  First 
Vice-President  of  the  Centennial  Trust  Comjiany  of  New 
York,  Vice-President  of  the  Sheltering  Arms,  and  Protest- 
ant Episcojjal  City  Mission,  Trustee  and  Treasurer  of  the 
Parochial  Fund  of  the  Diocese  of  New  York,  Trustee  of  the 
Permanent  Fund  of  the  Orphans  Home  and  Asylum,  and 
one  of  its  Advisory  Council,  Manager  of  St.  Luke's  Hosin- 
tal.  He  is  associated  with  many  other  charitable  institu- 
tions in  a  philanthrojjic  way.     As  a  citizen  of  New  York 


five  of  them  boys  and  six  girls.  Mr.  l)e  La  Vergne's  grand- 
father from  the  mother's  side  was  a  Mr.  Williams,  who  came 
from  New  Lelianon,  Conn.,  and  his  grandmother  was  a 
Webster.  .Mr.  I  )e  La  Vergne's  grandparents  on  his  father's 
side  were  Ijorn  in  Schoharie.  His  grandfather  was  a 
hat  manufacturer.  Mr.  I)e  La  Vergne  was  born,  as  men- 
tioned before,  in  Esperance,  where  he  attended  the  district 
school,  and  later  on  a  private  school.  On  leaving  school 
he  was  engaged  as  a  clerk  in  a  drug  and  grocery  store  of 
Esperance  belonging  to  Storrs,  Messenger  &  Co.,  and  at 
the  age  of  fourteen  went  into  a  country  store,  belong- 
ing to  Benjamin  F.  Wood,  at  Duanesburgh,  New 
York,  six  miles  away  from  Es]jerance.  He  remained 
tiiere  about  three  years,  when  he  was  sent  by  Mr.  Wood  to 
Burtonville,  Montgomery  County,  New  York,  to  take  charge 
of  a  store.    After  one  or  two  years  he  came  back  to  Espe- 


JOIIN   ChKSTI'.R    Di:    l.A  VEKC.NK. 


and  one  of  its  men  of  affairs  Mr.  Smith  bears  a  very  high 
reputation. 

JOHN    CHESTER    DE    LA  VERGNE. 

The  subject  of  tliis  sketc  h,  John  Chester  De  La  Vergne, 
was  born  on  September  6th,  1840,  in  P^sperance,  Schoharie 
County,  N.  Y.  His  father,  John  De  La  Vergne,  was  a 
railroad  (  ontrav  tor  antl  helped  to  build  the  railroad  across 
the  Isthmus  of  Panama.  When  at  home  he  took  an  active 
part  in  politics  and  seems  to  have  had  great  inlUience  with 
his  townsmen  in  matters  of  this  kind.  Mr.  De  La  V'ergne 
is  descended  from  a  Krenc  h  piiysician,  who  came  to  the 
United  States — it  is  not  certain  when — and  settled  in 
Dutchess  County,  New  York  State,  where  he  married  an 
American  lady.     He  left  a  large  family  of  eleven  (  hildren. 


ranee  to  another  store,  which  lie  managed  for  one  year  for 
Mr.  Wood,  .\ftor  separating  from  Mr.  Wood  he  went  into 
business  for  himself  in  the  produce  line  with  Mr.  Witt  of 
Esijcrance,  in  Toronto,  Canada,  but  came  to  New  York  in 
1862,  where  he  engaged  in  the  produce  business.  In  1876 
he  bought  an  interest  in  a  brewery  on  West  i8th  Street  and 
carried  on  business  under  the  firm  name  of  De  La  Vergne 
«.V  Burr  until  1883.  It  was  while  engaged  in  the  brewery 
trade,  in  wiiicli  much  ice  is  necessarily  useil.  that  he  turned 
his  atlention  to  the  manufacturing  of  refrigerating  and  ice 
making  machinery  and  designed  a  compressor  with  a  liquid 
sealed  piston,  which  ingeniously  prevented  the  leakage  of 
ammonia  gas  through  the  stuffing  box,  and  at  the  same  time 
lubricated  the  (  <)mi>ressing  machinery.  The  success  ot  this  so 
encouraged  Mr.  De  La  Vergne  that  he  tried  it  elsewhere  and 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


57 


succeeded  in  securing  contracts  for  refrigerating  plants 
from  several  large  brewers  in  Brooklyn,  Newark,  N.  J.,  and 
Philadelphia,  and  in  1880  he  organized  the  De  I>a  Vergne 
&  Mixer  Refrigerating  Company,  which  after  the  with- 
drawal of  Mr.  Mixer  was  called  by  its  present  name  of  the 
De  La  Vergne  Refrigerating  Machine  Company.  The 
popularity  of  his  machine  was  the  means  of  introducing 
them  amongst  the  breweries  all  over  the  country,  and  in 
1888  the  company  ]iurchased  a  large  tract  of  land  at  the 
foot  of  138th  Street  (Port  Morris),  upon  which  their  present 
extensive  works  were  erected,  employing  from  600  to  800 
men,  not  including  the  number  of  men  engaged  throughout 
the  country  in  the  erection  and  placing  of  the  machines, 
which  would  bring  the  pay-roll  up  to  1,000. 

It  is  due  to  Mr.  De  La  Vergne's  patience  and  persistence 
that  the  business  of  his  company  has  assumed  the  pro- 
portions of  to-day.  Good  judgment  regarding  the  require- 
ments, the  desire  to  give  satisfaction  to  its  customers,  has 
made  the  De  La  Vergne  Comjjany  the  largest  of  its 
character  in  the  United  States.  At  all  times  ready  to  settle 
a  dispute  by  yielding,  and  even  doing  more  than  he  would 
have  been  obliged  to  under  his  contracts,  has  made  for  Mr. 
De  La  Vergne  many  friends,  and  this  in  addition  to  the 
above  named  has  made  it  possil)le  for  him  to  build  up  an 
enterprise  and  make  the  reinitation  for  his  machines  which 
they  have  at  present. 

Mr.  De  La  Vergne  was  married  in  1865  in  Duanesburgh, 
N.  Y.,  to  Catherine  A.  Van  Aernam,  whose  grandfather 
came  from  Dutch  stock  and  was  born  at  Altamont,  Albany 
County,  N.  Y.  Mrs.  De  La  Vergne's  mother  descends  from 
a  French  family  of  the  name  of  Le  Grange.  Mr  De  La 
Vergne  has  three  children,  two  daughters  and  one  son,  who 
are  not  yet  grown  up. 

Outside  of  his  position  as  President  of  the  De  l  a 
Vergne  Refrigerating  Machine  Company,  he  is  also  Presi- 
dent of  the  Arizona  Cattle  Company,  the  De  La  Vergne 
Bottle  and  Seal  Company,  the  White  Cloud  Copper  Minmg 
Company,  and  the  Macon  Oil  and  Ice  Company,  and  is 
a  Director  of  the  Hudson  River  Bridge  Company,  President 
of  the  New  York  Driving  Club,  and  member  of  the  Arion, 
Liederkranz,  Terrace  Bowling  Club,  the  Engineers'  Club, 
and  also  of  the  German  J'echnischer  Verein.  He  is  a 
Director  in  the  N.  Y.  Hygeia  Ice  Company,  and  the  Union 
Railway  Co.,  of  New  York  City. 


JOHN  J.  FREEDMAN. 
The  Hon.  John  J.  h'reedman  was  born  in  1835,  Nu- 
remberg, (Germany,  and  arrived  in  this  city  at  the  age  of 
sixteen.  He  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  of  New  York  in  May, 
i860,  and  in  the  following  year  to  practise  in  the  United 
States  Courts.  Very  soon  thereafter  he  enjoyed  a  large 
and  lucrative  business,  especially  among  the  Germans  of 
this  city,  who  looked  up  to  him  as  one  of  their  representa- 
tive men.  In  January,  1869,  at  the  age  of  thirty-three 
years,  he  was  appointed  by  Governor  John  T.  Hoffman  a 
Judge  of  the  Superior  Court,  and  at  the  election  in  the  Fall 
of  the  same  year  he  was  elected  for  the  term  of  six  years 
from  January  i,  1870.  At  the  end  of  that  term,  in  1875,  he 
was  renominated  by  Tammany  Hall,  but  was  defeated,  with 
the  entire  Tammany  Hall  ticket,  in  consequence  of  a  com- 
bination which  was  entered  into  between  the  Republican 
organization  and  all  the  Democratic  forces  opi)osed  to 
Tammany  Hall.  In  the  suinmer  of  1876,  when  Claudius 
L.  Monell,  the  Chief  Justice  of  the  Court,  died,  all  the 
Democrats,  and  even  some  independent  organizations, 
united  upon  Judge  Freedman  as  his  successor,  and  in 
this  way  he  was  again  elected  by  a  majority  exceeding  50,000. 
This  time  he  was  elected  for  fourteen  years.  He  was  also 
appointed  by  Governor  Tilden  to  serve  in  the  place 
of  Judge  Monell  during  the  remainder  of  the  year  1875. 


He  was  considered  so  excellent  a  Judge  that.  In  1890, 
the  Peo])le's  Municipal  League  insisted  upon  his  renomina- 
tion  without  distinction  of  party,  and  he  was  thereafter 
renominated  by  the  County  Democracy,  the  Republican 
party,  and  by  'i'ammany  Hall,  and  at  the  general  election 
held  in  the  month  of  November  of  that  year  was  re-elected 
without  opposition  for  another  full  term  of  fourteen  years, 
receiving  a  total  of  206,128  votes. 

CHARLES  McDowell,  m.d. 
Charles  McDowell.  M.D,  was  born  in  New  York  City, 
September  30,  1857.  Although  classed  as  one  of  the 
younger  physicians  of  this  city,  few  have  made  more  rapid 
strides  towards  success  than  Dr  McDowell.  His  father, 
Joseph  T.  McDowell,  is  a  prominent  merchant,  and  gave  his 
son  all  the  advantages  of  a  good  education,  both  in  New 
York  and  also  at  Swarthmore  College  in  Pennsylvania. 
The  younger  McDowell  was  of  a  studious  nature,  and 
early  in  life  decided  upon  medicine  as  his  profession,  and, 
looking  over  the  field,  he  quickly  decided  upon  homcKopathy 
as  being  the  proper  branch,  entering  the  New  York  Homoeo- 
pathic Medical  College,  where  he  took  the  three  years' 
course,  and  graduated  in  1878.  Immediately  upon  gradu- 
ating, he  was  appointed  as  Resident  Physician  to  the 
Homtjeopathic  Hospital  at  Ward's  Island,  which  ))osilion  ]ie 
occupied  for  about  one  year.  He  was  then  ai)pointed  to  the 
Hahnemann  Hospital  of  this  city,  but  wishing  to  gain  the 
invaluable  experience  which  can  only  be  obtained  in  the 
hos]jitals  of  Europe  he  went  abroad  and  sjient  eighteen 
months  in  the  different  hospitals  of  Leipsic,  Vienna  and 
Paris.  Returning  home  in  1882,  he  went  into  private  ])rac- 
tice,  which  he  has  labored  at  continuously  ever  since,  gath- 
ering about  him  an  appreciative  clientele  as  well  as  many 
professional  friends.  He  is  at  present  member  of  the 
Faculty  of  the  New  York  Homoeopathic  College  and  Hos- 
pital, holding  the  position  of  Professor  of  Physiology,  and 
is  also  Visiting  Physician  to  the  Ward's  Island  Homoeopathic 
Hospital.  He  is  an  active  member  of  the  American  Insti- 
tute of  Homoeopathy,  New  York  State  Homoeopathic  County 
Society,  the  New  York  Medical  Club  and  the  Alumni  Asso- 
ciation of  his  Alma  Mater.  Dr.  McDowell  is  married  to 
Harriett  J.,  daughter  of  William  G.  Cox,  of  Malvern,  Pa., 
and  has  his  home  and  otifices  at  116  West  Thirteenth  Street, 
this  city. 


GEORGE  M.  CURTIS. 
Hon.  George  M.  Curtis,  a  lawyer  of  national  and,  we 
may  say,  of  international  reputation,  was  born  in  the  State 
of  Ivlassachusetts  in  1843.  On  the  father's  side  he  is  de- 
scended from  the  well-known  Irish  family  of  that  name  and 
one  of  his  ancestors  distinguished  himself  as  a  renowned 
fighter  in  the  British  Navy.  On  the  maternal  side  he  has 
both  Scottish  and  Italian  blood  in  his  veins.  One  of  his 
maternal  jirogenitors  married  a  Corsican  lady  of  the  name 
of  Paoli.  His  eloquence  is,  however,  of  Irish  transmission 
and  it  is  doubtful  if  either  Burke  or  Sheridan  ever  spoke  in 
more  glowing  language.  On  the  outbreak  of  the  war 
he  joined  the  Third  Massachusetts  Rifles,  then  com- 
manded by  Colonel,  subsequently  General,  Charles 
Devens,  and  upon  his  discharge  from  the  army  entered 
the  law  office  of  Hon.  John  W.  Ashmead.  He  was 
called  to  the  bar  of  New  York  in  1864.  Since  then  his 
career  has  been  one  of  brilliant  and  almost  iminterrupted 
successes.  He  served  in  the  New  York  State  Legislature 
from  1863  to  1865,  served  one  year  as  Assistant  Corporation 
Attorney  and  in  the  fall  of  1867  was  elected  Judge  of  the 
Marine  Court  for  the  full  term  of  six  years.  Upon  the 
expiration  of  his  term  he  resumed  his  legal  practice  and 
ever  afterwards  refused  all  the  jtolitical  nominations  offered 
him,  whether  State,  Judicial  or  Congressional.     He  has 


58  N-EIV  YORK',  THE  METROPOLIS. 


been  engaged  in  more  celohrated  cases  in  various  States  of 
the  Union  than,  perhaps,  any  other  living  lawyer.  A  few 
of  those  cases  were  the  Friedman  will  case.  New  York, 
1874;  the  Eonden  will  case,  New  York,  1876;  Common- 
wealth V.  Buford,  Kentucky,  1879  ;  the  Leslie  will  case, 
1880  -;  Rhinelander  lunacy  case.  New  York,  1884  ;  Com- 
monwealth V.  Riddle,  Pittsburg,  1885  ;  the  Helmbold 
insanity  case,  Philadelphia  and  elsewhere;  John  Anderson 
will  case.  New  York,  1887  ;  Atlas  Steamship  case.  New 
York,  1887  ;  Coffin  lunacy  case,  New  York,  1888,  and  the 
Lane  will  case.  New  York,  1890,  and  last,  but  not  least,  the 
memorable  Hayes  forgery  case  in  February  of  the  year 
1893.  He  ap])eared  in  forty-six  murder  cases,  and  except- 
ing Charles  McFIvaine,  convicted  of  the  murder  of  Clrocer 
Luca  in  Hrooklyn,  not  one  of  his  clients  ever  suffered 
capital  punishment.  Although  defeated  in  the  famous  case 
in  which  the  children  of  Frank  Leslie,  the  publisher,  con- 
tested their  father's  will  made  in  favor  of  Mrs.  Frank  Leslie, 


Gi:()K(;i':  .m.  ci  ktis. 


the  litterateur,  now  |)ublisher  of  the  well-known  magazine, 
on  the  ground  of  insanity.  Judge  Curtis  won  imjjerishable 
laurels  l)y  his  style  of  argument  and  wonderful  elocpience. 
Hut  a  stiil  more  famous  case  was  that  of  the  C'ommonwealth 
of  Kentucky  against  Huford  for  the  murder  of  Chief  Justice 
I'-lliott,  of  the  Court  of  .\ppeais,  right  in  the ''  Temjjle  of 
[ustice,"  as  Judge  Curtis  ex])ressed  it.  Huford  was  a  bril- 
liant man  of  high  social  standing  and  Judge  Curtis  pleaded 
insanity  in  his  case.  Buford  was  sent  to  a  lunatic  asylum, 
where  he  died  of  paresis,  thus  justifying  the  argument  of 
his  counsel.  The  case,  which  was  the  most  celebrated 
ever  tried  in  Kentucky,  created  a  profound  sensation 
throughout  the  country,  and  the  escape  from  the  gallows 
of  Huford  so  added  to  Judge  Curtis'  fame  that  a  race 
horse  was  named  after  him,  as  in  the  instance  of  Proctor 
Knott.  With  (irover  Cleveland,  Francis  Lynde  Stetson, 
( Charles  i  )onahue  and  other  famous  men  he  was  engaged  in  tlie 
Louisiana  Slate  Lottery  contest,  and  was  one  of  tlie 
counsel  in  the  Jeannette  incpiiry,  in  which  he  pie.ided 
the  case  of  Jerome  C.  Collins  and  vin(li(  ate(l  his  mem- 


ory in  a  burst  of  eloquence  that  had  Irish  fire  in  it. 
In  fine,  Judge  Curtis  is  one  of  America's  greatest  law- 
yers and  most  brilliant  orators.  Judge  Curtis  is  a  mem- 
l)er  of  the  G.  .A.  R.  and  of  the  New  York  Jockey  Club. 
Mr.  Curtis'  son,  George  M.  Curtis,  Jr.,  a  sizar  of  Yale, 
inherits  his  father's  talent  for  eloquence  and  many  of  his 
fine  traits  of  character.  General  Hancock  pronounced 
him  the  brightest  young  man  he  had  ever  met. 


LOCKE  W.  WINCHESTER. 

Colonel  Locke  W.  \\  inchester  is  one  of  the  best  known 
men  in  New  York.  He  is  also  one  of  the  most  esteemed, 
and  deservedly  so.  He  is  one  of  those  who  have  done 
things  in  his  time,  and  though  now  in  his  seventh  decade,  as 
vice-president  and  general  manager  of  the  National  ?2xpress 
Company,  that  is  to  say  its  executive  head,  practically,  is 
still  doing  things  in  no  small  way,  seeing  that  the  company 
he  controls  handles  such  an  enormous  amount  of  property 
every  year. 

Colonel  Winchester  was  born  in  Woodstock,  \'ermont, 
in  1824,  and  at  the  age  of  eighteen  entered  the  employ  of 
Mr.  Harnden  as  clerk.  Mr.  Harnden  was  the  real  originator 
of  a  business  which  since  his  time  has  expanded  to  such 
enormous  proportion'^,  and  Colonel  Winchester  may  be  de- 
scribed as  his  legitimate  successor.  On  May  6,  1892,  he 
celebrated  his  golden  jubilee  in  the  business,  and  a  man 
more  adapted  to  it,  whether  by  intuition  or  training,  or  both, 
cannot  easily  be  found.  Mr.  Harnden  died  in  1844  and  in 
renard  to  this  event  ("olonel  Winchester  tells  an  interesting 
anecdote  : 

"  III  those  days,"  he  says,  "we  could  not  go  to  the  bank 
and  borrow  a  hundred  dollars.  Our  property  was  insignifi- 
cant and  our  business  unimportant.  We  lost  a  trunk  on 
one  occasion  which  we  claimed  to  have  put  on  the  boat  that 
('ommodore  Yanderbilt  was  then  running  and  we  went  to 
him  for  satisfaction.  But  we  were  young  and  he  wasn'i 
and  we  got  none.  We  didn't  then  take  a  receipt  for  every 
bk'ssed  thing  we  handled  as  we  d3  now,  and  we  couldn't 
produce  any  proof  beyond  a  bare  assertion  that  we  hatl  de- 
livered the  tiunk  on  the  boat.  I  remember  theCommodore 
saying,  '  Had  Mr.  Harnden  been  alive  that  trunk  would  not 
have  been  lost,  for  Mr.  Harnden  was  a  very  smart  man — 
one  of  the  smartest  I  ever  knew.'  " 

Since  then  the  express  business  has  i)rogressed  and  the 
l')ss  of  a  trunk  to  a  company  that  does  such  an  immense 
trade  would  not  now  create  as  much  consternation  as  it  did 
then.  Young  Winchester  possessed  sagacity  and  foresight. 
He  saw  the  business  was  about  to  grow  and  he  threw  all  his 
energies  into  it  in  order  to  hasten  things.  The  volume  of 
immigration  that  set  in  soon  after  Mr.  Harnden's  death 
helped  it  along  famously  and  in  a  few  years  he  saw  himself 
on  the  wave  of  prosperity. 

When  the  war  broke  out  he  belonged  to  the  Seventh 
Regiment  and  went  to  the  front  with  it  on  the  two  occasions 
when  it  was  called  for  active  service.  He  was  ajipointed 
()uartermaster  and  acting  Commissary,  ])ositions  for  which 
by  training  he  was  eminently  fitteil.  He  extricated  the 
Seventh  from  a  big  load  of  debt  while  in  the  field  and  in 
other  ways  rendered  himself  useful  to  that  Regiment.  Ex- 
igencies of  business  compelled  Colonel  Winchester  to  retire 
from  active  service  in  1863.  The  war  had  given  it  an  im- 
petus and  he  found  his  |)resence  in  New  York  an  absolute 
necessity,  .\fter  the  war  he  took  an  active  interest  in 
organizing  the  Yeteran  Association,  and  ever  since  has 
identified  himself  with  its  affairs.  He  was  for  years  its 
commanding  officer. 

Colonel  Winchester  is  a  Republic  aii  in  ]H)liti(  s  and  a 
leading  member  of  the  Union  League  Club.  He  is  presi- 
dent ot  the  Seventh  Regiment  \'eteran  Club,  which  recently 
erected  a  splendid  club  house  on  I'ifty-eightii  street  and  Fifth 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


59 


avenue.  When  he  joined  this  fine  organization  he  willidrew 
from  the  New  York,  the  Jockey  and  other  clubs  of  wliich 
he  had  been  a  meml)er,  even  from  the  famous  Restigouche 
Sahiion  Club,  of  which  he  was  one  of  the  orginators  and  for 
three  years  president.  This  was  a  sacrifice,  for  the  ('olonel 
is  an  enthusiastic  fisherman  and  spends  part  of  the  summer 
fishing  and  shooting  in  and  around  Lake  Champlain.  Ot 
late  years  while  exercising  as  keen  a  general  supervjsion  of 
the  affairs  of  the  National  Express  Company  as  ever,  he  has 
left  the  details  in  younger  hands  and  enjoyed  something 
like  a  rest  for  an  active  brain  like  his. 

He  is  a  director  in  the  .'\merican  Surety  Company,  the 
Whiting  Silver  Manufacturing  Company,  the  Marshall  Con- 
solidated Coal  Company,  the  Citizens'  Savings  Bank  and  is 
President  of  the  Adirondack  Express  Company. 

BRADFORD  LEE  GILBERT. 

Bradford  Lee  Gilbert,  the  New  York  architect,  was  born 
in  Watertown,  this  State,  on  March  24,  1853.  He  under- 
went a  preparatory  cour.se  for  Yale,  but  changed  his  mind 
and  came  to  New  York  in  1871  to  studv  architecture, 
entering  the  office  of  J.  Cleveland  Cady  for  that  purpose 
and  remaining  with  him  about  five  years.  Li  1876  he  was 
appointed  architect  to  the  New  York,  Lake  Erie  &:  Western 
Railroad  Companies,  and  while  in  this  position  designed 
and  constructed  many  important  works  in  the  Northern 
and  Northwestern  States,  chiefly  connected  with  railroads. 
Mere  mention  of  the  buildings  he  has  planned  and  erected 
for  railroad  companies  would  fill  a  newspaper  column.  He 
erected  for  the  World's  Fair  traffic  in  Chicago,  recently,  the 
largest  station  railroad  in  this  country,  for  the  Illinois  Central 
and  other  roads  interested.  This  building  cost  $1,600,000. 
Another  specialty  of  his  is  the  designing  of  great  office 
buildings,  for  which  he  has  obtained  the  thanks  of  thousands 
of  professional  men  in  New  York,  having  given  them, 
instead  of  the  miserable  little  attics  and  garrets  of  the  last 
generation,  the  spacious  and  elegant  offices  of  the  present. 
Li  planning  the  Tower  Building,  wherein  his  own  office  is 
situated,  Mr.  Gilbert  had  only  a  frontage  of  twenty-one 
feet  six  inches.  He  suggested  and  obtained  special  per- 
mission for  carrying  out  the  idea  of  a  series  of  combina- 
tions of  light  cast  iron  and  steel  fire-proof  columns  at 
stated  intervals,  having  transverse  and  longitudinal  girders 
and  beams  of  steel,  thus  making  a  complete  framework  of 
steel  and  iron,  the  panels  being  filled  in  with  curtain  walls, 
or  left  for  light.  The  Tower  Building  is  the  only  fifteen 
story  structure,  one  hundred  and  sixty-eight  feet  in  height, 
with  masonry  walls  eight  and  twelve  inches  thick,  which  is  be- 
lieved to  have  been  erected,  the  floor  space  added  by  this 
method  renting  for  over  $10,000  a  year.  This  system  of  con- 
struction, economizing  space  as  it  does,  has  been  copied  every- 
where. Among  other  prominent  buildings  designed  by  Mr. 
Gilbert  are  the  Riding  Club  of  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York, 
the  Carteret  Club,  Jersey  City  Heights,  the  Peninsular  Club 
of  (irand  Rapids,  Mich.,  the  Southside  Sportsmen's  Club  at 
Oakdale,  the  Newberry  Memorial  Chapel  in  Detroit  and 
also  the  Jefl'erson  Avenue  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  same 
city.  Mr.  Gilbert  is  an  active,  tireless  and  careful  worker,  is 
known  all  over  the  country  as  a  great  architect  and  is 
member  of  many  social  and  scientific  clubs. 

CORNELIUS  VAN  COTT. 
The  Hon.  Cornelius  Van  Cott  was  born  in  New  York 
City,  on  February  12,  1838.  He  was  the  son  of  Richard 
and  Caroline  (Case)  Van  Cott,  who  were  descendants  of  old 
Revolutionary  stock.  He  was  educated  in  New  York  City 
and  from  an  early  age  has  been  identified  with  and  active 
in  public  interest.  He  learned  the  trade  of  carriage  maker, 
but  when   (piite  a  young  man  obtained  a  jiosition  in  the 


insurance  business,  showing  from  the  start  a  great  ai)litude  for 
it.  His  worth  and  integrity  were  soon  recognized  and  he 
was  elected  Vice-President  of  the  ^^tna  Insurance  Company. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  old  Volunteer  Fire  Depailment. 
and  after  the  overthrow  of  the  Tweed  Ring  was  appointed 
a  member  of  the  Board  of  F'ire  Commissioners,  serving 
from  1873  to  1875,  and  again  from  1879  to  1885,  a  greater 
|iart  of  the  time  as  President  of  the  Board.  During  his 
administration  the  dei)artment  improved  wonderfully. 
Among  the  changes  introduced  by  him  were  the  imjirove- 
ments  in  the  system  of  fire  escapes  on  big  buildings,  the 
ordinance  requiring  large  retail  stores  and  theatres  to  make 
proper  |)rovisions  for  exit  in  case  of  fire,  and  the  alterations 
in  the  fire  boat  "  William  Havemeyer,"  which  greatly 
increased  its  efficiency.  He  was  the  first  man  when  in  the 
Fire  Department  to  call  official  attention  to  the  danger  of 
the  electric  wires  on  telegraph  poles,  as  they  had  destroyed 
a  number  of  fire  alarms  and  set  fire  to  many  buildings. 

Mr.  Van  Cott  has  always  been  a  Republican  in  politics, 
and  for  over  ten  years  has  been  one  of  the  most  energetic 


4' 


CORNELIUS  VAN  COTT. 

members  of  the  Republican  State  Committee.  In  1887  he 
was  nominated  for  State  Senator  and  was  elected  by  a  plu- 
rality of  over  4,800  in  the  8th  District,  which  in  1886  had 
given  1,500  plurality  for  the  Democratic  ticket.  As  a  Sen- 
ator he  introduced  bills  looking  to  the  adoption  of  uniform 
divorce  laws  by  all  the  States  ;  giving  power  to  raid  opium 
joints  ;  providing  for  a  reform  in  the  method  of  granting 
degrees  of  Doctor  of  Medicine,  and  for  the  repeal  of  the 
absurd  law  prohibiting  Art  Auction  sales  at  night.  He 
resigned  his  seat  when  appointed  Postmaster  of  New  York 
City,  by  President  Harrison,  May,  1889.  On  entering  upon 
his  duties  as  Postmaster,  he  at  once  perceived  that  the  cleri- 
cal force  was  totally  inadequate  to  the  needs  of  the  office, 
and  almost  his  first  official  act  was  to  obtain  an  increase  in 
the  allowance  for  clerk  hire.  Since  then  he  has  secured  the 
enlargement  of  the  facilities  at  one  station,  the  establishment 
of  a  new  one  and  the  imjiroving  of  the  twenty  other  sub- 
stations. Mr  Van  Cott  is  President  of  the  Lincoln  Club 
and  also  of  the  West  Side  Savings  Bank,  of  which  institu- 
tion he  was  one  of  the  organizers.    To  his  position  at  the 


6o 


head  of  the  largest  and  iiiomI  inijiortanl  post  oftice  in  the 
country  lie  brought  the  sound  judgment,  energy  and  sterling 
honesty  which  markeil  his  entire  business  and  jjolitical  career, 
and  made  a  record  of  which  New  York  citizens  and  the 
present  administration  are  justly  proud.  He  is  also  Presi- 
dent of  'the  Great  Eastern  Casualty  ^:  Indemnity  Co. 

CALVIN  FROST. 

Calvin  Frost,  who  enjoys  distinction  as  one  of  the  oldest 
])ractising  lawyers  of  the  New  York  bar,  was  born  in  the 
town  of  Somers,  Westchester  County,  N.  Y.,  on  January  21, 
1823.  He  entered  Yale  College,  from  which  institution  he 
graduated  in  the  class  of  1842.  Heat  once  entered  the  law- 
office  of  J.  Henry  Ferris,  who  had  then  just  commenced 
practising,  in  Peekskill,  on  the  Hudson.  Mr.  Ferris  pos- 
sessed one  of  the  finest  legal  minds  this  State  has  ever  ])ro 
duced,  and  under  his  able  tuition  Mr.  Frost  made  raj)id 
progress  in  the  study  of  law.  In  May,  1845,  '""^  ^'^'^^  admitted 
to  the  bar  and  became  a  partner  of  his  instructor.  Messrs. 
Ferris  tV  Frost  continued  in  active  practice  until  1857, 
when,  u])on  the  death  of  Mr.  Ferris,  Mr.  Fiost  con-'ucted 
his  professional  duties  unassociated,  and  practised  in  Peek- 


(  AI.VIX    I  ROST. 

skill  uninterruptedly  till  1888,  when  he  removed  to  this  city, 
where  he  had  long  before  become  well  known  in  legal 
circles. 

Mr.  Frost  devotes  his  attention  to  a  general  practice,  and 
has  gained  success  in  his  jjrofession.  During  his  nearly  fifty 
years'  ])racti(  ehe  hascomein  contact  both  jirofessionally  and 
socially,  with  the  brightest  lawyers  in  the  city  and  .Slate.* 

•Asked  for  reference  to  some  of  the  important  cases  in  wliieli 
he  had  been  engaged,  he  declined,  sayiiij^  that  he  was  greatly 
impressed  by  an  answer  which  Charles  O'Conor.  whom  lie 
regarded  as  the  greatest  advocate  in  tho  country,  gave  him  when 
he  suggested  to  that  gentleman  that  the  members  of  the  V)ar 
expected  him  to  .leave  behind  him  some  sketch  of  liis  legal 
career  :  "  I  know  of  nothing  in  a  lawyer's  life  that  is  of  interest 
to  any  one,  except  his  clients  and  himself." 


Mr.  Frost  has  always  taken  an  active  interest  in  politics  and 
is  an  enthusiastic  Democrat,  having  figured  prominently  as 
a  s|)eaker  in  every  Presidential  campaign  since  reaching  his 
majority.  He  has  never  sought  or  desired  i>olitical  honors 
in  the  way  of  office  or  position,  yet  he  has  frecjuently  been 
a  delegate  to  the  State  conventions,  and  was  sent  as  such  to 
the  National  Democratic  Convention  held  at  Baltimore, 
Md.,  in  1872.  He  also  served  in  1890  in  a  conspicuous 
manner  on  the  Constitutional  Commission  for  revising  the 
Judiciary  Article  of  tiie  Constitution.  He  was  married  in 
1845  to  Miss  Mary  A.  Hait,  of  Peekskill,  and  has  two  sons. 
Colonel  Clarence  H.  P'rost,  a  practicing  lawyer  of  Peekskill, 
and  Elihu  H.  Frost,  who  is  associated  with  his  father. 

Mr.  Calvin  Frost  is  a  member  of  the  Lawyers'  Club  and 
the  City  Bar  Association,  and  formerly  belonged  to  the 
State  Bar  Association.  Owing  to  Mr.  Frost's  reticence  in 
furnishing  the  requested  data,  this  sketch  is  prevented  from 
l)eing  one  of  the  most  interesting  in  the  book,  and  the.se  few 
lines,  while  accurate,  hardly  do  the  subject  the  justice  he  is 
entitled  to. 

DAVID  WEBSTER,  M.D. 
David  Webster,  M.D.,  was  born  on  July  16,  1842,  in 
Cambridge,  Kings  County,  Nova  Scotia,  and  is  descended 
in  a  direct  line  from  John  Webster,  Covernorof  Connecticut 
in  Colonial  times.  His  mother  was  Hejjhzibah  Pearson, 
first  cousin  to  Sir  Charles  Tupper,  Lord  High  Commis- 
sioner of  Canada.  Young  David  was  raised  on  a  farm, 
and  in  a  distriil  where  the  facilities  for  education  were 
limited.  Nex  ertheless,  he  was  naturally  studious,  and  so 
educated  himself  during  his  non-working  hours  that  he 
obtained  a  license  to  teach,  and  carried  away  with  him  a  first- 
class  diploma  from  the  Normal  School.  He  taught  school 
six  years  in  various  places,  and  in  1868  obtained  the  de- 
gree of  M.D.  from  Bellevue  Hosjiital  Medical  College,  New 
York  City.  After  a  small  practice  for  a  year  or  so  he 
l)ecame  House  Surgeon  of  the  Brooklyn  Eye  and  Kcir  Hos- 
pital, and  in  1871  was  appointed  House  Surgeon  of  the 
.Manhattan  Eye  and  Ear  Hospital,  this  city,  a  jjosition  he 
lield  until  1873,  when  he  became  assistant  to  thelate  Dr.  Coi- 
nelius  Rea  .\gnew.  Since  then  he  has  widened  the  field  of 
his  usefulness  and  is  now  a  very  successful  physician. 
He  is  Professor  of  0|)hthalinology  in  the  New  \  ork  Poly- 
clinic, also  in  Dartmouth  Medical  College,  Hanover,  N.  H.; 
one  of  the  surgeons  to  the  Manhattan  Eye  and  Ear  Hos- 
l)ital.  New  York  ;  Consulting  Ophthalmic  Surgeon  to  the 
Hospital  for  the  Ruptured  and  Crippled,  the  Hackensack 
Hositiial,  the  Paterson  Eye  and  Ear  Infirmary,  the  House  of 
Merc  v,  member  of  the  New  York  County  .Medical  Society 
and  of  the  New  York  Ophthalmological  Society,  of  both  of 
which  he  has  been  ])resident.  He  is  member  also  of  the 
.American  ( )phthahnological  and  Otological  Societies,  New 
\ork.  Academy  of  Medicine,  New  York,  Neurological 
Society,  Union  League  Club,  Manhattan  .\tliletii  L  lub 
and  of  the  New  York  Historical  Society. 


JOHN  J.  RYAN. 

I<>lin  J.  Ryan,  looked  upon  as  New  York's  handsomest 
Poll!  e  Justice,  was  born  in  this  city  on  January  21,  1854. 
He  was  sent  to  the  ])ul)lic  schools,  and  what  early  edu- 
cation he  received  was  obtained  there.  LMifortunately, 
he  lost  his  mother  while  still  very  young.  Three  years 
after  the  death  of  his  mother  his  father  died,  leaving 
behind  him  six  children,  of  whom  John  was  the 
eldest.  The  boy  was  not  fifteen  when  this  sad  event  took 
place,  and  he  found  himself  the  heail  of  the  family  with  its 
implied  conditions.  ;\11  hope  of  education  was  now  aban- 
doned, and  when  Ryan  had  to  go  to  work  in  order  to  sujjport 
his  little  brothers  and  sisters.  He  bravely  assumed  the 
responsibilitv,  and  obtaining  employnu-nt  in  the  furnishing 


NEW  YORK,  TIJl':  METROPOLIS. 


6i 


store  of  F.  H.  lialdwin,  remained  with  him  seven  years, 
working  hard  and  keeping  the  little  family  together.  While 
this  was  simply  a  duty,  it  was  something  more — it  was  heroism, 
and  of  very  few  in  this  city  can  such  a  story  of  unselfish 
devotion  be  recorded.  Educating  himself  in  I'aine's 
Business  College  and  otherwise  as  best  he  could,  judge 
Ryan  entered  business  as  an  undertaker,  and  then 
because  of  his  populaiity  and  power  of  attracting 
votes  he  was  forced  into  jjolitics,  and  in  1885',  half 
against  his  will,  was  nominated  for  Alderman  and,  all  against 
his  will,  elected.  He  served  a  year  and  that  was  enough 
for  him.  He  was  glad  to  resume  his  legitimate  business  and 
once  more  made  money  at  it,  but  finally  surrendered  it  into 
the  hands  of  his  brother  when  api)ointed  to  his  present  posi- 
tion of  Police  Justice  in  1890.  On  the  bench  he  is  painfully 
conscientious  and  leans  to  the  side  of  mercy  when  he  can 
do  so  without  straining  justice. 

Judge  Ryan  is  a  member  of  the  Manhattan  Club,  the 
Fourth  Assembly  District  Jefferson  Club,  the  Narragansett 
Club,  the  Sagamore  Club  and  has  been  member  of  the  Tam- 
many Society  the  past  six  years. 

J.  W.   GLEITSMANN,  M.  D. 

Joseph  ^\'illiam  ( "ileitsmann,  M.  D.,  one  of  New  York's 
leading  physicians,  was  born  in  Bamberg,  Kingdom  of 
Bavaria,  Germany.  His  father  was  also  a  physician  and 
held  many  prominent  ])ositions  in  the  service  of  the 
German  Government.  He  was  physician-in  chief  of  the 
Bamberg  City  Hospital  when  he  died.  Dr.  Gleitsmann, 
Junior,  tlie  subject  of  this  sketch,  graduated  with  honors 
in  Wiirzburg  in  1865,  and  was  almost  immediately  ap- 
point d  Assistant  Physician  in  the  Bamberg  City  Hospital, 
which  he  left  after  seven  months'  service  to  take  part 
as  a  volunteer  Surgeon  in  the  Austro-Prussian  War, 
which  began  in  June,  1866.  After  the  war  he  spent  two 
summers  in  Vienna  studying  the  branches  of  laryngology 
and  rhiuology  as  a  specialist,  and  in  1870  joined  the  army 
once  more  on  the  outbreak  of  the  war  between  France  and 
Germany.  In  the  fall  of  187 1  he  came  to  the  United 
States  and  settled  in  Baltimore.  Four  years  later  he 
estalilished  a  sanitarium  for  the  treatment  of  phthisis  in 
Asheville,  N.  C,  and  in  1881  came  to  New  York,  where  he 
settled  down  to  permanent  and  very  successful  practice. 
Soon  after  his  arrival  he  was  appointed  member  of  the 
German  Dispensary  and  was  elected  first  surgeon  of  the 
throat  and  ear  department  when,  in  1884,  the  new  dis- 
pensary building  was  opened  on  Second  Avenue,  a  position 
he  holds  at  the  present  day.  In  the  fall  of  1883  he  became 
Assistant  to  the  Chair  of  Laryngology  in  the  New  York 
Polyclinic,  and  Professor  in  the  same  department  in  Mav, 
1887. 

Dr.  Gleitsmann  is  one  of  the  most  learned  medical 
writers  of  the  day  and  his  essays  ])ublished  in  many  of  the 
leading  medical  journals  are  read  with  interest  and  respect. 
Among  his  most  extensively  read  and  most  freipiently 
quoted  contributions  are  : 

"Altitude  and  climate  in  the  treatment  of  pulmonary 
phthisis  ;  " 

"  Nature  and  durability  of  ])ulmonary  phthisis  ;  " 

"Statistics  of  mortality  from  pulmonary  phthisis  in  the 
I'niied  States  and  Europe  ;  " 

"  Western  North  Carolina  as  a  health  resort  ;  " 

"Contributions  to  the  treatment  of  pulmonarv 
phthisis  ;  " 

"  Annual  Rejjort  of  the  Throat  Dei)artment  of  the 
German  Dispensary,  w'th  remarks  on  the  treaiment  of 
laryngeal  phthisis." 

In  fine,  it  ma/  be  stated  that  Dr.  Gleitsmann  is  an 
authority  on  the  treatment  of  phthisis,  having  few  superiors 
in  that  department  of  medical  science  in  this  country. 


ALEXANDER  PHCENIX  KETCHUM. 

Colonel  Alexander  P.  Ketchum  was  born  in  New  Haven, 
Connecticut,  on  May  11,  1839.  He  is,  both  through  his 
father  and  mother,  connected  with  illustrious  New  York 
ancestry.  His  father's  parents,  John  Jauncey  Ketchum  and 
Susanna  jauncey,  were  cousins,  and  through  them  he  traces 
his  lineage  in  America  to  Guleyn  Vigne,  whose  daughter 
Rachael  married  Cornelius  Van  'I'ienhoven.  Sarah  Van 
Tienhoven,  their  daughter,  became  the  wife  of  John  Jauncey, 
the  father  of  John  Jauncey  Ketchum.  Colonel  Ketchum's 
mother,  Elizabeth  Phoenix,  was  the  daughter  of  the  Rev- 
erend Alexander  Phccnix  and  Patty  Ingraham,  and  thus  he 
is  connected  with  the  Ingraham  family  of  which  the  late 
Judge  Daniel  Phoenix  Ingraham  was  the  head,  while  his 
great-grandfather  on  his  mother's  side  was  Daniel  Phoenix, 
first  City  Treasurer  of  the  city  of  New  York  after  the  organ- 
ization of  the  United  States  under  the  Constitution  of  1789. 
This  Daniel  Phcenix  delivered  the  address  of  welcome  to 
President  Washington  on  the  occasion  of  his  inauguration. 


ALEXANDER  P.  KETCHUM. 

Colonel  Ketchum's  father,  Edgar,  was  born  in  this  city 
in  181 1  and  died  here  in  1882.  Alexander's  parents  were 
on  visit  to  New  Haven  when  he  was  born  and  returned  to 
New  York  a  few  months  after,  so  that  the  fact  of  his  having 
been  born  in  another  State  was  an  accident.  He  graduated 
from  the  College  of  the  City  of  New  York  in  1858 
after  a  distinguished  scholastic  career,  during  which 
he  won  ])rizes  in  natural  history,  drawing  and  mathe- 
matics, with  a  prize  for  declamation  in  his  senior 
year.  In  1861  he  received  the  degree  of  M.A.  from 
the  college  and  graduated  from  the  Albany  Law 
School  with  the  degree  of  LL.B.  When  the  war  of  the 
Rebellion  broke  out  Colonel  Ketchum  volunteered  his  ser- 
vices and  was  assigned  to  a  place  on  the  staff  of  General 
Rufus  Saxton,  Military  Governor  of  South  Carolina.  In 
1865  he  was  transferred  to  the  staff  of  General  O.  O. 
Howard.  He  resigned  from  the  army  in  r867  and  two 
years  later  was  appointed  Assessor  by  President  Grant,  and, 


62 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


successively,  Collector  of  Internal  Revenue  and  (1874) 
General  Appraiser  of  the  i)ort  of  New  York  in  the  Customs 
Department.  He  was  promoted  once  more  in  1883  by 
President  Arthur,  this  time  receiving  the  post  of  Chief 
Appraiser  of  the  port  of  New  York,  which  office  he  held 
until  after  the  advent  to  power  of  the  Democratic  party. 
After  leaving  the  public  service  Colonel  Ketchum  devoted 
himself  exclusively  to  the  practice  of  his  profession  (he  was 
called  to  the  bar  in  i860),  in  which  he  is  very  successful. 
His  practice  is  chiefly  in  the  I'nited  States  Courts  and  is 
connected  with  internal  revenue  and  customs  litigation,  in 
which  he  is  an  ex])ert. 

His  address  delivered  at  West  Point  Military  Academy 
on  the  occasion  of  the  (iarlield  memorial  services  is  con- 
sidered a  fine  piece  of  oratory.  He  is  active  in  affairs  of 
the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  and  it  has  been  through  his  efforts  that  the 
N.  Y.  Collegiate  Institute  on  Lenox  Avenue  has  been  called 
into  existence.  He  is  member  of  the  Republican  Club  of 
New  York,  the  Harlem  Republican  Club,  ^lilitary  Order  of 
the  Loyal  Legion,  Bar  Association,  the  New  York,  Atlantic. 
Larchmont,  Nev/  Rochelle,  Riverside  and  Rhode  Island 
Yacht  Clubs,  and  has  been  President  of  the  Presbyterian 
Social  Union.  He  is  now  President  of  the  City  College 
Club. 

OSWALD  OTTENDORFER. 
Oswald  Ottendorfer  is  one  of  a  trinody  of  distinguished 
German-Americans,  of  which  l'"ranz  Sigel  and  Carl  Schurz 
are  the  other  two.  One  is  a  soldier,  another  a  statesman 
and  the  third  a  journalist.  All  there  took  an  active  ])art  in 
what  we  term  the  Eurojjean  Revolution  of  1848-9,  which 
having  failed,  it  seemed  only  natural  they  should  come  to 
the  United  States,  where  their  genius  would  have  free 
scope  and  they  could  enunciate  ideas  deemed  treason  in 
Austria  and  Germany.  Of  the  three  Mr.  Ottendorfer  has  had 
undoubtedly  most  to  do  in  moulding  public  opinion  in  this 
country  and  jjossesses  by  far  the  most  influence,  not  only 
with  his  own  national  element,  but  with  Americans  generally. 
He  was  born  P^ebruary  28,  1826,  in  Zwittau,  County  of 
Mehren,  Austria,  and  educated  in  the  University  of  \'ienna. 
He  was  sent  to  Prague  to  study  law.  While  engaged  in  his 
studies  the  revolution  broke  out  and  young  Ottendorfer, 
twenty  years  old  and  glowing  with  patriotic  fire,  took  to 
the  barricades  in  Vienna  like  many  other  youths  who  after- 
wards became  famous.  The  revolution  was  sujjpressed  with 
Russian  assistance  after  oceans  of  blood  had  been  shed  and 
Ottendorfer  fled  to  Leii)sic,  and  thence  to  Dresden,  Saxon\, 
where  he  once  more  fought  behind  barricades.  This  young 
man  was  evidently  in  earnest.  Feeling  homesick  he  re- 
turned to  Vienna  in  1850,  but  the  passions  of  civil  war 
not  yet  having  subsided,  and  his  life  being  in  real  danger, 
he  took  the  advice  of  his  friends  and  came  to  America. 
Like  many  others  of  liis  (  lass  and  nation  Mr.  Otten- 
dorfer found  himself  in  New  York  friendless,  penniless  and 
without  a  knowledge  of  the  English  language.  Classics 
were  of  no  use  to  him  in  this  new  country  and  he  found  it 
hard — often  imi)Ossil)le — to  procure  the  necessaries  of  life. 
His  first  regular  wage-earning  work  was  in  a  factory  in 
which  all  his  co-laborers  were  Irish,  and  he  had  a  hard  time 
of  it  with  them.  Still  he  was  a  young  man  of  si)irit  and 
held  his  own.  In  after  life,  when  (  limbing  the  ladder  of 
fame  and  fortune,  he  used  to  take  jiride  in  showing  the 
"horns,"  relics  of  blisters  in  those  days,  on  his  hands,  and 
speak  of  his  career  in  the  factory.  When  he  got  home  from 
work  at  night,  instead  of  resting  himself,  he  studied  English, 
realizing  he  could  do  nothing  without  it,  not  even  good 
laboring  work.  After  many  ups  and  downs  in  a  small  way 
chance  gave  him  a  clerkship  in  the  Slants  Zeitun,^:,  where 
by  industry,  good  writing  and  integrity  he  was  promoted 
step  by  step  until  he  became  its  chief  editor.  It  may  be 
stated  here,  incidentally,  that  when  Mr.  Ottendorfer  assumed 


control  the  circulation  was  5,000;  it  struggled  against  a  host 
of  competitors.  It  has  now  a  circulation  of  60,000,  wields 
potent  influence,  has  a  magnificent  building  of  its  own,  and  is 
the  greatest  German  newspaper  in  the  country,  perhai)s  in  the 
world.  It  possesses  reflex  action  on  German  o])inion»in 
Europe  In  1859  Mr.  Ottendorfer  married  the  widow  of  his 
late  employer,  Mrs.  JacobUhl,  a  woman  who  had  a  personalitv 
all  her  own.  She  was,  in  fact,  a  great  woman,  a  woman  of 
noble  nature,  of  big  heart,  enlarged  ideas,  and  it  is  no 
derogation  from  Oswald  Ottendorfer's  abilities  to  say  that 
she  aided  him  very  materially  in  the  management  of  ihfu 
great  paper.  When  she  died  (1884)  Carl  Schurz  delivered  a 
eulogium  upon  her  as  glowing,  and  at  the  same  time  as  truth- 
ful, as  ever  was  delivered  upon  a  woman,  and  as  elo(]uent 
withal.  She  was  a  proper  help  meet  for  such  a  man  and 
during  their  quarter  of  a  century  of  married  life  the  pair 
conferred  mutual  happiness  each  on  the  other.  Mr.  Schurz 
seems  to  have  known  them  intimately.  He  was  naturally  a 
close  personal  friend  of  Mr.  Ottendorfer,  and  rumor  has  it 
that  he  had  much  to  do  with  inducing  him  to  assist  in  elect- 
ing Mr.  Cleveland  in  1884.  But  we  are  drifting.  Mr. 
Schurz  for  the  first  time  showed  the  world  what  a  magnificent 
woman  Mrs.  Ottendorfer  had  been 

"  It  was  not  blind  luck,"  said  Mr.  Schurz,  in  effect,  "  that 
governed  this  noble  lady  ;  neither  was  she  born  with  a  sil- 
ver spoon  in  her  mouth.  She  possessed  shrewdness,  com- 
mon sense,  keen  vision  into  the  future,  a  big  heart,  sympathy 
with  struggling  humanity.  When  the  Staais  Zeitung  was 
not  as  great  a  paper  as  it  is  now,  when  she  was  a  widow 
struggling  for  her.self  and  family,  she  invariably  refused  to 
sell  the  pa])er,  for  she  saw  in  it  great  future  possibilities. 
And  when  the  time  of  prosperity  came  she  did  not  accumu- 
late money  for  its  own  sake,  but  for  the  good  it  might  do. 
She  spent  more  than  half  a  million  dollars  in  ])hilanthropic 
endeavor.  The  money  was  not  spent  in  reckless  charity. 
It  was  judiciously  exjiended.  She  added  a  woman's  pavilion 
to  the  German  Hosjjital,  she  built  a  new  dispensary,  she 
paid  the  debts  of  the  German  Hospital  in  Newark,  erected 
schools,  seminaries  and  educational  establishments.  Her 
works  were  not  concluded  when  she  died,  but  they  were  con- 
tinued and  finished  by  her  devoted  widower,  Oswald  Otten- 
dorfer." The  only  office  Mr.  Ottendorfer  e\  er  held  was  thnt 
of  Alderman,  and  he  refused  the  stipend  of  §4,000  attaching 
to  that  position  for  one  year.  He  became  Alderman  because 
he  wished  to  be  in  a  position  to  express  himself  regarding 
civic  affairs  and  how  they  were  managed.  He  has  refused 
nomination  for  Mayor  more  than  once  on  the  ground  that 
the  state  of  his  health  would  not  ])ermit  him  to  discharge 
the  duties  of  the  office.  In  1880  his  health  gave  way  and 
he  traveled  in  Euro])e  to  recover  it.  He  received  an  ova- 
tion in  Germany.  Before  leaving  for  Europe  the  Stants 
/.eitini;^  was  converted  into  a  joint  stock  company,  the  con- 
trolling interest  remaining  in  him  and  his  family. 

Mr.  Ottendorfer  is  a  close  i)ersonal  friend  of  Ex  President 
Grover  Cleveland.  Mr.  Clevel.ind  has  said  in  ])ublic  that 
he  looked  upon  Mr.Ottendorfer  as  a  father.  Mr.  Ottendorfer 
is  nothing  if  not  a  reformer,  audit  is  Mr.  Cleveland's  reform 
views  that  have  attracted  him.  He  hates  knavery  of  every 
kind  and  fights  against  political  chicanery  and  Tammany 
methods  in  local  government  to-day  as  bitterly  as,  when  a 
member  of  the  famous  Committee  of  Seventy,  he  fought 
against  Tweed  and  his  methods  in  1872.  On  the  whole, 
Mr.  Oswald  Ottendorfer  is  a  great  man  and  eminently  a 
great  journalist  and  public-spirited  citi/en. 


FREDERICK  A.  RINGLER. 

Frederick  .\.  Ringler,  President  of  the  George  Ringler 
Hrewing  Company,  but  far  better  known  as  the  foremost 
electrotyper  and  i)hoto-engraver  in  .\merica.  is  a  man  of  great 
versatility,  of  consuming  energy,  and  though  born  in  Ger- 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOr.IS. 


63 


many,  possesses  the  aggressive  character  that  seems  peculiar  tions.  In  1884  Mr.  Ringler  perfected  the  process  of  zinc 
to  the  typical  American.  He  was  born  in  1852,  in  I^'riedwald,  etc  hing,  to  enable  the  daily  papers  to  pul^lish  illustrations, 
a  small  village  in  the  Grand  Duchy  of  Hesse  Cassel,  where  Through  this  channel  the  public  is  treated  to  pictures  of  cur- 
he  attended  the  high  school  until  he  was  fourteen  years  of  rent  life  three  hours  after  the  events  calling  for  them  have 
age,  when  he  came  to  this  country  to  see  his  brother  George.  transpired.  By  the  process  of  electrotyping,  Mr.  Ringler 
After  a  short  time  young  Frederick  was  sent  West,  where  he  has  furnished  the  plates  to  print  such  popular  works  as  the 
completed  his  education  and  graduated  from  a  Chicago  col-  "  American  Dictionary  of  Printing  and  Book  Making," 
lege  with  honors.  While  in  Chicago  he  learned  the  electro-  "  Naval  History  of  the  United  States,"  General  Logan's 
typing  and  stereotyping  business,  and  studied  the  glavtino-  "  (ireat  Conspiracy,"  and  illustrated  works  of  Dickens, 
plastic  process.  After  the  great  fire  of  1871,  Mr.  Ringler  Burns,  Shakespeare,  Moore,  Byron,  Dante's  "Inferno," 
returned  to  New  York,  where  in  1872  he  purchased  an  Tennyson,  C'oleridge's  "Ancient  Mariner,"  "Sword  and 
interest  in  the  electrotyping  establishment  of  Hurst  &  Cimeter,"  "The  Ante-Nicene  Fathers,"  "Pilgrim's  Pro- 
Crum.  Though  a  very  young  man  Mr.  Ringler  mani-  gress,"  "  The  History  of  Free  Masonry,"  etc.  Indeed  most  of 
fested  not  only  a  profound  knowledge  of  the  business,  the  pictures  in  the  illustrated  books  of  a  high  literary  class 
but  also  an  inventive  talent,  which  is  almost  everything  in  are  taken  from  plates  supplied  by  his  establishment,  as,  for 
a  branch  of  industry  where  it  is  necessary  to  be  all  the  time  instance,  "  Meisterwerke  der  Deutschen  Kunst,"  "  Meister- 
improving  to  keep  abreast  of   scientific   discovery.     In  werke  der  Italienischen  Kunst,"  "  Die  Frauen  in  der  Franzo- 


FREDERICK  A.  RINGLER. 


1878  he  purchased  the  interest  of  Hurst  <S:  Crum,  and 
henceforth  carried  on  the  largest  electrotype  establishment 
in  the  United  States  was  that  controlled  by  F.  A.  Ringler 
Company.  His  phenomenal  success  must  be  ascribed  to  an 
aggressive  policy  and  bright  intelligence.  He  is  the  inventor 
of  the  galvano-plastic  process,  which  has  enabled  the  work- 
ingman  to  decorate  his  home  with  pictures,  that  before  Mr. 
Ringler's  time  none  but  the  rich,  or  relatively  rich,  could 
afford.  His  establishment  is  the  only  one  in  this  country  in 
which  copper  and  steel  engravings  are  reproduced  and  steel- 
fared,  a  process  which  makes  the  face  of  such  plates  so  hard 
and  consistent  that  50,000  impressions  are  taken  without 
hurting  or  even  wearing  the  plate  in  the  slightest  degree. 
During  the  compara'tively  short  time  he  has  been  in  the  busi- 
ness he  has  succeeded  in  carrying  off  eight  medals  as  first 
class  prizes  for  superexcellence  in  elegance  of  design  and 
superiority  in  the  work  he  has  exhibited  at  various  exhibi- 


sischen  Kunst,"  "  American  Art,"  etc.  In  fine,  Mr.  Ringler, 
with  his  elegant  half  tone  engravings  and  other  innovations, 
has  set  the  pace  for  the  trade  in  this  country  and  still  keeps 
ahead  himself.  He  is  Honorable  President  of  the  N.  Y.  San- 
gerrunde,  one  of  the  oldest  German  societies  in  the  city. 
The  Sangerrunde  has  celebrated  its  forty-third  anniver- 
sary. He  is  likewise  President  of  the  Centennial  Bowling 
Club,  member  of  the  German  Liederkranz,  and  of  many 
other  social  and  benevolent  societies. 


HARVEY  FISK. 

The  firm  of  Harvey  Fisk  &  Sons  was  founded  by  Har- 
vey Fisk,  March  26,  1885,  in  connection  with  his  three 
oldest  sons,  Harvey  Edward,  Charles  J.  and  Pliny  Fisk.  In 
1890  his  fourth  son,  Alexander  G.  Fisk,  was  admitted  to  the 
firm,  and  his  youngest  son,  Wilbur  C.  Fisk,  was  given  a  respon- 


64 


NEW  YORK,   THE  METROPOLIS. 


NEW   YORK,    THE  METROPOLIS. 


65 


sible  position  in  the  office.  Mr.  Fisk  th'is  had  associated 
with  him  in  business  all  of  his  sons.  Mr.  ]'"isk  was  born  in 
New  Haven,  Vermont,  April  26,  1S31.  His  father  was  a 
Presbyterian  clergyman  and  both  of  his  parents  were  of  old 
New  England  stock,  the  Fisk  family  having  settled  in 
Massachusetts  in  1637.  His  early  boyhood  was  spent  on 
the  shores  of  Lake  Chami)lain,  at  Essex,  N.  Y.;  afterwards 
the  family  removed  to  Canada.  Mr.  Fisk  received  an  e.xcellent 
common  school  and  academic  education.  At  the  early  a'ge  of 
fifteen  he  was  an  instructor  in  French  in  Bakersfield  Acad- 
emy, thus  paying  by  his  services  for  tuition  in  other  branches. 
At  seventeen  years  of  age  we  find  him  ajiprenticed  to  a 
merchant  in  Trenton,  New  Jersey  ;  a  few  years  later  he 
secured  a  position  in  the  Mechanics'  Bank  of  New  York 
City,  and  when  the  Bank  of  the  Commonwealth  was 
organized  he  became  paying  teller  in  that  institution.  In 
1862  Mr.  Fisk  started  business  on  his  own  account  in 
partnership  with  Mr.  A.  S.  Hatch.  From  the  very  first  the 
firm  were  closely  identified  with  the  financing  of  the 
Government  loans.  They  aided  in  the  creation,  refunding 
and  repayment  of  the  debt.  They  also  placed  the  various 
loans  of  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad  and  its  allied  lines. 
In  1885  Mr.  Fisk  dissolved  business  relations  with  Mr. 
Hatch,  and  took  his  sons  into  partnership  under  the  firm 
name  of  Harvey  Fisk  &:  Sons.  Circulars  pul)iished  by  the 
house  in  regard  to  the  advisability  of  using  the  surplus 
revenues  of  the  Government  in  reduction  of  the  debt  were 
received  with  general  ajjproval  by  the  whole  country.  Just 
as  in  his  early  business  career  Mr.  Fisk  had  supplied  the 
Government  in  its  time  of  need  with  vast  sums  of  money  by 
popularizing  the  Government's  bonds,  and  as  afterwards  he 
assisted  the  Government  in  its  various  n  funding  operations 
which  saved  the  country  vast  sums  in  inten  st,  so  now  he  threw 
all  the  weight  of  his  influence  to  have  the  great  surplus 
revenues  of  the  country  used  to  reduce  the  principal  of  the 
debt  instead  of  allowing  them  to  stand  idle  in  the  Treasury,  an 
incentive  to  extravagance  and  removtd  from  the  channels 
of  business  usefulness. 

During  Mr.  (Cleveland's  first  administration  Harvey  Fisk  &: 
Sons  sold  to  the  Government  over  $50,000,000  worth  of  bonds, 
and  during  the  first  two  years  of  Mr.  Harrison's  adminis- 
tration they  sold  the  Government  about  an  equal  amount,  the 
last  sale,  marking  the  climax  of  the  Government's  purchases, 
having  been  $7,000,000,  four  per  cent  bonds,  on  September 
17,  1890,  at  126.74.  The  total  purchases  of  the  Govern- 
ment that  day  were  $16,883,000  In  the  midst  of  these 
great  operations  Mr.  Fisk's  health  gave  way  and  in  Decem- 
ber of  1890  he  died.  Duiing  the  last  two  or  three  years  of 
his  life  the  active  care  of  the  business,  and  the  management 
of  the  large  transactions  in  (Government  bonds,  devolved 
more  and  more  upon  his  sons,  especially  upon  Pliny  Fisk,  who 
had  inherited  much  of  his  father's  ability  in  financial  opera- 
tions. Mr.  Pliny  Fisk,  the  third  son  of  Mr.  Harvey  Fisk,  was 
born  August  26,  i860.  He  is  the  Stock  Exchange  member 
of  the  house,  and  while  the  work  and  responsibility  of  the 
business  are  divided  lietween  the  brothers,  each  one  having 
charge  of  a  department,  they  yet  acknowledge  that  he  is  the 
financial  head  of  the  house  to-day.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Church  of  the  Covenant  and  belongs  to  the  Lawyers' Club  and 
University  Athletic  Club.  He  is  also  a  graduate  of  Princeton 
College,  i'he  commodious  offices  of  the  firm  are  conveniently 
situated  on  the  corner  of  Nassau  and  Cedar  Streets.  Their 
long  acquaintance  with  government  finances  enables  them 
to  furnish  advice  in  regard  to  purchases  or  sales  of  United 
States  bonds  upon  a  solid  basis  of  experience.  Their 
business  is  thoroughly  organized  and  in  every  detail  has 
the  personal  supervision  of  some  member  of  the  firm.  They 
execute  orders  for  the  purchase  and  sale  of  securities  listed 
at  the  New  York  Stock  Exchange,  of  which  they  are  mem- 
bers.   No  speculative  accounts  are  taken.    The  peculiar 


attention  of  the  firm  is  given  to  investing  the  funds  of 
private  individuals,  corporations  and  others  in  carefully 
selected  securities,  especially  in  those  of  the  great  railroad 
companies.  No  security  is  offered  by  the  firm  until  after 
the  most  searching  investigation  into  its  legality  and  the 
condition  of  the  company  responsible  for  its  payment. 


ARTHUR  LEWIS  MERRIAM. 

Arthur  Lewis  Merriam,  Vice-President  of  tiie  Republican 
Club,  was  born  on  May  i,  1849,  in  Oswego,  this  State.  His 
father,  Isaac  L.  Merriam,  the  well  known  inanufacturer,  was 
a  New  Hampshire  man  and  the  family,  one  of  the  oldest  in 
New  England,  is  able  to  trace  its  ancestry  in  a  direct  line 
back  to  the  "  Mayflower  '  Pilgrims. 

Arthur  Lewis  received  an  elementary  education  in  the 
|)ublic  schools  of  his  native  city,  after  which  he  was  sent  to 
the  Eagleswood  Military  Academy,  in  Perth  Amboy,  N.  J., 
from  which  institution  he  graduated  in  the  class  of  1865. 
After  leaving  the  Academy  he  entered  the  wholesale  hard- 
ware house  of  Russell  &  Erwin  Manufacturing  Co.,  where 
he  remained  until  1872,  traveling  for  the  firm  most  of  the 
time,  after  which  he  entered  the  manufacturing  establishment 


AKTHl'K  LEWIS  MERRIAM. 


known  as  the  Ames  Iron  Works,  of  which  his  father  is  one 
of  the  ])rincipal  ])roprietors.  He  was  admitted  to  partner- 
ship in  this  concern  in  1883,  and  under  his  able  manage- 
ment the  New  York  branch  of  the  i)usiness,  of  which 
he  assumed  charge,  has  grown  to  large  proportions. 
Mr.  Merriam  takes  a  keen  interest  in  politics,  and  is  a 
firm  believer  in  protection  to  American  industry  and  labor. 
He  joined  the  Republican  Club  in  1882,  and  since  then  has 
filled  ahiiost  every  office  connected  with  it  In  1890  he  was 
elected  chairman  of  the  House  Committee,  member  of  the 
Executive  Committee  in  1891,  and  in  1892,  on  the  death 
of  Lucius  Ashley,  Vice-President.  He  was  chairman  of  the 
Lincoln  Dinner  Committee  in  1891,  an  affair  which  was 
brilliantly  successful,  and  it  is  acknowledged  on  all  sides 
that  whether  in  social,  political  or  commercial  matters  Mr. 


66 


NEIV   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


Merriam  displays  executive  ability  of  a  high  order.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Union  League  Club  and  life  member  of  the 
New  England  Society.  'I'hough  rendering  such  loyal  and 
efficient  service  to  his  party,  he  has  persistently  refused  office, 
though  often  tendered  him. 

J.  FLETCHER  SHERA. 

J.  Fletcher  Shera  (firm  of  .\mes  &  Shfra),  who  has  in 
recent  years  taken  a  leading  position  in  Wall  Street,  was 
born  in  this  city  in  1865,  and  is  consequently  one  of  the 
youngest  men  in  New  York  who  has  risen  to  eminence  at  an 
age  under  thirty.  But  Mr.  Shera  is  no  ordinary  man.  He 
is  at  the  same  time  possessed  of  the  energy,  the  intelligence 
and  the  financial  foresight  that  enable  men  to  succeed  in 
Wall  Street,  where  intellect  in  competition  is  necessarily 
keener  than  any  other  si)0t  on  earth.  But  he  has  a  quality 
besides,  without  which  the  attributes  mentioned  would  be  a 
curse  rather  than  a  blessing,  a  character  for  integrity  and 
honorable  dealings  which  money  cannot  purchase.    It  is 


gone  on  increasing  until  to-day  Mr.  Shera's  name  is  identi- 
fied with  intelligence  and  ca])acity.  His  word,  to  use  a 
threadbare  expression,  is  as  good  as  his  bond. 

When  Baring  Brothers  failed,  C.  M.  Whitney  &  Co., 
with  whom  Mr.  Shera  was  then  engaged,  suffered  with 
others,  and  as  he  was  about  to  start  for  Europe  to  negoti- 
ate a  large  transaction  in  American  securities  for  the  firm 
he  was  naturally  disappointed  when  the  crash  came.  During 
his  vacation,  however,  he  closed  the  sale  of  four  exten- 
sive blocks  of  securities  to  Eurojjean  buyers  and  added 
to  his  already  high  reputation  as  a  large  and  successful 
negotiator  in  finance.  On  January  i,  1892,  Mr.  Shera,  with 
Mr.  Frederick  F.  Ames,  organized  the  banking  and  broker- 
age house  of  Ames  &  Shera,  whii  h,  in  the  short  space  of  a 
yea--,  has  intrenched  itself  as  solidly  in  the  confidence  of  the 
public  as  if  it  were  a  <  entury  old.  Mr.  Ames  represents  the 
firm  in  the  Stock  Exchange  and  represents  it  in  a  very 
able  manner.  It  has  been  prominent  on  the  Exchange  in 
connection  with  the  Reading  coal  deal  and  cordage  and 


.1.  FIJiPCHER  SlIKRA. 


known  on  Wall  Street^  for  instance,  that  a  short  time  ago 
one  of  the  customers  of  the  firm  left  with  Mr.  Shera  a 
certified  check  for  $400,000  without  recpiiring  even  a 
receipt.  This  strongly  illustrates  the  value  of  character. 
Mr.  Shera  received  an  elementary  education  in  the  public 
schools,  and  graduated  from  Packard  College  at  the  age  of 
eighteen.  His  first  business  engagement  waswitli  Young  <.V- 
Rigg,  subse([uently  changed  to  Young  i\:  Morse,  bankers  and 
brokers,  and  we  next  find  him  in  charge  of  the  bond  depart- 
ment of  C.  M.  Whitney  &  Co.  During  those  years  he 
gained  more  than  local  fame  as  an  accountant,  and  was  for- 
tunate enough  to  discover  an  error  of  a  million  dollars  in 
the  accounts  of  a  large  cor])oration  which  gave  him  a  prestige 
that  was  unitpie  on  his  entrance  to  Wall  Street  for  one  so 
young.  In  Whitney's  he  came  into  touch  with  all  the  lead- 
ing investing  cor|)orations,  both  at  home  and  abroad,  with 
the  result  .that  his  demeanor  and  ability  created  a  good 
impression  in  his  favor.     The  t  onfidence  thus  gained  ha^ 


sugar  trusts,  and  its  volume  of  business  just  now  is  very  large. 
Mr.  Shera  does  not  confine  himself  to  making  money  all 
the  time.  He  is  trustee  of  the  John  Street  M.  E.  Church, 
and  according  to  the  records  of  that  old  institution  is  the 
youngest  trustee  it  has  had  on  its  roll  during  the  hundred 
and  twenty-five  years  of  its  existence.  He  is  considered 
one  of  the  best  tenor  singers  Wall  Street  has  ever  given  to 
the  church,  and  has  organized  the  best  church  chorus  choirs 
in  the  city.  He  has  been  heard,  in  fact,  as  tenor  soloist  in 
nearly  all  the  concerts  in  which  Wall  Street  has  been  inter- 
ested for  years.  Mr.  Ames,  his  partner,  is  a  well-known 
member  of  the  Seventh  Regiment,  the  Colonial  Club  and  is 
connected  with  the  historical  Boston  family  of  that  name. 

MICHAEL  KERWIN. 

Cieneral  Michael  Kerwin,  Collector  of  Inland  Revenue, 
was  i)orn  in  the  County  of  Wexford,  Ireland,  August  15, 
iS^^7,  and  as  a  child  received  his  first  lessons  in  ])atriotism 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


67 


from  the  lii)s  of  men  wlio  luul  fought  at  Oulart,  New  Ross  and 
Vinegar  Hill  for  Irish  freedom.  He  came  to  this  country 
when  quite  a  boy  and  was  educated  in  a  private  academy  and 
in  the  public  schools  in  Philadel])hia.  In  April,  1 86 1 ,  he  joined 
the  Twenty-fourth  Pennsylvania  Infantry  for  a  three  months' 
term,  and  with  his  battalion  was  moved  rapidly  to  the  front. 
Kerwin  had  had  a  theoretical  knowledge  of  military  affairs 
and  his  promotion  was  rajjid.  But  he  did  something,  besides, 
to  deserve  the  promotion.  Before  crossing  the  Potomac  the 
Union  commander  called  for  a  brave  man  to  enter  the  rebel 
lines  anti  obtain  information  as  to  the  enemy's  strength. 
Kerwin  volunteered  for  the  dangerous  service,  and  returned 
with  highly  useful  intelligence  to  (leneral  Negley,  his  brigade 
commander.  He  received  a  captain's  commission  in  the 
Thirteenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  when  his  three  months' 
term  had  expired,  and  a  year  after — July,  1862 — was  pro- 
moted to  a  majority.  Again,  in  1863,  he  was  apixnnted 
colonel  for  being  a  hard  fighter  ;ind  skilful  officer. 

On  Oct.  12  of  that  year,  being  then  with  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac,  Colonel  Kerwin  rendered  his  country  a  service 
that  brought  him  into  unusual  prominence.  General  Lee 
sought  to  turn  the  Union  right  by  a  sudden  flank  movement 
and  would  have  succeeded  but  that  (Colonel  Kerwin  and  his 
command,  in  conjunction  with  the  Fourth  Pennsylvania 
Cavalry,  offered  a  stul)born  six-hour  resistance,  battering 
the  head  of  Ewell's  attacking  column  and  delaying  it  so  as 
to  give  General  Meade  time  to  recross  the  Rappahannock 
and  place  his  army  in  a  new  position.  This  desperate  resist- 
ance was  successful  but  at  a  dreadful  loss  of  life.  During 
1864  Colonel  Kerwin  fought  under  Sheridan  in  that  illus- 
trious soldier's  operations  on  the  enemy's  communications 
around  Richmond,  and  for  a  while  commanded  the  Second 
Brigade  of  Gregg's  division. 

General  Kerwin  took  part  in  the  Fenian  movement 
in  Ireland  after  the  war.  James  Stephens,  the  organizer, 
asked  General  Kerwin  to  assume  command  of  the  insurgent 
forces,  but  the  trained  military  eye  of  tiie  cavalry  veteran 
saw  no  chance  of  success  for  poorly  equi])ped  Irish  insur- 
gents against  the  military  might  of  England  in  the  field. 
He,  however,  submitted  a  plan  of  campaign  and  was  on 
Iri-^h  ground  ready  for  any  emergency,  when  the  British 
Government,  acting  upon  the  information  of  spies  and  in- 
formers, seized  him  and  two  or  three  hundred  other  Amer- 
ican officers  and  threw  them  into  prison. 

General  Kerwin  was  released  after  a  six  months' confine- 
ment and  returned  to  the  United  States,  where  soon  after  he 
purchased  the  New  York  Tablet  and  made  of  it  an  inde- 
pendent organ  of  Irish-American  oi)inion.  His  policy,  as 
exjjressed  in  the  Table/,  is  for  Irish-Americans  to  maintain 
an  independent  position  in  politics  and  to  spurn  the  yoke  of 
bosses.  In  this  he  has  achieved  a  great  measure  of  success, 
as  the  Blaine  movement  of  1884  went  to  show.  He  was 
appointed  Collector  of  Internal  Revenue  for  the  Second 
District  of  New  York  by  President  Harrison  in  1889. 

GEORGE  W.  BRAMWELL. 

George  W.  Bramwell  was  born  in  New  York,  on  August 
24th,  185 1,  of  English  parentage.  His  father,  a  relative  of 
the  late  Baron  P>ramwell,  Judge  of  the  Court  of  Appeals, 
England,  was  a  prominent  cotton  merchant  of  this  city.  He 
went  abroad  with  his  parents  in  1868  and  remained  in 
Germany  to  complete  his  education  in  engineering.  He 
studied  at  the  Polytechnic  schools  of  Dresden  and  Aachen, 
and  graduated  in  1874  as  a  civil  engineer  at  the  latter  school. 
In  order  to  get  a  practical  as  well  as  theoretical  knowledge 
of  his  profession,  he  worked  during  the  summer  vacations  as 
a  paid  assistant  on  railway  surveys,  and  soon  after  gradu- 
ating was  appointed  an  assistant  engineer  on  railway  location 
and  construction  work  in  Saxony,  Germany.  He  was 
subsequently  engaged  in  making  a  report  for  an  English 


syndicate  on  a  jjrojected  railway  enterprise  in  Germany.  He 
entered  considerably  into  the  social  life  of  Germany,  studied 
languages  and  music,  and  travelled  extensively  in  Europe. 
He  returned  home  in  1877,  after  spending  eight  years  abroad 
and  engaged  in  mining  engineering  in  the  anthracite  coal 
fields  of  Pennsylvania,  and  for  a  time  was  mining  engineer 
of  Coxe  Brothers,  Gowan  colliery.  In  1880  he  went  to  West 
Virginia,  as  constructing  engineer  and  superintendent  in 
building  the  large  coal  and  coke  works  at  Stone  Cliff,  on  the 
Chesapeake  and  Ohio  Railway,  also  in  making  mining  sur- 
veys in  Ohio  for  the  New  York  and  Ohio  Iron  and  Steel 
C!om|)any.  In  1881  he  went  to  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  as  the  General 
Manager  and  Engineer  of  the  Steam  Cable  Towing  Com- 
pany, in  reorganizing  and  extending  the  system  of  steam 
cable  towage  on  the  entire  length  of  the  Erie  Canal,  thereby 
abolishing  horses.  After  an  extensive  trial,  he  reported  to  the 
company  that  the  only  solution  of  canal  transportation  in 
competition  with  the  railways  was  the  ship  canal.  In  1883  he 
returned  to  Virginia  to  investigate  and  rejiort  u])on  the  newly 


GEORGE  W.  BRAMWELL. 

developed  coal  fields  of  the  Flat  Top  region, and  subsequently 
practised  as  a  consulting  engineer,  with  offices  at  Roanoke, 
Virginia.  The  following  year  he  accepted  the  position  as 
the  Engineer  of  Maintenance  of  Way  on  the  Shenandoah 
Valley  Railway,  Virginia.  Returning  to  New  York  in  1886, 
he  estal)li.shed  him  elf  in  this  city  as  a  consulting  engineer, 
and  in  1890  formed  the  Hydraulic  Contracting  Company, 
engineers  and  contractors  for  Water  Works  and  Water 
Supijly,  of  which  he  was  the  President  and  Treasurer.  In 
1886  Mr.  Bramwell  married  Miss  Moffat,  daughter  of  the 
late  Dr.  Moffat  of  this  city.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Union 
and  other  clubs,  a  member  of  the  American  Society  of  Civil 
Engineers  ;  the  Engineers'  Club  of  Philadelphia  ;  the  Ameri- 
can Water  Works  Association,  and  the  Engineers'  Club  of 
this  city,  of  which  he  is  a  Trustee  and  a  zealous  worker 
in  the  promotion  of  social  intercourse  amongst  the  members 
of  the  engineering  i)rofessions,  for  which  purpose  the  club 
was  organized. 


68 


NEW  YORK,   THE  METROPOLIS. 


WILLIAM    HENRY  WEBB. 

William  Henry  Webb,  the  famous  shipbuilder  and 
founder  of  Webb's  Academy  and  Home  for  Shipbuilders, 
was  born  in  New  York  City  on  the  19th  of  June,  1816,  of 
New  Enghmd  and  Huguenot  parentage.  His  family  is 
among  the  oldest  in  the  country,  and  at  least  one  represent- 
ative of  it  in  every  generation  has  occupied  a  prominent 
position  in  some  sphere  or  another.  I'he  first  of  the 
American  Webbs  was  Richard,  who  having  been  made  a 
freeman  of  Cambridge,  Mass.,  in  1632,  accomjianied 
Governor  Haynes  and  Rev.  Mr.  Hooker  to  Hartford,  Conn., 
and  was  one  of  the  Grand  Jury  in  that  settlement  in  1643. 
Richard  represented  the  town  of  Stamford  in  the  Connecti- 
cut General  Court  in  1667.  Benjamin  Webb,  great  grand- 
son of  Richard,  was  engaged  in  the  fierce  struggle  for 
supremacy  between  the  French  and  English  and  was  at  the 
taking  of  (Quebec  by  General  Wolfe  in  1759.  So  was  his 
son  Colonel  Charles  Webb,  who  distinguished  himself  so 
greatly  in  the  War  for  Independence.  His  voice  was  raised 
elo(|uently  for  war  in  the  Connecticut  Legislature  and  he 
was  in  command  of  the  Nineteenth  Regiment  at  the  battle 
of  Long  Island.  Colonel  Webb  distinguished  himself  at  the 
battle  of  White  Plains  also,  and  at  the  battle  of  White 
Marsh  (1777),  where  his  regiment  bore  the  brunt  of  the 
Hessian  attack  and  lost  eighty  in  killed,  besides  a  large 
number  in  wounded.  His  son,  another  Charles,  was  also 
engaged  in  the  war  as  I-ieutenant  and  subsequently  as 
Adjutant,  and  was  killed  on  a  gunboat  in  the  Sound.  He, 
Colonel  Charles  Webb,  in  conjunction  with  six  other  gentle- 
men, gave  his  note  for  ^500  to  i)ay  the  expense  of  a 
mission  to  Crown  Point  in  1775  of  which  mission  he  had 
been  jilaced  in  charge  l)y  the  Continental  Congress.  Isaac 
Webb,  one  of  the  Colonel's  sons,  was  born  on  July  28, 1766, 
and  Isaac  Webb,  his  grandson,  son  of  Wilsey  Webb,  was 
born  in  1794  and  died  in  1840.  Isaac  was  a  great  ship- 
builder in  his  time,  and  in  his  young  days,  while  apprenticed 
to  the  famous  Henry  Eckford,  worked  on  many  of  the 
Lake  ves.sels  that  in  the  war  of  1812,  under  Mcl)onough 
and  other  American  commanders,  did  so  much  damage  to 
the  British.  In  1819-20  he  built  the  steamer  Fulton  for 
.\Ir.  Eckford,  designed  to  run  between  New  York  and 
Havana,  and  later  on  became  Mr.  Eckford's  jjartner.  He 
built  many  of  those  first  packet  ships  which  raised  the 
country's  reputation  for  shij)l)uilding  to  so  high  a  pitch. 

WiUiam  Hinry  Webl).  sul)ject  of  this  sketch,  lineally 
descended  from  the  original  Richard  Webb,  of  Stamford, 
of  which  city  the  Webbs  were  the  founders,  is  son  of  the 
shipbuilder  Isaac  who,  as  already  stated,  died  in  1840. 
His  parents  did  not  intend  that  he  should  be  a  shipbuilder, 
but  nature,  or  perhajjs  the  law  of  heredity,  decreed  other- 
wise. In  the  Columbia  College  Grammar  School  in  which 
he  was  educated,  he  was  noted  for  proficiency  in  geometry 
and  algebra,  and  in  fact  it  was  evident  he  was  a  born 
mathematician.  As  a  boy  he  loved  to  play  round  his  father's 
shipyard  and  before  folks  could  very  will  realize  it  he  had 
constructed  a  small  skifl'  with  his  own  hands.  This  was  at 
the  age  of  twelve  during  vacation  ;  before  fifteen  he  had 
built  other  boats,  among  them  a  small  |)ad(lle  boat.  Dis- 
suaded by  his  father,  discouraged  by  his  teachers,  he  per- 
sisted in  the  study  of  marine  architecture  and  while  still  an 
apprentice  he  began  the  building  of  five  vessels  under  sub- 
contract in  conjunction  with  an  older  fellow  apprentice 
named  Townsend.  Of  this  number  were  the  packet  ship 
'"Oxford"  of  the  Black  Call  Line,  the  Havre  packet  ship 
"Duchess  d'Orleans  "  and  the  Liverpool  ])acket  ship 
"New  York."  He  was.  then  only  twenty-three  years  old 
and  being  naturally  delicate  the  strain  on  his  constitution 
brought  about  by  hard  and  almost  unremitting  work  com- 
])elle<l  him  to  take  a  vacation.  He  was  travelling  in  I'.urope 
•inspecting  ships  and  dock  yards  wlu-n  news  of  his  father's 


death  reached  him  and  he  hastened  home  to  find  the  busi- 
ness in  rather  an  unsatisfactory  condition.  He  at  once 
formed  a  new  partnership  with  Mr.  Allen,  his  father's  former 
partner,  for  the  sake  of  the  name  merely,  but  in  .\pril, 
1843,  the  whole  business  fell  into  the  hands  of  young  Webb 
and  henceforth  it  was  phenomenally  successful.  Before 
doing  any  work  for  his  father's  old  patrons  he  constructed 
ten  vessels  for  other  parties.  From  that  time  until  he  re- 
tired from  active  work  (1869)  he  built  150  vessels  of  all 
sizes,  including  London,  Liverpool  and  Havre  packets, 
steamships  and  war  vessels  of  the  largest  tonnage  then 
known,  and  in  the  aggregate  much  greater  than  that  of  any 
other  shipbuilder  in  this  or  any  other  country  during  that 
period.  He  was,  when  he  retired  from  business,  one  of  the 
largest  owners  of  tonnage  in  the  United  States. 

,\  history  of  his  achievements  during  those  years  would 
make  a  very  interesting  volume.  In  1847  he  built  the 
"  United  States  "  of  3,000  tons  for  the  New  Orleans  trade. 
It  was  the  first  steamer  constructed  in  the  United  States  of 
such  i)ro])ortion  and  in  1848  the  "Cherokee"  which  ran 
between  New  York  and  Savannah,  as  well  as  nearly  all  the 
Pacific  Mail  Company's  steamers  ;  the  "  California,"  the  first 
steamer  that  entered  the  Golden  Gate,  and  the  first  steamers 
carrying  the  L'.  S.  Mail  from  New  York  via  the  Isthmus  of 
Panama  and  San  Francisco  to  China.  In  1850  he  offered  to 
build  a  model  steam  war  vessel  for  the  United  Si ates,  which 
offer  was  favorably  received  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy, 
but  on  condition  that  it  be  constructed  in  a  government 
dockyard  This  condition  Mr.  Webb  could  not  agree  to, 
and  he  made  a  similar  proposal  to  Napoleon  III.,  who  con- 
sented if  the  vessel  was  built  in  a  French  dock.  Mr.  Webb 
next  went  to  Russia  and  after  surmounting  great  difiiculties 
during  three  years  finally  obtained  an  order  to  build  the 
"  General-.Admiral  "  in  his  own  shipyard.  Meanwhile  war 
between  Russia  and  France  and  England  broke  out,  and 
although  Secretary  01  State  Marcy  said,  "  Go  ahead,  I  will 
stand  by  you,"  and  President  Pierce  said.  "  I  do  not  intend 
that  the  citizens  of  the  United  States  shall  be  interfered 
with  in  the  prosecution  of  their  legitimate  business  because 
France  and  England  choo.se  to  quarrel  with  Russia,"  Mr. 
Webb  arranged  for  a  suspension  with  his  friend  the  Grand 
Duke  Constantine  sooner  than  entangle  his  own  govern- 
ment on  a  tpiestion  of  international  law.  The  model  on 
which  this  vessel  was  built  has  been  copied  by  all  nation.^, 
and  completely  revolutionized  that  style  of  vessels  for  war 
purposes.  The  "  General-.Vdmiral  "  was  launched  in  1858 
and  ])roved  to  be  the  swiftest  war  vessel  set  afloat  uji  to  that 
time.  She  was  received  with  enthusiasm  by  the  Russian 
Government  from  Mr  Wel)b,  who  delivered  her  in  personal 
Cronstadt.  .Among  the  many  testimonials  he  received  on 
account  of  his  honorable  fulfillment  of  this  and  other  con- 
tracts from  the  Russian  government  was  a  manuscrijU  letter 
from  the  (irand  Duke  Constantine — General  Admiral  of  the 
Russian  Navy — which  owing  to  the  language  in  which  it  was 
couched  is  more  highh  esteemed  by  Mr  Webb  than  any- 
thing of  that  nature  he  has  ever  received.  .Accompanying 
the  letter  was  a  gold  box  encircled  with  diamonds  and 
mounted  with  other  precious  stones.  Henceforth  he  be- 
came famous  all  over  Euroi)e  as  a  builder  of  war  vessels. 
The  Spanish  Government  gave  him  a  large  contract,  which, 
however,  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  breaking  out.  was  can- 
celled on  the  representation  of  our  Minister  to  .Madrid,  Mr. 
Preston  of  Kentucky,  an  active  secessionist,  who  said  our 
country  was  going  to  pieces  and  it  would  not  be  safe  to  send 
money  here.  He  subse(piently  visited  Italy  on  the  in- 
vitation of  Count  Cavour  and  contracted  with  him  on 
behalf  of  his  government  for  the  building  of  the  two  iron- 
clad screw  frigates  "  Re  d' Italia  "  and  "  Re  di  Partogallo." 

They  were  the  first  iron  clads  ever  built  in  this  country  to 
cross  the  .\tlanlic  Ocean  and  possessed  extraordinary  speed. 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


So  satisfied  was  Victor  Emanuel  with  them  that  by  royal 
decree,  dated  January  31,  1876,  he  conferred  u])on  Mr. 
Webb  the  order  of  St.  Maurice  and  Lazarus,  one  of  the 
oldest  and  most  coveted  orders  of  Knighthood  in  Europe. 
His  ne.\t  achievement  was  the  construction  of  the  "  Uun- 
derberg "  for  the  American  (lovernment.  The  "Dunder- 
berg""  was  not  completed  when  the  war  of  the  Rebellion 
was  brought  to  a  close,  and  Mr.  Webb  having  received  a 
magnificent  offer  for  her  from  the  French  Government  he 
had  influence  enough  to  have  his  contract  cancelled  so  tliat 
he  might  accept  it,  though  many  men  in  high  places  insisted 
that  on  i)atriotic  grounds  such  a  terrible  engine  of  war 
should  not  be  allowed  to  leave  the  United  States.  She  was 
delivered  by  Mr.  Webb  in  person  to  the  French  authorities 
in  Cherbourg,  though  the  contract  provided  at  first  for  de- 
livery in  New  York.  I'he  "  Dunderberg,"  subsequently 
changed  to  the  "  Rochambeau  "  by  the  French  Govern- 
ment, so  surpassed  all  expectation  as  regards  speed  and 
other  essentials  that,  as  the  French  Archives  show,  a  patent 
of  the  Legion  of  Honor  was  promised  William  Henry 
Webb,  which,  nevertheless,  owing  to  intrigue,  was  never 
given  him.  Strong  opposition  came  from  the  French  Ma- 
rine, for  in  spite  of  their  j)rotest  the  Emperor  himself  it  was 
who  had  made  the  contract  with  the  builder.  The  Rocham- 
beau is  even  at  this  day  considered  the  most  formidable 
warshi])  in  the  world.  Mr.  Webb  next  turned  his  attention 
to  floating  palaces  and  produced  such  vessels  as  the 
"  Bristol  "  and  "  Providence"  for  the  Fall  River  Line.  To 
sum  up  and  give  some  idea  what  Mr.  Webb  did  in  less  than 
a  generation,  it  is  only  necessary  to  state  that  between  1840 
and  1869  he  constructed  150  vessels  with  a  tonnage  of 
187,822  and  at  an  approximate  cost  of  $15,000,000.  The 
crowning  act  in  a  splendid  career  is  his  founding  of  Webb's 
Academy  and  Home  for  Shipbuilders,  an  institution  where 
worthy  poor  young  men  from  any  part  of  the  country  may 
acquire  an  education  in  any  branch  of  shipbuilding  and 
marine  engineering  free  of  cost,  and  be  not  even  under  the 
expense  of  jjaying  their  own  board.  In  addition  to  the 
Academy  is  a  home  for  decre])it  ship  carpenters  and  ship- 
builders. The  institution  has  been  incorjjoratcd  and  will 
cost,  including  endowment,  more  than  $2,000,000. 

Mr.  Wel)b  was  one  of  the  original  and  largest  share- 
holders on  the  Panama  Railroad,  but  he  sold  out  in  1872 
for  $316  per  share  (par  value  lioo),  a  very  wise  proceeding, 
judging  from  the  present  aspect  of  French  affairs.  In  187 1 
he  received  a  public  reception  in  San  Francisco  as  one  of 
the  chief  promoters  in  building  up  the  city.  He  was  thrice 
offered  nomination  for  Mayor  of  New  York  City,  once  by 
the  Democrats,  once  by  the  Republicans,  and  once  by  the 
Citizens'  Party,  but  declined  on  each  occasion.  His  great 
est  ])ubiic  achievement  was  in  the  overthrow  of  the  Aqueduct 
("ommissioners,  the  saving  thereby  of  millions  of  dollars 
and  the  procuring  of  good  wholesome  water  for  the  city. 

The  readers  of  this  necessarily  brief  sketch  will  concede 
that  Mr.  Webb  has  done  great  things  in  his  generation  and 
that  the  name  handed  down  to  him  by  distinguished  fore- 
fathers has  lost  nothing  in  his  hands.  Of  course  it  is  as  a 
great  shipbuilder  par  excellence  that  this  name  will  go  down 
to  posterity.  Jacob  A.  Westervelt,  himself  a  renowned 
sliipbuilder  of  his  time,  thinks  Mr.  Webb  the  greatest  ship- 
builder that  has  ever  lived,  and  no  one  will  deny  tiiat  al 
least  in  this  century  the  saying  recorded  of  him  that  he  is 
the  Napoleon  of  .Shipbuilders  is  not  exaggerated. 

EDWIN    A.  CRUIKSHANK. 

The  growth  of  New  N'ork  and  Prooklyn  in  the  past  hall 
century  has  been  rapid  and  marvellous.  It  does  not  take 
anything  like  a  man  of  advanced  years  to  remember  when 
Canal  Street  was  pretty  well  uptown,  or  when  the  cows 
grazed  in  picturesque  quietness  where  HIee(  ker  Street  now 


runs.  Hence  it  is  easy  to  imagine  what  a  number  of  real 
estate  agents  such  a  growth  called  into  existence,  many  of 
whom  made  fortunes  in  s]jeculation,  others  in  legitimate, 
steady  business.  In  fact,  the  business  is  extensive  even 
to-day,  for  New  York  is  still  growing  and  real  estate  men 
are  as  necessary  and  as  ])rosperous  as  ever  in  the  community. 

Among  the  most  prominent  and  able  of  our  real  estate 
men  is  Edwin  A.  Cruikshank.  He  was  born  on  August  11, 
1843,  'i"^!  now  therefore  in  the  full  vigor  of  life,  and  is 
the,  son  of  James  Cruikshank,  well  known  in  the  last  gener- 
ation as  a  real  estate  agent  and  as  the  builder  of  the 
earli  st  bulkheads  and  piers  in  the  city  of  New  York.  His 
paternal  grandfather  w-as  Wm.  Cruikshank,  of  Aberdeen, 
Scotland,  and  his  maternal  grandfather  w  as  John  Wheeler,  of 
London,  son  of  an  English  country  gentleman.  Something 
that  Mr.  Cruikshonk  feels  justly  proud  of  is  the  fact  that 
his   father  and  his   two   uncles   assisted  in  throwing  uj) 


K.    A.  CKV"1K.SH.\.\K. 


breastworks  on  Long  Island  in  the  war  of  1S12-14.  Mr. 
Cruikshank  himself  served  in  the  famous  Thirteenth 
Piooklyn  Regiment  in  1S62,  and  subsequently  as  Lieu- 
tenant in  the  Eighty-ninth  Regiment,  National  Guard. 
He  was  educated  in  the  public  and  jirivate  schools  of 
this  city  and  first  entered  the  active  business  of  life  as 
an  office  boy.  That  was  thirty  six  years  ago,  and  since 
then  Mr.  Cruikshank  has  worked  intelligently  and  un- 
ceasingly in  his  profession,  earning  a  reputation  for  strict 
honesty,  promptness,  courtesy,  energy  and  a  high  char- 
acter generally.  It  is  to  these  qualities  he  ascribes  his 
success  in  life.  He  has  a  bright  record  and  no  man  can 
point  to  a  flaw  u|)on  his  escutcheon. 

Mr.  Cruikshank  occupies  a  good  social  position.  He 
is  one  of  the  incori)oralors  of  the  Real  Estate  Exchange 
and  Auction  R^om  (Limited),  and  has  been  successively 
Treasurer,  Vice-President  and  President  of  that  institu- 
tion. He  was  also  N  ice-President  of  the  Saranac  Club.  He 
is  a  |)rominent  Mason  and  memi)er  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROFOLIS. 


pal  Church,  and  is  also  a  member  of  the  Brooklyn  (lun 
Club  and  Blooming  Grove  Park  Association,  and  is  fond  of 
both  fishing  and  shooting.  Among  the  other  clubs  he  be- 
longs to  are  the  Reform  and  Insurance.  He  is  Director  of 
the  New  York  Plate  Glass  Insurance  Company  and  the  Real 
Estate  Loan  and  Trust  Company.  Mr.  Cruikshank,  in  his 
capacity  of  real  estate  agent,  has  clients  not  only  in  New- 
York  and  Brooklyn,  and  the  United  States  generally,  l)iit  in 
England,  France.  Germany  and  Italy.  He  is  now  the  oldest 
living  descendant  in  tlie  regular  line  of  the  first  real  estate 
agent  in  New  York  City. 


SIGMUND  LUSTGARTEN,  M.D. 

Dr.  Sigmund  Lustgarten  was  born  in  Vienna,  the  capital 
of  the  Austrian  Emj)ire,  on  December  19,  1857.  His 
parents  were  Julius  l-ustgarten  and  Rose  Barback.  He 
was  educated  in  the  schools  of  that  city,  and  in  1881  grad- 
uated from  the  "  University  of  Vienna  "  as  M.D.  He  was 
almost  immediately  ai)|)ointed  Demonstrator  and  Chief  of 
the  Laboratory  of  Chemistry  under  Professor  H.  Ludwig  of 
Vienna,  and  then  entered  the  hospital  as  "Secundar  arzt." 
A  year  and  a  half  afterwards  he  began  travelling  through 
the  European  continent,  during  which  time  he  visited  the 
universities  and  the  hospital  for  leprosy  in  Norway.  In  the 
beginning  of  1885  he  was  appointed  Chief  of  the  Clinic 
under  Professor  Kaposi  of  Vienna,  of  the  dermatological 
wards,  which  position  he  held  until  1889.  In  1886  he  was 
appointed  lecturer  of  dermatology  and  syphilis  in  the 
Vienna  University.  During  his  successful  lecturing  course 
in  Vienna  he  had  a  very  large  cosmopolitan  audience, 
among  which  were  many  Americans.  He  came  to  New 
York  in  1889  and  has  been  in  active  practice  here  since. 
He  is  member  of  the  Royal  Imperial  Society  of  Physicians 
in  Vienna,  the  (German  Dermatological  Society,  the  Derma- 
tological Society  of  New  York,  the  German  Medical  Society, 
the  County  Medical  Society,  and  is  lecturer  on  derma- 
tology and  syphilis  in  the  New  York  Post-Graduate  School. 
His  writings,  which  are  valuable  and  mucli  cpioted,  may  be 
found  in  the  reports  of  the  Academy  of  Science  in  Vienna, 
in  scientific  archives  and  medical  weeklies.  Amongst  the 
most  noted  incidents  in  Dr.  Lustgarten's  medical  career  was 
the  introduction  of  the  tannate  of  mercury  in  1884  and  in 
the  year  following  a  pamphlet  on  the  discovery  of  the 
germs  of  syphilis,  which  attracted  a  good  deal  of  attention. 
Notwithstanding  that  Dr.  Lustgarten  has  been  so  few 
years  in  this  city  he  has  already  obtained  a  distinguished 
place  in  the  profession. 

LISPENARD  STEWART. 

Lispenard  Stewart  was  born  in  Westchester  County  on 
June  19,  1855.  If  there  is  such  an  entity  as  an  American 
aristocracy  in  existence,  and  if  it  is  an  honor  to  belong  to 
it,  the  honor  is  his.  The  Stewart  family  are  of  Scottish 
descent,  being  descendants  of  Charles  Stewart  of  Garth, 
an  officer  in  the  dragoons  in  the  army  of  William  III.  in 
1685,  who  for  gallantry  in  the  battle  of  the  Boyne  was  given 
the  demesne  of  Gortlee,  in  Donegal,  Ireland,  in  the  distri- 
bution of  estates  which  followed  the  Revolution. 

The  Lispenard  family  was  of  Huguenot  origin.  After  the 
Revocation  of  the  Edict  of  Nantes,  one  Antoine  Lispenard 
came  to  America  in  1690.  In  the  charter  of  Trinity  Church 
given  by  William  in  1693  occurs  the  name  of  David  Lis- 
])enard  as  a  petitioner  for  the  grant.  From  the  Stewarts 
and  Lispenards  the  subject  of  this  sketch  is  descended. 

He  was  educated  in  Anthon's  and  Charlier's  Schools 
and  prepared  for  college  in  the  famous  boarding-school  of 
Dr.  Morris.  After  leaving  the  school  he  went  to  Yale  Col- 
lege, from  which  great  university  he  graduated  in  his  21st 


year,  taking  the  degree  of  A. P.  In  1878  Mr.  Stewart  grad- 
uated from  the  Columbia  Law  School,  and  at  once  began  to 
practise  his  profession.  He  was  building  up  a  good  prac- 
tice when  the  Rliinelander  estate  was  placed  in  his  hands 
for  management,  followed  by  others  of  such  magnitude  that 
he  was  reluctantly  compelled  to  become  a  real  estate  agent 
instead  of  a  lawyer.  The  transition  was  easy  and  natural 
enough,  however,  as  most  of  his  law  practice  hinged  upon 
real  estate  litigation. 

Mr.  Stewart  has  always  been  a  staunch  and  active 
Republican.  As  a  mark  of  appreciation  of  his  services  he 
was  in  1888  placed  on  the  ticket  as  a  Presidential  elector 
and  was  subsequently  elected  Secretary  of  the  Electoral 
College,  which  was  a  very  high  honor  for  so  young  a  man. 
More  tangible  honors  were  to  come,  and  in  1889  the 
Republicans  of  the  Seventh  District  nominated  him  for  the 
Senate.  Among  his  opponents  was  that  ])henomenal  worker, 
now  doorkeeper  of  Congress,  then  known  to  fame  as 
''Turner  the  Iceman."  It  was  a  memorable  contest.  Every 
possible  vote  was  brought  out  ;  Lispenard  Stewart  himself 
worked  like  a  Trojan  and  was  elected  by  a  small  plurality. 


LISPENARD  STEWART. 


Tammany  Hall  was  dumfounded.  Mr.  Stewart  received 
congratulations  from  all  quarters,  for  he  had  achieved  a 
great  victory.  His  career  ni  the  Senate  was  able  and  cred- 
itable. He  worked  hard  and  made  himself  master  of  de- 
tails. He  showed  himself  the  right  kind  of  a  Republican 
and  won  universal  respect.  His  most  noticeable  achieve- 
ment as  member  of  the  State  Senate  was  his  introduction 
and  passage  of  the  bill  creating  the  present  Rapid  Transit 
Commission.  Before  serving  in  the  Senate  Mr.  Stewart 
declined  the  nomination  for  Congress,  and  no  doubt  one  of 
these  days  we  shall  hear  of  him  as  one  of  New  York  State's 
(iubernatorial  probabilities.  He  is  on  the  Re])ul)lican  Elec- 
toral ticket  (1892)  for  the  present  year. 

Apart  from  his  professional  and  Senatorial  duties  Mr. 
Stewart  has  been  kept  j^retty  busy  as  a  citizen  in  a  semi- 
pid)lic  way.    He  is  one  of  the  Committee  of  One  Hundred 


72 


NEW  YORK,   THE  METROPOLIS. 


for  celebrating  the  Columbus  Quadricentennial  ;  was  on 
the  committee  that  brought  General  Grant's  remains  to 
New  York  ;  also  was  member  of  the  Citizens'  Committee  for 
celebrating  the  Hundredth  Anniversary  of  General  Washing- 
ton's Inauguration  as  first  President  of  the  United  States. 

In  charities  he  is  also  active,  for  he  is  on  the  governing 
boards  of  the  New  York  Eye  and  Ear  Infirmary,  the 
Prison  Association  of  New  York,  and  the  Seamen's  Mission. 
He  is  meml)er  of  the  Union  Club,  the  Union  League  Club, 
the  University,  the  Metropolitan,  Governor  of  the  Riding 
Club,  member  of  the  Down  Town  Club,  and  many  others. 


R.  C.  M.  PAGE,  M.D. 

Among  the  most  distinguished  of  the  Southern  soldiers 
who  after  the  war  made  their  homes  in  the  Metropolis  is 
Major  Richard  Channing  Moore  Page,  M.D. ,  to-day  one  of 
our  most  eminent  physicians. 

Dr.  Page  was  born  in  Keswick,  Albemarle  County,  Vir- 
ginia, on  January   2,   1841.     His  father  was  Dr.  Mann 


brigade  in  the  army  of  General  Joseph  E.  Johnson.  He 
was  engaged  in  the  first  battle  of  Bull  Run.  In  October 
following  (1861)  he  was  transferred  to  Captain  Lewis  M. 
Coleman's  Morris  Artillery  and  jjromoted  to  be  Second  Gun 
Sergeant.  He  marched  to  the  Peninsula  with  Johnston's 
army,  and  after  the  battle  of  Williamsburg  (1862)  was  bre- 
vetted  Captain  of  Artillery.  With  this  rank  he  served  in  the 
cam])aign  around  Richmond  and  received  special  mention 
in  despatches  for  brilliant  services  at  the  battle  of  .Antietam. 
He  was  actively  engaged  in  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg, 
Chancellorsville  and  Gettysburg.  It  was  at  Chancellorsville 
immediately  in  front  of  Captain  Page's  guns  that  (ieneral 
"Stonewall"  Jackson  was  accidentally  shot  by  his  own 
infantry.  On  the  morning  following  Captain  Page  was 
accorded  the  honor  of  firing  the  signal  gun  for  the  com- 
mencement of  the  day's  battle,  and  it  was  his  battery  that 
first  occupied  Hazel  Grove,  a  point  sweeping  Hooker's 
almost  impregnable  works,  which  forced  that  General  to 
retire.  His  battery  occupied  a  front  position  at  Gettysburg 
also,  and  was  exposed  to  such  a  murderous  fire  that  thirty- 


R.  c.  M.  i'A(;k 


Page  and  his  grandfather  the  Major  Carter  Page,  who 
served  on  the  personal  staff  of  Lafayette  in  the  campaign 
against  Cornwallis.  The  founder  of  the  family  in  this  coun- 
try was  the  Hon.  John  Page,  an  English  merchant,  i)orn  in 
1627,  who  removed  to  Virginia  and  became  a  member  of 
the  Royal  Colonial  Council,  lie  died  in  1692.  The  son  of 
this  John  Page  was  the  Hon.  .Matthew  Page,  his  grandson 
Mann  Page,  whose  grandson  was  Major  Carter  Page  of 
Revolutionary  fame,  already  mentioned,  Dr.  Mann  Page 
coming  next  in  direct  descent  and  the  subject  of  our  sketch 
the  seventh.  They  were  all  and  each  of  them  prominent 
men  in  their  generation  and  remarkable  for  longevity.  Dr. 
Page's  mother  was  Miss  Walker,  of  Castle  Hill,  Virginia, 
daughter  of  Hon.  Francis  Walker,  M.C..  whose  brother, 
('olonel  John  Walker,  was  aide-de-camj)  to  General  Washing- 
ton. Young  i'age  was  a  student  in  the  University  of  Virginia 
f)n  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War,  when,  leaving  the  college 
with  a  brilliant  reputation,  he  enlisted  as  |)rivate  in  Pendle- 
ton's Rockbridge  Battery,  attached  to  Stonewall  Jackson's 


two  of  its  officers  and  men  were  killed  in  less  than  an  hour, 
and  Captain  Page  was  himself  dangerously  wounded.  He 
recovered  and  in  March,  1864,  resumed  active  ser\  ice  as 
Major  and  took  part  in  the  Champaign  of  the  Wilderness. 
In  October  of  that  year  he  was  assigned  to  command  the 
artillery  for  the  department  of  Southwest  ^'irginia  and  East 
Tennessee  in  the  army  of  Gen.  John  C.  Breckenridge.  He 
served  in  the  army  until  the  close  of  the  war,  took  part  in 
the  final  struggle  and  surrendered  with  the  rest  of  Lee's 
gallant  army.  Major  Page  had  been  taken  prisoner  before 
(February,  1864)  by  Dahlgren's  raiders,  but  escaped  and  at 
once  rejoined  his  command. 

.\fter  the  war  he  returned  to  the  university,  studied  medi- 
cine, graduated  in  one  session  ( 1 867 ),  removed  to  this  city 
and  graduated  from  the  L'niver.-ity  of  the  City  of  New 
York,  after  which  he  was  admitted  on  the  staff  of  Bellevue 
Hos|)ital.  serving  the  regular  teim  as  house  i)hysician.  He 
next  received  the  political  appointment  of  District  Physician, 
but  resigned  after  a  short  time  and  became  house  surgeon 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


73 


to  the  Woman's  Hospital.  In  1871  he  began  private  prac- 
tice and  met  with  success  from  the  start.  In  1874  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Elizabeth  Fitch  Winslow,  of  Westport,  Conn.,  widow 
of  Hon.  Richard  Henry  Winslow,  founder  of  the  bank  of 
Winslow,  Lanier  &  Co.,  New  York.  In  1880  he  was  appointed 
Professor  of  Diseases  of  the  Chest  and  General  Medicine  in 
the  New  York  Polyclinic,  which  he  still  holds,  as  well  as 
several  other  important  positions  in  the  realm  of  medicine. 
He  was  appointed  honorary  vice-president  of  the  Pajis  con- 
gress for  the  study  of  tubeiculosis. 

Dr.  Page  is  author  of  man)  medical  works,  including 
text  books  on  "  Physical  Diagnosis  "  and  "  The  Practice  of 
Medicine,"  that  are  highly  spoken  of  by  critics  and  are  now 
used  in  many  colleges.  He  is  a  member  of  the  New  York 
Historical  Society,  of  the  New  York  Southern  Society  and 
of  the  Confederate  Veteran  Camp  of  New  York. 


JAMES  R.  O'BEIRNE. 

General  James  Rowan  O'Beirne,  Assistant  Commissioner 
of  Immigration,  has  had  a  remarkable  and  honorable  career. 
His  father,  Michael  Horan  O'Beirne,  who  belonged  to  an 
ancient  Irish  family,  was  friend  and  associate  of  such  men 
as  Michael  Doherty,  Thomas  P'rancis  Meagher,  Smith 
O'Brien  and  other  leaders  of  the  young  Ireland  party, 
came  to  America  in  1832,  became  member  of  the  firm  of 
Roche  Brothers,  and  died  in  1858.  The  General's  mother, 
Eliza  Rowan,  one  of  the  most  beautiful,  gifted,  and 
charming  women  of  her  time,  was  also  of  pure  old  IriTi 
stock.  She  was  niece  of  Gregory  Dillon,  first  President  of 
the  Irish  Immigrant  Savings  Bank,  and  cousin  of  Robert  J. 
Dillon,  at  one  time  District  Attorney  of  New  York  City. 
The  General  was  born  in  Ireland,  on  September  25,  1840, 
and  was  brought  to  this  country  when  only  nine  months  old. 
He  was  educated  in  St  Francis  Xavier  and  St.  John's  Col- 
leges, from  which  latter  he  received  the  degree  of  A.M. 
when  only  nineteen  years  of  age,  and  later  the  degree  of 
LL.D.  After  leaving  college  he  entered  the  office  of  Roche, 
O'Beirne  &:  Co.,  but  subsequently  started  in  business  for 
himself.  When  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  broke  out  he  en- 
listed among  the  very  first  as  private  in  the  7ih  Regiment, 
N.  Y.  S.  N.  G.,  and  having  been  discharged  on  the  expir- 
ation of  his  term  of  service,  joined  the  37th  N.  Y.  Vols. '  Irish 
Rifles)  and  was  Commissioned  as  Second  Lieutenant.  He 
rose  step  by  step  from  that  out  until  the  close  of  the  war, 
when  he  was  honorably  mustered  out  as  Brigadier  General 
of  Volunteers,  having  refused  a  commission  in  the  regular 
army.  He  was  shot  through  the  right  lung  and  leg  at  the 
battle  of  Chancellorsviile,  and  struck  on  the  head  with  a 
piece  of  shell.  For  gallantry  at  the  battle  of  Fair  Oaks  he 
received  sjjecial  mention  from  the  famous  Union  General, 
Phil  Kearney,  also  from  the  brigadiers  commanding  the 
Second  Division,  Third  Army  Corps.  In  August,  1883,  hav- 
ing been  found  unfit,  for  field  service,  he  was  assigned  to 
duty  in  the  War  Department  and  was  soon  after  appointed 
Provost  Marshal  of  the  District  of  Columbia.  He  was  Pro- 
vost Marshal  during  the  siege  of  Washington  by  General 
Jubal  Early,  whose  wounded  and  prisoners  he  paroled. 
After  the  war  he  was  engaged  in  the  pursuit  of  Booth,  Presi- 
dent Lincoln's  assassin,  and  succeeding  in  running  down  the 
conspirators  Booch,  Harold  and  Atzerodt.  Jn  1865  he  read 
law  and  was  appointed  Assistant  United  States  Marshal  of 
Washington,  D.  C,  subsequently  Registrar  of  Wills.  In 
1879,  he  purchased  and  edited  the  Washington  Sunday 
Gazette,  Ciovernor  Tilden's  organ,  and  converted  it  into  a 
Republican  newspaper.  He  was  the  Washington  correspond- 
ent of  the  New  York  Herald  for  three  years,  and  also  its 
"Cheyenne"  campaign  correspondent  In  1881  he  was 
appointed  special  agent  of  the  United  States  Treasury  De- 
partment, but  resigned  to  stump  New  York  State  in  behalf 


of  Ira  Davenport,  candidate  for  Governor.  He  is  now 
President  of  the  Electric  Light  Company  of  Yonkers  and 
interested  in  several  other  enterjjrises.  He  is  one  of  the 
most  prominent  and  powerful  jjublic  speakers  of  the  day. 


JOSEPH  F.  BLAUT. 

Among  the  prominent  men  of  the  younger  generation 
whose  fame  as  financiers  is  broadening  into  national  propor- 
tions is  Joseph  F.  Blaut,  President  of  the  Madison  Square 
Bank.  His  Alma  Mater,  if  such  a  word  is  allowable,  is  a 
good  one,  for  he  received  his  financial  training  in  Frankfort, 
(ierniany,  which  has  produced  the  Rothschilds  and  many 
other  bankers  almost  as  eminent.  Mr.  BlaLit  was  born  in 
Frankfort,  Germany,  in  1844,  and  came  to  this  country  in 
1866.  Possessed  o'  ability,  energy,  a  fine  appearance  and, 
above  all,  experience  of  the  best  kind,  he  was  not  long  in 
coming  to  the  front  and  step  by  step  climbed  the  ladder  of 
])romotion  until  we  find  him  with  a  partnership  in  the  banking 
and  brokerage  finn  of  Wellman  &  Blaut.  He  was  elected 
President  of  the  Madison  Square  Bank  September,  1891, 
and  since  then  that  institution  has  assumed  a  foremost  place 
among  financial  concerns.  Mr.  Blaut  displayed  his  genius 
as  a  bank  organizer,  on  many  occasions  well  remembered  on 
the  Stock  Exchange.    He  took  hold  of  the  Mechanics,  and 


JOSEPH  F.  BLAUT. 


Traders'  Bank  when  it  was  in  a  very  poor  condition  indeed, 
and  raised  it  to  a  proud  place  among  financial  institutions. 

He  was  also  mainly  instrumental  in  reorganizing  the 
Columbia  Bank  and,  much  to  the  astonishment  of  older 
financiers,  placing  it  on  its  feet  and  in  line  with  similar  suc- 
cessful concerns  in  the  city  of  New  York.  Under  his  direction 
the  Madison  Scjuare  Bank  has  entered  on  a  course  of 
prosperity  with  future  possibilities  that  are  fraught  with 
promise.  The  capital  stock  has  been  increased  from  $200,000 
to  $500,000,  and  the  subjoined  figures  taken  from  the  official 
report  of  the  State  Bank  Department  show  gratifying  pro- 
gress. Thus  in  September,  1891,  the  deposits  were  $749,254 
(exclude  the  odd  cents),  December,  1891,  $1,055,353  ;  March, 


74 


NEIV   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


1892,  $1,433,728  ;  June,  1892.  $1,826,539  ;  Se])teml)er,  1892, 
Si, 633, 124  ;  October,  1892,  $1,901,084  ;  and  January,  1893, 
$1,985,804. 

The  Madison  Square  Hank  was  established  under  a  State 
charter  in  1882,  and  was  first  located  on  Twenty-third  Street, 
west  of  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel.  It  was  removed  to  its  present 
positioii  in  1888.  The  building  is  a  historical  one  and  is  full 
of  mellow  reminiscence.  It  was  formerly  the  Haight  mansion 
and  was  for  many  years  the  home  of  the  New  Y'ork  Club.  It 
is  one  of  the  landmarks  of  New  York.  The  bank  has  a 
surplus  of  nearly  $200,000  and  resources  amounting  to 
$2,500,000.  As  regards  the  machinery  of  the  bank  it  is 
thoroughly  organized  in  all  its  departments  and  has  a  large 
clientage  among  the  important  business  establishments  in 
the  vicinity  and  ui)town  generally. 


PATRICK  GARVIN  DUFFY. 

There  are  very  few  New  Yorkers  whose  names  are  more 
fretiuently  heard  than  that  of  Patrick  Garvin  Duffy,  and  we 
do  not  know  of  any  one  who  is  more  popular. 

He  was  born  in  the  County  Monaghan,  I  reland,  on  August 
31,  1842,  but  when  only  eighteen  months  old  was  brought  to 
this  country  by  his  father,  Bernard  G.,  who  was  an  Irish 
national  schoolmaster,  and  subse(]utntlv  a  professor  and 
mathematician  of  reputation  in  Nt  w  York  After  the  death 
of  his  father  in  1849,  young  Duffy  n  tended  the  i)ublic  schools 
of  New  York  City  foratimeand  then  was  fitted  for  college 
by  his  uncle,  a  Catholic  priest,  in  the  northern  part  of  this 
State,  and  subse(|uentiy  entered  at  Seaton  Hall  ("ollege, 
South  Orange,  N.  J.,  where  he  was  tutor  and  prefect  for  five 


I'A  1  KK.  K  (;.\K\1N  Dl'I'  l'V. 


years.  .After  leaving  college  he  was  teacher  in  the  New 
York  Public  Schools  for  seventeen  \  ears,  eleven  of  which  he 
taught  as  Princi|)al  in  Grammar  School  No.  29.  While 
l'rinci|)al  he  studied  forthe  bar  in  the  Columbia  College  Law 
.School,  and  in  1 869  graduated  second  in  a  class  of  over  a 
hundred.  .After  being  admitted  to  the  bar  he  resigned  the 
position  of  princij)!!  and  began  practising  law.    He  was 


apjtointed  Police  Justice  to  fill  an  unexjjired  term  of  five 
years  and  six  months,  and  two  years  after  for  the  full  term 
of  ten  years.  He  is  now,  therefore  ( 1893),  eighteen  years  on 
the  bench.  It  was  after  leaving  the  Grammar  School  (1S69) 
he  took  a  hand  in  politics,  and  has  ever  since  then  been  the 
I'ammany  leader  in  the  First  Assembly  District.  He  has 
been  sachem  for  six  years  and  has  attended  State  and 
National  Conventions  as  a  delegate  sinc  e  1869.  In  this 
capacity  he  became  intimately  accpiainted  with  all  the 
Democratic  politicians  and  statesmen  in  the  country,  who 
spread  his  fame  to  every  corner  of  the  United  States.  It  is 
not  long,  in  fact,  since  a  leading  New  A^ork  daily,  after  i)utting 
the  portraits  of  all  the  Judges  in  the  city  in  its  pages, 
said,  "  Patrick  Garvin  DulTy  is  the  best  known  Judge  by 
reputation  in  the  United  States."    And  this  is  strictly  true. 

Judge  Duffy,  besides  possessing  a  first  class  education, 
is  a  man  of  letters.  Like  his  father  he  is  a  mathematician 
and  a  classical  scholar. 

Judge  Duffy  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1869,  as  before 
stated,  and  practised  law  until  appointed  Police  Justice,  that 
is  to  say,  for  two  years  and  a  half.  He  has  been  studying 
the  science  of  law  ever  since  in  his  fine  library,  and  his  early 
mathematical  training  enabled  him  to  master  the  most  knotty 
(piestions  in  Commercial  and  H(|uity  Jurisprudence  without 
(lifficnlty.  He  is  a  bachelor  and  is  in  no  sense  of  the  word  a 
(  lub  man.    He  thinks  time  too  i)recious. 

In  fine,  the  subject  of  this  too  brief  sketch  is  a  man  who 
may  be  described  as  a  jurisconsult,  a  traveler,  a  mathema- 
tician jjolitician.  scholar,  and  above  all  a  citizen  of  New  A'ork, 
of  whom  the  great  Commercial  Metropolis  is  justly  proud. 


CHARLES  L.  COLBY. 

The  Honorable  Charles  L.  Colby,  one  of  America's 
greatest  railroad  men  and  mine  owners,  was  born  in 
Roxbury,  Mass.,  on  May  22,  1839  His  father,  Gardner 
Colby,  was  a  railroad  builder  in  the  Northwest,  and  a  very 
extensive  one,  and  was  descended  from  good  old  New 
England  slock.  Young  Colby,  gifted  with  natural  abilities 
of  a  high  order,  entered  the  Brown  L^niversity,  joined  its 
Alpha  Delta  Phi  Fraternity  and  was  graduated  in  1858  He 
began  his  business  career  as  a  ship  builder  with  I'age, 
Richardson  Co.,  and  three  years  later  came  to  New  York 
and  joinefl  the  shipbuilding  concern  of  Dunbar  &  Colby, 
of  which  he  became  the  head  and  sole  proprietor  on  the 
death  of  Mr.  Dunbar.  Meantime  Mr.  Gardner  Colby  was 
growing  old,  and  the  large  railroad  enterprises  in  the  North- 
west in  which  he  was  engaged  retpiiring  the  most  powerful 
intellect  to  bring  them  to  a  successful  issue,  he  called  u])on 
his  son  for  assistance.  It  was  then  that  Mr.  Charles  L. 
Colby  displayed  the  constructive  genius  and  versatile 
resources  of  which  he  was  possessed.  Giving  up  his  con- 
cerns in  the  Fast,  which  in  his  hands  were  being  moulded 
into  remunerative  shape,  he  went  to  Europe,  and  having 
been  given  carte  blanche  by  his  father,  succeeded  in  |)lacing 
the  Wisconsin  central  securities  in  Germany.  This  at  the 
time  was  considered  a  fine  financial  coup,  but  since  then  Mr. 
Colby  has  moved  on  still  higher  i)lanes  and  won  a  rejiuta- 
tion  for  himself  that  is  more  than  national  in  the  conducting 
of  great  enterprises  on  various  lines.  A  list  of  the  railroads 
he  was  mainly  instrumental  in  constructing  in  the  North- 
west would  fill  more  of  our  space  than  we  can  afford 
in  this  volume.  .Amongst  them,  however,  may  be  named  : 
The  Wisconsin  Central.  Milwaukee  <.*v:  Lake  Winnebago, 
Chippewa  Falls  &  Western,  Minnesota,  St.  Croix  \-  Wis 
(onsin,  Chicago,  Wisconsin  Minnesota,  the  Penokee  and 
the  Chicago  iS:  tireat  Western.  He  has  been  President  of  the 
St.  Paul,  Northern  Pacific  and  the  Minneajjohs  Terminal 
Co.  He  is  President  also  of  the  Penokee  &  Gogebic 
Dc\ cloi)UU'nt  Co,  .\urora  Iron,  Superior  Iron,  Comet  Iron, 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


CHARLES  L.  COLBY. 


76 


JV£II'   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


Spanish  American  Iron  and  the  Penokee  &  Gogebic  Mining 
Companies,  is  member  of  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the 
Farmers'  Loan  &  Trust,  the  Mercantile  15ank,  American 
Steel  Barge  Company,  Pacific  Steel  Barge  C'ompany,  West 
Gallatin  Irrigation  Company,  Everett  Land  Company  and 
the  Northwestern  Ecpiipment  Company.  Although  Mr. 
Colby  is' one  of  the  busiest  and  most  active  men  in  this 
country,  he  is  not  too  busy  to  take  a  keen  and  a  bene- 
volently practical  interest  in  the  affairs  of  the  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association,  as  well  as  many  objects  of  a  similar 
tendency,  and  as  a  recent  newspa])er  article  says  of  him, 
"  wliere  his  heart  is  interested  his  benefactions  are  sure  to 
follow."  He  was  member  of  the  Wisconsin  Legislature  in 
1876.  He  is  President  of  the  Brown  University  Club  of  New 
York,  honorary  member  of  the  American  Society  of  Civil 
Engineers,  member  of  the  Metrojjolitan  University  Down 
Town  Lawyers,  Union  League  and  Manhattan  Atlilctic  Club. 

PATRICK    SARSFIELD  GILMORE. 

In  Patrick  Sarstield  (Hlmore  this  country  has  lost  a  man 
of  genius,  and  humanity  a  friend.  He  was  a  creator,  an 
organizer,  a  master  of  men,  and  was  therefore  a  genius  ;  he 
elevated  the  masses,  he  furnished  them  with  a  musical  edu- 
cation, in  a  democratic  sense  he  ennobled  them,  and  hence 
his  claim  as  a  friend  of  humanity.  As  an  American  citizen 
he  wdl  be  remembered  as  one  who,  in  his  way,  rendered  this 
country  devoted  service  when  struggling  for  existence. 
Patrick  Sarsfield  Gilmore  was  born  in  Ballygar,  Ireland, 
on  Chtistmas  Day,  1H29,  and  attended  a  public  school  until 
a])prenticed  to  a  wholesale  merchant  in  Athlone.  His  pas 
sion  for  music  conflicting  with  the  duties  of  a  mercantile 
life,  his  position  as  clerk  was  exchanged  for  that  of  musical 
instructor  to  the  young  sons  of  his  employer.  At  the  age  of 
nineteen  he  sailed  for  America,  and  two  days  after  his 
arrival  in  Boston,  Mass.,  was  put  in  charge  of  ihe  band  in- 
strument department  of  a  prominent  music  house.  In  the 
interest  of  the  publications  of  this  house,  he  organized  a 
minstrel  com])nny  known  as  Ordway's  Eolians,  in  connection 
with  which  he  first  achieved  prominence  as  a  cornet  soloist. 
Later  he  was  reputed  the  best  E  flat  cornetist  in  the  United 
States  and  became  leader  successively  of  the  Suffolk,  P>os- 
ton  lirigade  and  Salem  Bands.  During  his  connection  with 
the  Salem  Band,  he  originated  the  famous  Fourth  of  July 
concerts  on  Boston  Common,  afterwards  adopted  by  the 
Boston  City  Government  as  a  regular  feature  of  the  Inde- 
pendence Day  celebrations.  He  also  gave  a  series  of  pro- 
menade concerts  in  Boston  Music  Hall,  the  phenomenal 
success  of  which  was  the  first  recognition  conceded  the 
military  band  as  a  legitimate  factor  of  indoor  concert  music. 
In  1858  he  returned  to  Boston  and  founded  the  organization 
famous  thereafter  as  Gilmore's  Band.  Upon  the  outbreak 
of  the  Civil  War  he  attached  this  band  to  the  Twenty- 
fourth  Massachusetts  Volunteers,  and  later  he  was  entrusted 
by  Governor  Andrews  with  the  reorganization  of  the  State 
military  bands.  Upon  his  arrival  with  his  own  band  in 
New  Orleans,  General  Banks  created  him  Bandmaster- 
(ieneral.  In  Lafayette  Scpiare,  at  the  inauguration  of 
Governor  Hahn,  ten  thousand  school  children,  the  great 
majority  of  them  belonging  to  Confederate  families,  rose  at 
the  signal  of  Mr.  Gilmore's  baton,  and  to  the  accomi)ani- 
ment  of  six  hundred  instruments,  the  combined  battel ies  of 
thirty-six  guns,  and  the  united  fire  of  three  regiments  of 
infantry,  sang  "  The  Star-Spangled  Banner,"  "America," 
"The  Union  l''orever,"  and  other  Union  airs,  whose  har- 
monizing echoes  rang  throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of 
.America.  In  recognition  of  this  p(jliti<  al  as  well  as  musical 
triumph,  one  hundred  prominent  citizens  of  New  Orleans 
gave  Mr.  Gilmore  a  com])limentary  dinner  at  the  St.  Charles 
Hotel,  presenting  him  with  a  silver  goblet  appro|)riatel\ 
inscribed  and  tilled  to  the  brim  with  gold  coin.      To  this 


public  tribute  Governor  Hahn  added  a  personal  letter  to 
President  Linc  oln,  mentioning  Mr.  (}ilmore  as  one  who  had 
done  ^^reat  good  to  l/it"  cause  of  the  Union  by  his  faithful  and 
patriotic  services,"  "  a  musician  of  the  highest  ability,"  and 
"  a  true  gentleman." 

In  June,  1867,  Mr.  Gilmore  conceived  the  idea  of  cele- 
brating the  accession  of  national  ])eace  by  a  gigantic 
musical  festival.  This  project  was  universally  discouraged 
as  chimerical,  but  on  June  15,  1869,  he  stepped  upon  the 
stage  of  the  Boston  Coliseum,  and  in  the  |)resence  of  an 
audience  of  50,000  persons,  lifted  his  baton  over  an  orches- 
tra of  1,000  and  a  chorus  of  10,000,  whose  first  note, 
accompanied  hy  the  booming  of  cannons  fired  by  electricity, 
and  the  simultaneous  ringing  of  all  the  bells  in  the  city, 
proclaimed  the  opening  of  the  greatest  popular  musical 
festival  then  on  record.  Mr.  Gilmore  s  next  idea  was  an 
International  Peace  Jubilee,  which  should  not  only  repre- 
sent home  talent  by  an  orchestra  of  2,000  and  a  chorus  of 
20,000,  but  also  piesent  to  the  American  public  the  military 
bands  of  all  nations,  from  whose  respective  governments 
the  services  of  the  bands  were  solicited  for  Mr.  Gilmore  in 
a  pe  sonal  letter  from  U.  S.  Grant,  then  President  of  the 
United  States.  A  coliseum  with  a  seating  capacity  of 
100,000  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  §500,000,  and  on  the  17th 
of  June,  1872,  the  International  Peace  Jubilee  was  inaugu- 
rated. The  bands  of  the  Grenadier  Guards  from  London, 
of  theGuarde  Republicaine  from  Paris,  of  the  Kaiser  Franz 
Regiment  from  Berlin,  and  a  band  from  Dublin,  Ireland  ; 
Johann  Strauss,  the  waltz  king,  and  Franz  Abt,  the  German 
song  writer,  were  among  the  foreign  attractions.  The 
jubilee  continued  for  eighteen  days,  and  at  its  close  Mr. 
Gilmore  was  presented  l)y  the  citizens  of  Boston  with  two 
gold  medals  and  the  sum  of  §50,000. 

In  1873  he  accejjted  an  offer  from  the  Twenty-second 
Regiment  of  New  York  to  become  its  bandmaster.  He 
reorganized  this  band,  and  gave  6co  concerts  in  Madison 
Square  Garden,  which,  under  the  name  of  Gilmore  s  Gar- 
den, became  the  most  i)oi)ular  resort  in  Ne.v  York.  On  the 
150th  night  of  this  successful  season  he  was  given  a  benefit, 
and  presented,  in  the  i)resenc-e  of  an  audience  numbering 
10.000  persons,  with  a  magnificent  gold  and  diamond  medal. 

On  the  Fourth  of  July,  1876,  he  gave  a  mammoth 
national  concert  in  Indejjendence  Scjuare,  Philadelphia, 
followed  by  sixty  concerts  in  the  main  Exposition  Building 
of  the  Centennial  Exhibition.  In  1878  he  took  his  band  to 
Europe,  making  a  successful  tour  of  Great  Biitain,  France. 
Belgium,  Holland  and  (lermany,  and  received  in  addition  to 
many  other  honors  a  medal  from  the  French  Government. 
His  fourteen  Manhattan  Beach  seasons  were  also  eminently 
successful,  as  was  his  cpiadricentennial  concert  given 
before  30,000  peoj^le  in  New  York  City  Hall  Scjuare  on 
December  31,  1891. 

On  Saturday.  September  24th,  1 892,  during  the  initiatory 
engagement  of  the  Columbian  Tour  of  Gilmore's  One  Hun- 
dred, at  the  St.  Louis  Exi)osition,  Mr.  (iilmore  died  from 
heart  failure,  after  one  day's  illness.  In  death  he  was  paid 
both  military  and  civic  honors.  His  wife  and  his  only 
child  a  daughter,  sur\  ive  him.  Professionally  P.  S.  Gil- 
more was  a  unicpie  and  striking  figure — original,  independ- 
ent, unconventional,  daring  distinctively  a  musical  pioneer 
as  well  as  a  musical  teacher.  He  lifted  the  military  hand 
to  a  lofty  niche  in  the  Temple  of  Music-,  and  poi)ularized  the 
cla.ssics  lor  the  education  of  the  people.  Personally  he  was 
a  man  of  rare  magnetism,  social,  generous  to  a  fault,  and  a 
general  favorite.  Among  his  b-.'st  known  coini)ositions. 
words  and  music-,  were:  "  The  Voice  of  the  I)e])arting 
Soul  or  Death's  at  the  Door;"  National  Anthem. 
"Columbia."  His  song.  "Good  News  from  Home,"  "  rit 
ten  during  the  war,  attained  a  world-wide  popularity. 
■'When  [ohniiy  Comes  .Marching  Home  Again,"  the  words 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


PATKICK    S.  GILMORE. 


78 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


of  which  he  wrote  under  the  nom  de  plume  of  Louis  Lam- 
bert, was  very  popular  during  the  war  and  long  after  it 
closed.  His  politics  as  an  Irishman  were  for  home  rule, 
and  a  concert  given  by  him  in  response  to  Ireland's  appeal 
netted  lor  the  Parnell  Parliamentary  Fund  the  sum  of 
$6,000.    In  religion  he  was  a  practical  Catholic. 

PatricTc  Sarsfield  Gilmore  was  a  fine  character,  a  man  of 
versatile  genius.  He  received  diamonds  and  gold  batons  and 
medals  in  recognition  of  his  achievements,  but  the  proudest 
laurels  laid  upon  his  grave  were  the  tears  of  the  peojjle — the 
whole  American  people — the  masses. 

WILLIAM  STEINWAY. 

Any  history  of  New  York  City  that  may  be  written,  how- 
ever condensed,  that  does  not  contain  reference  to  William 
Steinway,  and  what  he  did  in  his  generation,  cannot  be 
considered  complete.  Apart  altogether  from  the  fact  that 
he  is  the  world's  greatest  piano  manufacturer,  Mr.  Steinway 
stands  to-day  with  such  men  as  Oswald  Ottendorfer  and  Carl 
Schurz  in  the  front  rank  of  German- American  citizens.  His 
connection  with  this  city  is  of  the  very  closest  nature  In 
civic  movements  recjuiring  strong  characters  to  direct  them 
William  Steinway  has  been  always  called  in,  and  a  bio- 
graphical sketch  of  the  man  would  furnish  the  broad 
outlines  for  a  current  history  of  the  Greater  New  York.-  In 
his  own  business  he  has  manifested  genius  with  a  dash  of 
philanthropy  in  it,  and  his  personality  has  stam])ed  itself  on 
almost  everything  with  which  it  has  come  in  contact. 

Mr.  Steinway  was  born  on  March  5th,  1836,  in  the 
village  of  Seesen,  situated  in  the  Hartz  Mountains,  a  region 
sacred  to  romance,  ])eopied  as  it  is,  or.  alas,  was,  with  gnomes, 
fairies  and  other  little  folks  more  or  less  uncanny,  whose 
doings  have  long  been  the  delight  and  terror  of  the  children 
all  over  the  world.  He  is  the  fourth  son  of  Henry  Engel- 
hard Steinway,  founder  of  the  house  of  Steinway  &  Sons, 
and  received  an  elementary  education  in  the  schools  of  his 
native  town.  He  was  subsecjuently  sent  to  the  well-known 
Jacobsohn  Institute,  where  he  developed  linguistic  talents 
and  was  found  at  the  age  of  fourteen  to  be  able  to  sjieak 
fluently  the  P>nglish  and  French  hinguagi's  as  well  as  Ger- 
man. He  also  manifested  an  excellent  memory,  and  what 
may  be  considered  an  extraordinary  love  of  music.  While 
still  a  boy,  in  fact,  he  played  the  most  difficult  pieces  on  the 
])iano  and  was  in  every  respect  considered  a  lad  of  capacity 
with  jjrobably  a  brilliant  future. 

In  1850  the  Steinway  family  were  brought  to  this  coun- 
try on  the  great  wave  of  I'eutonic  emi^'ration  that  then 
began  to  flovv,  and  William  was  sent  to  learn  ])iano  making 
with  the  firm  of  Nunns  &  Co.,  located  on  Walker  Street. 
Here  he  worked  unceasingly  and  with  great  intelligence  and 
energy  until  in  1853,  when  his  father  decided  to  start  in 
business  for  himself,  and  so  estalilished  a  jiiano  factory  in  a 
modest  way  in  a  back  building  on  Varick  Street,  New  York. 
This  auspicious  event  took  place  on  March  5th  of  the  year 
mentioned,  which  happened  to  be  William's  seventeenth 
birthday,  and  here  the  head  of  the  house  and  family  began 
work,  with  his  three  sons,  ('harles.  Henry  and  William,  car 
rying  on  the  business,  such  as  it  was,  under  the  style  of 
Steinway  &  Sons.  All  four  were  bright  and  hopeful,  and 
with  the  skill  and  industry  they  possessed,  and  the  loyalty 
to  one  another  that  actuated  them,  success  smiled  upon 
them  from  the  first.  It  could  hardly  be  otheiwise.  After 
less  than  a  year  larger  premises  were  fotmd  necessary  and 
young  William  Steinway  found  himself  working  in  the  same 
sho|)  in  which  he  had  learned  his  trade.  .And  here  occurs  an 
episode  which  strongly  illustrates  the  fine  character  of  this 
same  William  Steinway.  The  firm  of  William  Nunns  \-  Co. 
had  meantime  become  bankru))t  and  owed  him  ^5300  in 
wages.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  say  that  he  never  asked 
for  it.     Not  only  that,  but  as  the  whirligig  of  time  made 


one  to  rise  and  the  other  to  fall,  Mr.  Steinway  saw  to  it 
that  his  former  employer  should  never  want  for  anything 
from  the  day  of  his  failure  until  his  death,  which  took  place 
in  1864  in  the  old  man's  eightieth  year.  This  is  only  one 
of  the  many  good  acts  performed  by  William  Steinway. 

.■\s  this  is  not  a  history  of  the  piano  trade,  but  a  short 
biographical  sketch,  we  shall  only  say  that  the  success  of 
the  Steinways  was  phenomenal,  and  that  William,  with  his 
executive  ability  and  clear  business  foresight,  was  unani- 
mously .accorded  control  of  its  finances.  He  was  the  soul 
of  the  concern.  All  worked  in  harmony  under  his  manage- 
ment, and  many  years  had  not  rolled  over  when  the 
Steinway  piano  had  obtained  a  world-wide  celebrity.  Wil- 
liam was  mainly  instrumental  in  bringing  about  this 
unprecedented  state  of  affairs.  His  eyes  were  like  those  of 
Argus  and  his  steady  hands  held  the  reins.  Some  idea  may 
be  formed  of  the  man's  achievements  when  it  is  stated  that 
the  Steinway  Piano  Works  in  Astoria  occupy  twelve  acres 
and  that  650  hands  are  employed  in  them.  The  works  in 
New  York,  which  take  in  a  whole  block,  situated  between 
Park  and  Lexington  Avenues  and  Fifty-second  and  Fifty- 
third  Streets,  emjjloy  650  hands  also.  They  turn  out  sixty 
pianos  ])er  week.  Steinway  Hall,  another  branch  of  their 
industry,  occupies  eight  city  lots  in  the  most  fashionable 
part  of  the  city,  speaking  in  a  business  sense,  on  Fourteenth 
Street  running  through  to  Fifteenth  Street  near  Union 
Square,  and  takes  in  the  warerooms,  central  office  and  the 
famous  Steinway  Concert  Hall,  which  had  a  seating  capacity 
for  2,400,  but  it  is  now  devoted  to  business  purposes  Then 
there  is  the  Steinway  Hall  on  lower  Seymour  Street,  Lon- 
don, w'hich  is  the  English  headquarters.  There  is  a  branch 
in  Hamburg.  Germany,  in  which  the  Steinway  business  of 
the  European  continent  is  done. 

.As  stated  in  the  introduction  to  the  sketch,  Mr.  Stein- 
way is  one  of  the  prominent  figures  of  the  metropolis,  but 
although  as  jjatrictic  an  American  as  breathes,  he  has  a 
warm  corner  in  his  heart  for  the  Fatherland.  He  naturally 
takes  a  keen  interest,  too,  in  his  (ierman-American  fellow 
citizens,  and  a  leading  part  in  their  affairs.  He  is  President 
of  the  Liederkranz  Society,  and  is  himself  a  fine  singer  with 
a  beautiful  voice,  which  has  been  heard  with  pleasure  by 
thousands  in  concert  solos  during  the  i)ast  third  of  a  cen- 
tury. He  is  not  a  politician,  but  from  this  it  does  not  fol- 
low that  he  does  not  take  a  hand  in  public  affairs.  Indeed, 
he  has  been  forced  to  the  front  in  many  a  municijjal  crisis. 
He  was  one  of  the  Committee  of  Seventy  that  crushed  the 
infamous  Boss  Tweed  and  his  gang,  and  it  was  through  his 
love  of  reform  and  good  government  that  he  dis])layed  such 
activity  in  electing  Abram  Hewitt  to  the  Mayoralty  in  1886. 
He  took  part  in  the  great  Cooper  Union  meeting  that  nom- 
inated Mr.  Hewitt,  and  as  its  Chairman  showed  that  he  was 
fully  capable  of  controlling  a  crowd  of  5.000  people.  After 
an  appropriate  address  he  called  for  a  vote,  and  was 
responded  to  by  a  tremendous  "aye."  It  was  not  unani- 
mous, however,  for  about  a  dozen  Socialists  in  the  hall  made 
themselves  cons])icuous  by  rising  and  shouting  "no."  This 
led  to  great  u|)roar,  and  as  many  ladies  were  i)resent  Mr. 
Steinway  did  not  like  the  confusion  that  followed.  But  he 
was  ecpial  to  the  occasion,  for  after  commanding  silence 
with  a  wave  of  his  hand,  he  said  in  his  rich,  sonorous  voice. 
"  The  motion  is  carried  by  a  vote  that  is  nearly  unanimous  ; 
the  minority,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  is  very  small,  as  you 
perceive  ;  in  fact,  it  represents  as  nearly  as  possible  the 
minority  that  will  opjjose  Mr.  Hewitt  at  the  polls  next 
Tuesday."  The  apjjlause  was  deafening,  and  the  "  minor- 
ity "  collapsed  utterly. 

He  was  also  in  February,  188S,  unanimously  elected  the 
representative  of  the  State  of  New  York  on  the  National 
Democratic  ('ommittee,  but  was  finally  com])elled  to  resign 
through  the  exigencies  of  an    ever   increasing  business. 


NEW  YORK,   THE  METROPOLIS. 


8o  NEW  YORK,   THE  METROPOLIS. 


Nevertheless,  to-day,  there  is  no  man's  counsel  more 
eagerly  sought  by  the  Democratic  chiefs  of  the  city  and 
State  than  William  Steinvvay's.  Few  citizens  wield  more 
potent  political  influence  than  he.  During  President 
Cleveland's  administration  he  refused  the  offer  of  United 
States  Sub-Treasurer  in  New  York  and  in  1889  the  nomina- 
tion for  Secretary  of  State  when  such  nomination  meant 
election.  Under  like  conditions  he  has  more  than  once 
refused  the  Democratic  nomination  for  Mayor  of  New  York 
City  He  did  accejjt  the  Chairmanship  of  the  Rapid  Tran- 
sit Commission  from  Mayor  Grant,  and  performed  its  duties 
in  a  manner  that  called  forth  the  unanimous  eulogies  of  the 
press.  He  took  a  very  active  ])art  in  organizing  the  World's 
Fair  Committee,  and  it  was  not  his  fault  that  it  went  to 
Chicago  instead  of  New  York.  He  gave  his  check  for 
ij!5o,ooo  to  the  guarantee  fund  ;  and  speaking  of  money  it 
may  be  mentioned  that  he  had  much  to  do  in  raising  the 
handsome  sum  of  $118,500  for  the  German  Hospital  by  its 
fair  in  1889.  He  also  presided  at  the  great  mass  meeting  of 
German-.-\merican  citizens  in  favor  of  Grover  Cleveland 
and  Tariff  Refotm  at  Cooper  Institute,  October  27,  1892. 
and  his  speech  on  tariff  reform  was  reported  and  com- 
mented upon  by  the  entire  ])ress  all  over  the  United  States. 
He  has  managed  successfully  to  devote  one  of  his  ideas 
in  the  building  of  the  village  Steinway  in  Long  Island  City, 
inhabited  chiefly  by  the  employes  of  the  Astoria  factory. 
In  Steinway  he  has,  through  Steinway  &  Sons,  constructed 
a  school  with  a  capacity  for  800  ])U])ils,  pays  its  teachers  a 
good  salary,  constructed  public  swimming  baths,  laid  out  a 
park,  established  a  free  circulating  library  and  a  free  kin- 
dergarten ;  in  a  word,  has  made  of  it  a  model  village 
wherein  people  can  live  rationally  with  country  air  and  city 
comforts.  William  Steinway  is  no  mere  money  grubber. 
He  has  an  open  hand  and  his  check  is  always  at  the  com- 
mand of  a  deserving  object,  charity  or  institution.  He  nlso 
had  the  great  honor  conferred  u])on  him,  on  invitation,  to 
be  received  in  audience  by  their  Majesties  the  Emjieror  and 
Empress  of  (iermany,  at  the  Marble  Palais,  at  Potsdam, 
Germany,  September  rr,  1892.  Personally  he  is  of  medium 
height,  with  an  honest  open  German  countenance,  well-cut 
features,  fine  mouth,  large  brown  eyes  through  which  his 
soul  is  visible,  massive  head  above  broad  shoulders.  He 
is  the  type  of  an  athlete.  He  grasps  a  situation  with  the 
intuition  of  genius  and  in  a  few  words  says  a  good  deal. 
He  is  a  fine  swimmer,  and  at  Coney  Island,  in  1858,  saved 
his  brother  Henry  from  drowning,  by  nerve,  skill  and 
presence  of  mind.  He  is  also  a  ready  speaker  in  both 
English  and  (ierman.  and  an  excellent  presiding  ofificer. 

His  domestic  life  is  a  hap])y  one.  He  was  married 
twice  ;  the  first  wife  died  and  left  him  two  children,  (ieorge 
and  Paul.  By  his  second  wife,  the  daughter  of  Richard 
Ranft,  he  has  two  sons  and  one  daughter.  He  lives  on 
Gramercy  Park,  in  a  house  which  contains  as  much  hap- 
piness as  that  of  any  man  in  New  York,  rich  or  poor. 

That  he  has  not  forgotten  the  Fatherland  and  that  he 
has  not  been  forgotten  there  is  apparent  from  the  fact  that 
in  the  Christmas  of  1888  the  freedom  of  his  native  town 
was  conferred  upon  him  in  return  for  the  many  benefactions 
bestowed  by  him  upon  that  city,  its  schools  and  its  poor. 


JOHN  POMEROY  TOWNSEND. 

John  Pomeroy  'i'ownsend  was  born  at  Middlt  bury,  Vt., 
in  1832.  His  direct  ancestor,  Thomas  Townscnd.  settled  in 
Lynn,  Mass.,  in  1637,  having  emigrated  from  England  when 
the  great  exodus  of  the  persecuted  Puritans  had  set  in.  I'or 
five  generations  the  descendants  of  the  emigrant  lived  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Hoston.  'i"he  sixth  in  descent,  John 
Townsend  wa.s  born  in  New  Hampshire,  to  whii  h  State  his 
father  had  removed.    He  was  a  prominent  ( itizen  of  Salis- 


bury, a  member  of  the  State  Legislature,  Postmaster,  Select- 
man, Town  Clerk  and  Register  of  Deeds  for  Merrimac 
County.  His  son,  John  Baker  Townsend,  the  father  of  the 
subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  at  Salisbury,  and  having 
married  Miss  Eliza  C.  .Mvord  in  Yermont,  removed  to  Troy, 
N.  Y.,  in  the  year  1835. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  came  to  New  York  City  in 
1850,  where  he  has  since  resided.  He  at  first  engaged  in 
the  stave  business,  which  he  continued  for  thirty-two  years, 
exporting  and  selling  for  export  that  commodity.  In  1885 
Mr.  Townsend  became  President  of  the  Maritime  Exchange, 
which  office  he  held  until  1888,  when  pressure  of  business 
comi)i'lled  him  to  resign.  He  was  the  Treasurer  of  the  New 
York  Produce  Exchange  in  1887,  and  is,  and  has  been,  the 
First  Vice-President  of  the  Bowery  Savings  Bank  since  1883. 

He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  and  is 
director  and  trustee  in  railroads  and  benevolent  and  chari- 
table institutions.  In  1853,  Mr.  'I'ownsend  married  Miss 
Elizabeth  .\.,  daughter  of  the  late  Nehemiah  Baldwin  of 
New  York,  formerly  of  Pennsylvania,  who  was  descended 
from  Joseph  Baldwin,  who  emigrated  from  England  and 
settled  in  Milford.  Conn.,  in  1835.  Their  children  are 
Mary  E.  (married  Alfred  L.White)  Charles  John,  and  John 
Henry.  Mr.  Townsend  has  devoted  much  of  his  time  and  en- 
ergy to  the  consideration  of  the  topics  which  interest  the  phil- 
anthropist and  benefactor  He  labors  to  better  the  con- 
dition of  the  plain  people  and  to  unfortunate  ones  he  has 
freely  given  for  the  mere  love  of  doing  good.  With  a  frank  and 
open  nature,  Mr.  Townsend  combines  a  cheerful  and  benev- 
olent disi)osirion.  He  has  a  rapid,  pleasant  way  of  doing 
business,  and  a  manner  unobtrusive  and  at  the  same  time  em- 
phatic. In  ([uite  a  different  class  of  work  we  find  him  a])pear- 
ing  as  a  Trustee  of  the  University  of  Rochester,  >s'.  Y.; 
Recording  Secretary  of  the  New  York  Society  for  the 
Relief  of  the  Ruptured  and  Crippled  ;  a  foreign  associate 
and  honorary  President  of  the  Society  of  the  Universal 
Scientific  Congress  of  Provident  Institutions  of  Paris, 
France.  Despite  his  multifarious  business  engagements,  Mr. 
Townsend  finds  time  to  contribute  many  valuable  ])apers  to 
the  press,  on  topics  of  which  he  is  thoroughly  the  master, 
such  as  ■'  Savings  Banks  ; "  "  Postal  Savings  Banks  ;  "  "  The 
Silver  Question,"  etc.,  etc.  He  is  the  author  of  the  article 
on  "  Savings  Banks"  in  the  Cyclopaedia  of  Political  History 
and  Political  Economy  of  the  United  States  (Chicago,  1881). 
In  1875,  and  again  in  1888,  hecomjjiled  and  edited  a  history 
of  the  Bowery  Savings  Bank,  which  is  one  of  the  oldest  and 
is  the  strongest  financial  institutions  of  the  kind  in  America, 
if  not  in  the  world.  Mr.  Townsend  is  the  author  of  standard 
pajiers  on  "  American  *<avings  B.inks,"  read  at  the  Universal 
Scientific  Congress  of  Provident  Institutions,  held  in  Paris 
in  1878,  1883  and  1889.  He  is  also  the  author  of  a  paper  on 
savings  banks,  read  before  the  American  Social  Science  As 
sociation  at  Saratoga  Springs  (of  which  he  is  a  member)  in 
1877.  In  the  fall  of  1889,  after  the  death  of  its  former  Presi- 
dent, he  was  unanimously  elected  President  of  the  Knicker- 
bocker 'i'rust  Company,  which  office  he  now  holds.  This 
institution  occujjies  the  building  at  234  Fifth  Avenue,  corner 
of  Twenty-seventh  Street,  and  has  a  branch  office  at  No.  3 
Nassau  Street  and  18  Wall  Street.  This  institution  was 
founded  in  1884  by  a  prominent  capitalist  who  perceived 
that  the  facilities  afforded  by  a  strong  organization  of  this 
kind  would  obtain  the  support  of  an  influential,  moneyed 
class,  the  real  estate  owners  and  investors  of  the  residents' 
(juarter  of  the  Metro|)olis.  The  results  have  more  than 
answered  the  ex])ectations.  The  company's  progress  has 
been  brilliant  and  substantial.  When  Mr.  Townsend  was 
elected  President  it  had  a  capital  of  $500,000,  which  was 
soon  after  increased  to  $750,000,  and  now  has  an  accumulated 
suri)lus  of  $362,162.  Its  deposits  are  $6,100,000,  and  its 
resources  are  upwards  of  $7,200,000. 


NEW  YORK,   THE  METROPOLIS.  8i 


82 


At  the  time  of  his  election  to  tlie  iircsidency,  its  total 
deposits  were  less  than  $2,coo,ooo,  and  its  resources, 
$.',650,000.  It  has,  by  conservative  management,  attracted 
a  clientage  of  the  most  desirable  character,  and  is  in 
every  way  equi|)i)ed  to  carry  on  all  the  branches  of  business 
which  its  charter  authorizes,  including  the  functions  of 
executor,  administrator,  guardian,  receiver,  registrar,  and 
transfer  and  financial  agent  for  corporations  and  muni 
cijjalities,  and  to  accept  any  trust  in  conformity  with  the 
laws  of  the  United  States  or  of  any  State.  It  allows  interest 
on  time  de|)Osits  and  receives  current  dei)osits  subject  to 
cliecks,  which  pass  through  the  Clearing  House  the  same  as 
those  on  city  banks.  It  issues  letters  of  credit  for  travellers 
available  in  all  jjarts  of  the  world.  It  has  occupied  the  com- 
modious office  at  the  corner  of  Fifth  Avenue  and  Twenty- 
seventh  Street  since  its  organization,  and  rents  safe  deposit 
bo.xes  in  the  fire  and  burglar  proof  vaults,  which  have  been 
built  for  that  purpose.  Its  branch  office  was  rendered 
necessary  by  the  extent  of  its  corporation,  investment  and 
loan  business.  Its  officers  are :  John  P.  Townsend, 
President  ;  C'has.  T.  P>arney,  Vice-President  ;  Jos.  M". 
l>rown,  Second  Vice-President  ;  Fred  L.  Eldridge,  Sec- 
retary ;  J.  Henry  Townsend,  Assistant  Secretary.  The 
board  of  directors  is  a  body  of  exce])t  I  on  ally  strong 
capitalists,  financiers  and  business  men,  among  whom  are  : 
[osejjh  S.  Auerbach,  Harry  B.  Hollins,  Jacob  Hays,  Chas.  T. 
Barney,  A.  Foster  Higgins,  Robert  G.  Remsen,  Henry  ^\'.  T. 
Mali,  Andrew  H.  Sands,  James  H.  Hreslin,  (len.  George  J. 
Magee,  I.  Townsend  Burden,  John  S.  Tilney,  Hon.  E.  V. 
Loew,  Henry  F.  Dimock,  John  P.  Townsend,  Chas.  F.  Wat- 
son, David  H.  King,  Jr.,  Frederick  G.  Bourne,  Robert 
Maclay,  C.  Lawrence  Perkins,  Edward  Wood,  Wm.  H. 
Beadleston,  Alfred  L.  White,  Charles  R.  Flint.  Its  increas- 
ing l)usiness  will  soon  demand  more  extensive  office  accom- 
modations, which  it  will  no  doubt  soon  secure  in  some 
advantageously  located  building  which  the  company  now 
has  under  consideration. 


CHARLES  T.  WILLS. 

Charles  T.  Wills  was  l)orn  on  Dec.  13,  1851,  in  New 
York  City,  of  Quaker  parents,  his  ancestors  having  settled 
in  Pennsylvania  years  ago,  coming  to  this  country  with 
\\'illiam  Penn  anrl  settling  on  the  Rancocas  River.  The 
old  charter  for  8,000  acres  of  land  still  remains  in  the 
family.  His  father,  Chalkley  J.,  was  a  builder  of  some 
jjrominence,  and  when  Charles  T.  was  six  years  of  age  his 
family  moved  to  Princeton,  N.  J.,  w  here  his  father  owned  a 
veiy  large  tract  of  ground.  He  was  educated  in  the  West 
'I'own  boarding-.school,  about  the  oldest  Quaker  institution 
in  Pennsylvania.  When  18  years  of  age  he  returned  to 
New  Vork  City  and  was  api)renticed  to  Mr.  John  T.  Con- 
over  to  learn  bricklaying,  and  i)rogressed  so  rapidly  that, 
while  he  was  still  an  ai)])rentice,  he  was  made  a  foreman  and 
had  charge  of  some  very  im|)ortant  work.  This  position  he 
filled  for  several  years,  and  then  he  went  into  business  with 
Mr.  Geo.  Sinclair,  under  the  firm  name  of  Sinclair  &  Wills. 
.\fter  five  years  of  partnership  the  firm  was  dissolved,  and 
he  has  since  carried  on  the  business  alone. 

He  has  erected  some  of  the  largest  and  most  prominent 
buildings  in  this  city,  such  as  the  American  Bank  Note 
lUiilding,  Huyler's  candy  factory;  Montauk  Club  House, 
I'rooklyn  ;  New  Jersey  Central  R.  R.  Co.'s  depot,  Jersey 
City;  N.  J.  C.  R.  R.  Co.'s  building,  Liberty  and  West 
streets  ;  Stamford  Presbyterian  Church  ;  Rutgers  Riverside 
Church,  the  Judson  Memorial  Church,  the  Gorham  Build- 
ing, the  Yosemite,  the  Pierce  Building,  the  Stagery  for 
Col.  Shejjard,  All  .Angels'  Church,  St.  .Andrew's  Methodist 
Chun  h,  the  Brooklyn  Tabernacle,  the  Mail  and  ICxpress 
Huilding,  the  United  Charities  I5uilding,  22(1  street  and 
4th    avenue,    and    the    X'anderbill    Huilding,  Beekman 


street,  now  in  course  of  construction,  and  many  others. 
In  1886  (during  the  big  nine-hour  strike  of  bricklayers),  he 
was  one  of  the  most  active  builders  in  organizing  the  Mason 
Builders'  Association.  He  was  elected  Secretary  of  the 
.Association  and  has  held  that  position  ever  since.  He  is  a 
member  of  many  of  the  leading  social  clubs,  such  as  the  Man- 
hattan and  Colonial  ;  he  is  a  life  member  of  the  New  York 
.\thletic  Club,  and  belongs  to  the  New  York  Riding  Club. 

J.  HOMER  HILDRETH. 
J.  Homer  Hildreth,  a  successful  New  York  lawyer,  was 
born  in  Lawrence,  Mass.,  November  25,  1847,  and  comes  of 
old  New  England  and  Revolutionary  stock.  His  father — 
Jairus  C.  Hildreth — was  a  well  known  and  highly  respected 
citizen  of  that  Commonwealth,  and  his  mother — Emeline 
(Watson)  Hildreth — was  granddaughter  of  one  of  the  heroes 
of  Bunker  Hill.  Mr.  Hildreth  underwent  a  ])reparat()ry 
course  in  the  Wesleyan  .Academy  of  Wilbraham,  Mass.,  after 
which  he  came  to  New  York  from  Sjjringfield,  his  residence, 
and  studied  for  the  bar  in  the  Columbia  College  Law  School, 
under  the  late  Hon.  Theodore  W.  Dwight.  He  gradu- 
ated in  the  class  of  1869  with  the  degree  of  B.L.,  and  was  at 
once  admitted  to  the  bar.    .Among  his  classmates  were  such 


1    noMI-.R  UlLDKHTll. 

men  as  Judges  Ingraham  and  Duffy,  Francis  Lynde  Stet- 
son, .Aqueduct  Commissioner  Scott,  and  many  others  who 
have  since  risen  to  i)rominence  in  various  walks  of  life. 
After  being  admitted  to  the  bar,  Mr.  Hildreth  became 
active  in  his  profession  and  gradually  gained  status  at  civil 
law,  making  a  specialty  of  commercial  and  real  estate  liti- 
gation, for  which  branches  he  is  thoroughly  eipiipped.  He 
has  obtained  a  deserved  reputation  ft)r  energy,  ])romptness, 
a  mastery  of  details,  and,  above  all,  for  untpies'.ioned 
integrity,  (jualities  that  achieve  success  at  the  bar  or  else- 
where. The  hackneyed  saying.  "  his  word  is  as  good  as  his 
bond,"  ai>plies  ))eculiarly  to  .\lr  Hildreth.  and  is  understood 
by  the  humblest  Sheriff's  oMicer  as  well  as  the  Chief  Justice 


JVEll^  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


83 


on  the  Ueiich.  Mr.  Hiklreth  is  a  strong  Republican,  hut, 
nevertheless,  such  is  his  high  character  that  he  has  many 
times  been  appointed  referee,  receiver  or  assignee  by  Judges 
opposed  to  him  in  politics,  and  has  invariably  given  satis- 
faction. In  the  memorable  year  of  1882,  through  party 
exigencies  and  altogether  against  his  inclinations,  he  ac- 
cepted the  nomination  for  Assemblyman  from  the  24th 
District,  New  York  City,  but  in  common  with  Judge  Folger 
and  the  whole  Republican  ticket  v/as  overwhelmed,  in  the 
tidal  wave  that  })laced  Grover  Cleveland  in  the  Guberna- 
torial chair  by  a  majority  of  192,000.  His  success  in  the 
profession  has  naturally  drawn  him  into  club  life,  and  he  is 
well  known  as  an  active  and  popular  member  of  the  Repub- 
lican Club  of  the  City  of  New  York  ;  he  is  also  a  member 
of  the  State  Bar  Association.  He  has  filled  responsible 
offices  in  Crescent  Lodge,  402,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  in  Harlem 
Lodge,  201,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  of  which  he  is  still  a  member  in 
good  standing.  He  is  likewise  a  charter  member  of  the 
Dwight  Alumni  Association  of  the  City  of  New  York  ; 
and  officially  connected  with  several  Insurance  orders 
throughout  the  country. 

HENRY  HOLBROOK  CURTIS,  Ph.B,,  M.D. 

Henry  Holbrook  Curtis,  M.D.,  one  of  New  York's  lead- 
ing physicians,  was  born  in  this  city  in  1856.  His  father 
was  the  late  Wm.  E.  Curtis,  Judge  of  the  Superior  Court, 
who,  as  one  of  the  historic  Committee  of  Seventy,  was  in- 
strumental in  breaking  up  the  Tweed  Ring. 

Dr.  Curtis  was  prepared  for  college  at  the  Cheshire, 
Conn.,  Military  Academy.  Afterwards  he  went  to  the 
Shefheld  Scientific  School  of  Yale  College,  receiving  his 
degree  with  the  class  of  1877.  After  a  year  in  the  office  of 
Dr.  Francis  Bacon  he  went  to  Vienna  for  a  year  and  after- 
wards to  the  Medical  School  of  Paris  for  si.x  months.  Re- 
turning in  1879  he  com])Ieted  his  lectures  in  the  Yale 
Medical  School  and  received  his  medical  diploma. 
While  abroad  Dr.  Curtis  made  women's  diseases  a  spe- 
cialty, but  after  returning  his  taste  inclined  more  to  throat 
diseases,  which  branch  he  studied  under  Professors  Schroet- 
ter  and  Catti.  He  began  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  this 
city  in  1880,  dedicating  himself  chiefly  to  diseases  of  the 
ihroat,  ears  and  nose.  In  1887  he  visited  London  and  was 
introduced  by  the  celebrated  Dr.  Morell  Mackenzie  to  the 
elite  of  the  jjrofession  in  the  British  capital.  Dr.  Lennox- 
Browne,  of  the  Central  London  Throat  Hospital,  invited  Dr. 
Curtis  at  this  time  to  operate  in  his  clinic,  to  which  he  con- 
sented and  ]jerformed  sixteen  operations.  In  a  paper  read 
subsecpiently  before  the  British  Laryngological  and  Rhino- 
logical  Association,  Dr.  Lennox-Browne  credited  the  great 
interest  awakened  in  diseases  of  the  nose  in  London  to  the 
brilliant  demonst; ation  of  Dr.  Curtis  in  1887.  He  is  con- 
sulting laryngologist  to  the  St.  John's  Riverside  and  Bayonne 
City  Hospitals. 

WILLIAM  DOMINICK  GARRISON. 

^Villiam  Dominick  Garrison  was  born  in  tiarrison  on  the 
Hudson,  on  September  10,  1838,  and  was  of  Knickerbocker 
ancestry.  The  first  of  the  family  in  this  country,  about  the 
year  1660,  came  from  Wagennin  in  the  Netherlands,  bringing 
with  him  a  certificate  of  character,  of  which  subjoined  is  a 
true  copy  : 

"We  l)urgomasters,  schehens  and  Councillors  of  the  City 
of  Wagennin,  declare  by  these  presents  that  there  a]:)peared 
before  us  Hendrick  Glissen  and  Jordiz  Sparers,  citizens  of 
this  city,  at  the  request  of  Gerret  Gerretsen  and  Anna  Her- 
manse,  his  wife,  as  to  their  life  and  conversation,  and  that 
they  have  always  been  considered  and  esteemed  as  pious 
and  honest  people,  and  that  no  complaint  of  any  evil  or  dis- 
orderly conduct  has  ever  reached  their  ears  ;  on  the  con- 
trary they  have  always  led  quiet,  pious  and  honest  lives,  as 


it  becomes  quiet  and  honest  |)ersr)ns.  They  especially  tes- 
tify that  they  govern  their  faniil\'  well  and  bring  up  their 
children  in  the  fear  of  God  and  in  all  modesty  and  respect- 
ability. 

"As  the  above  named  persons  have  resolved  to  remove 
and  proceed  to  New  Netherlands  in  order  to  find  a  greater 
convenience,  they  give  this  attestation  on  their  knowledge 
of  them,  having  known  them  intimately  and  having  been  in 
continual  intercourse  with  them  f(jr  muny  years,  living  in 
the  same  neighborhood. 

"In  testimony  of  the  truth  we,  burgomaster  of  the  city, 
have  caused  the  great  seal  of  the  city  to  be  imi)rinted  on 
this  paper. 

"  Done  at  Wagennin,  27  November,  1660,  by  the  same 

J.  Aguklin." 

The  above  named  (ierret  Gerretson,  to  whom  the  honest 
burgomasters  of   Wagennin  gave  such  a  good  character 


nearly  three  hundred  years  ago,  settled  on  Staten  island,  and 
from  him  William  Dominick  Garrison  traced  his  descent  in 
a  direct  line  as  follows  :  Gerret 's  son,  also  a  Gerret  Ger- 
retson, was  born  about  1680  on  Staten  Island,  his  son 
Johannes  on  Staten  Island  in  17  18,  Johannes' son,  Harry,  in 
New  York  City  in  1760,  and  the  last  named  son  John  Garri- 
son, father  of  William  D.,was  born  in  Garrison,  N.  Y.  (then 
called  Highlands  or  Phillipstown)  in  1796.  It  is  an  honor- 
able pedigree  and  one  of  which  any  gentleman  might  be 
proud.  For  more  than  a  third  of  a  century  Mr.  Garrison 
had  been  an  active  hotel  man.  He  had  been  manager  of 
the  Grand  Union  for  nearly  twenty  years.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Old  Guard,  veteran  of  the  Seventh  Regiment, 
President  of  the  New  York  State  Hotel  Men's  Association, 
member  of  the  Sons  of  the  Revolution,  a  prominent  mem- 


84 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


her  of  the  Masonic  Fraternity,  in  whicli  he  luid  obtained  the 
Thirty-third  Degree  and  was  member  of  the  Sui)reme  Coun- 
cil for  the  Northern  Jurisdiction  of  the  United  States  of 
America.  Mr.  Garrison  died  on  December  2,  1892,  at  the 
age  of  fifiy-four.   

EDWARD   T.  H.  TAMSEN, 

Among  our  most  eminent  (ierman  American  citizens  of 
New  York  is  undoubtedly  E.  T.  H.  'I'amsen,  linguist,  edu- 
cator, merchant,  l)anker  and  man  of  affairs  generally.  Mr. 
Tamsen  was  born  in  Haml)urg,  Cjermany,  on  February  25, 


status.  He  has  also  a  banking  establishment  here,  with  a 
branch  in  Hamburg. 

It  will  be  seen  from  the  abo\ethat  Mr.  Tamsen's  advance 
in  the  field  of  commerce  has  been  i)henomenally  rajjid,  but 
then  he  is  a  remarkably  bright  man,  with  an  all-devouring 
energy.  His  status  as  a  public  man  kept  pace  with  his 
private  career,  and  before  he  had  been  many  years  in  the 
country  we  find  Mr.  Tamsen  taking  an  active  interest  in 
the  affairs  of  the  city  of  his  adoption.  He  has  taken  a 
decided  hand  in  politics,  and  though  a  Democrat  he  is 
bitterly  opposed  to  the  methods  of  Tammany  Hall,  and  has 


1S49,  and,  speaking  socially,  is  of  gooti  family.  He  received 
a  sound  education,  and,  according  to  the  Oerman  fashion, 
was  articled  as  clerk  to  a  wholesale  ])ul)lishing  house  on 
leaving  college,  in  a  short  time  becoming  its  correspondent, 
a  position  he  was  qualified  for,  owing  to  his  knowledge  of 
Knglish,  French  and  Sjjanish.  Having  served  the  legal 
term  in  the  Prussian  Army,  and  being,  therefore,  free  to 
leave  the  country,  he  did  so.  and  arrived  in  New  Vork  in 
i<S69.  In  1870  he  was  admitted  partner  in  the  firm  of  J.  t\: 
C.  Tamsen,  imi)orters  and  l)ook  ])ublishers,  and  in  1876 
became  head  of  tin-  firm,  a   lirm  whi(  li  has  a  Furopean 


fought  them  fiercely  Indeed,  he  is  always  to  the  fore  wlien 
abuses  are  to  be  combated,  irrespective  of  the  party  he  is  to 
oppose.  He  has  been  five  times  elected  President  of  the  Cler- 
man-American  Independent  Citizens'  Association,  was  twice 
President  of  the  Pro])erty  Holders  of  the  Tenth,  Eleventh 
and  Seventeenth  Wards,  and  is  at  present  Delegate  of  the 
Tax  Payers'  .Association.  In  his  cai)acily  as  member  of  the 
Citizens'  (Committee  of  Fifty  he  was  one  of  the  leaders  of 
the  Municipal  Reform  Movement,  which  did  so  much 
towards  correcting  civic  evils,  and  at  the  same  time  in  elect- 
ing Ci rover  Cleveland  President  of  the  United  States. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


85 


But  it  is  as  a  member  of  the  School  15oard  and  as  an 
educator  that  Mr.  Tamsen  has  rendered  the  people  such  dis- 
tinguished services.  Mayor  Grace  appointed  him  School 
Commissioner,  and  in  this  position  he  was  the  right  man  in 
the  right  place,  especially  in  being  able  to  serve  his  German- 
American  fellow  citizens.  To  Mr.  Tamsen  belongs  the 
credit  of  saving  twelve  children  from  death  on  the  occasion 
of  the  fire  which  broke  out  in  the  Catholic  school  on  the 
East  side  in  1883;  at  the  risk  of  his  life  he  brought  them  out 
of  the  flames.  After  this  he  was  instrumental  in  instituting 
the  "  fire  drills"  in  such  institutions.  It  was  the  disci])line 
instilled  by  this  drill  that  saved  the  lives  of  hundreds  of 
children,  and  many  nuns  as  well,  when  lire  broke  out  in  the 
Catholic  Protectory  of  Westchester  ("ounty  in  1888.  It  was 
he,  also,  who  introduced  the  Turn  tuition  in  the  public 
schools,  and  for  this  alone  he  is  entitled  to  gratitude.  Mayor 
Grace  appreciated  Mr.  Tamsen's  efforts,  and  under  his  ad- 
ministration he  was  twice  appointed  School  Commissioner. 
When  Mr.  Hewitt  was  elected  Mayor  he  did  not  reappoint 
Mr.  Tamsen,  and  this  caused  so  much  i)ublic  indignation 
that  Mayor  Grant  subsequently  appointed  him  to  fill  the 
unexpired  term  of  Commissioner  Fred.  Kuhne.  At  the 
e.xpiration  of  this  term  in  1892  Mayor  Grant  failed  to 
reappoint  him,  although  the  Staais  Zeitung  supported  him 
warmly  and  3,500  citizens  petitioned  for  such  reappoint- 
ment.   The  School  15oard  passed  this  resolution  in  1S92  : 

"  Whereas,  Commissioner  'I'amsen  is  now  completing  his 
eighth  year  of  service,  and  leaves  behind  him  a  record 
which  is  in  every  respect  most  creditable  ;  able,  yet  cour- 
.teous  in  debate,  attentive  to  business,  genial  yet  dignified  in 
his  intercourse  with  his  colleagues  and  with  the  officers  of 
the  B  )ard,  a  friend  and  advocate  of  all  new  and  advanced 
methods  of  instruction,  he  retires  from  the  Board  with  the 
good  wishes  of  his  fellow-members  and  their  assurance  that 
lie  has  done  his  duty  well  : 

Resolved,  That  the  Board  of  Education  hereby  tenders 
to  the  retiring  Commissioner,  Edward  T.  H.  Tamsen,  this 
expression  and  acknowledgment  of  its  high  appreciation  of 
the  intelligence,  earnestness  and  ability  with  which  he  has 
discharged  his  duty  as  Commissioner  of  Common  Schools 
of  New  York  City  ;  and  that,  regretting  the  severance  of  ties 
which  have  been  so  jjleasant,  the  Board  bids  Commissioner 
Tamsen  good-by,  with  the  wish  and  in  the  hope  that  his 
future  may  be  replete  with  the  happiness  which  'not  our 
own,' but  another's,  is  'the  benefit  received.'  " 

Mr.  Tamsen  has  invariably  refused  to  accept  any  office 
with  a  salary  attached  to  it,  or  any  position  of  a  political 
cast.  He  declined  the  office  of  President  of  the  Board  of 
Aldermen,  also  the  nomination  of  Senator  for  the  Seventh 
District,  County  Clerk  and  Commissioner  of  Charity  and 
Corrections.  He  is  member  of  the  famous  Arion  and  Lieder- 
kranz  Societies,  Director  of  the  Isabella  Home,  the  German 
Society,  New  York  Press  Club,  Central  Turn  Society, 
Mozart  Society,  German  Hospital,  Union  Square  Bank, 
Astor"  Place  Bank,  the  New  York  Plate  Glass  Insurance 
Company  and  the  German-American  Investment  Company. 
He  is  still  a  young  man  in  the  forties  and  has  a  brilliant 
career  before  him. 

He  was  married  in  1871  to  Miss  Catharine  Hee  of  Ham- 
burg, and  has  six  children,  four  sons  and  two  daughters. 


FREDERIC  J.  DE  PEYSTER. 

Frederic  J.  de  Peyster,  head  of  one  of  the  most  famous 
Knickerbocker  houses  in  America,  President  of  the  St. 
Nicholas  Society,  but  still  more  favorably  known  as  a 
])hilanthropic  and  public-spirited  citizen  ot  New  York,  was 
born  in  this  city.  'I'he  first  of  the  name  in  this  country  was 
John  de  Peyster,  a  native  of  Haarlem,  Holland,  who  was 
born  in  1615  while  the  Dutch  were  making  their  grand 
struggle  for  indei)endence  against  the  Spaniards,  and  died 


in  New  Amsterdam  (N.  V.)  in  1685.  A  son  of  this  patriarch 
and  founder  of  a  celebrated  American  family  was  (  hief 
Justice  of  the  province,  Mayor  of  the  city  from  1691  to 
1695,  and  Treasurer  of  New  York  and  New  Jersey  Province 
for  more  than  twenty  years.  He  was  also  Colonel  of  the 
N.  Y.  Regiment  of  Foot.  No  generation  has  been  without 
a  de  Peyster  remarkable  in  some  capacity.  Coming  down 
to  our  own  time,  James  F.  de  Peyster,  Captain  in  the  42d 
Regular  Infantry,  father  of  Frederic  J.,  was  a  i)rominent 
man  of  affairs.  He  took  a  keen  interest  in  education  gen- 
erally, and  was  trustee  of  the  public  schools  for  upward  of 
forty  years,  after  which  he  became  member  of  the  executive 
committee  of  the  New  York  College.  It  was  in  this  insti- 
tution, of  which  Horace  Webster,  a  graduate  of  West  Point, 
was  then  president,  that  Mr.  Frederic  J.  de  Peyster  was 
educated.  He  graduated  from  there  in  the  class  of  i860 
with  the  degree  of  A.B.  and  was  subsequently  awarded  the 
degree  of  A.M.  He  then  went  to  study  in  the  Columbia 
Law  School  and  took,  in  1862,  the  degree  of  LL.B.  and  in 


FREDERIC  J.  UE  PEYSTER. 


1864  the  degree  of  LL.M.  He  was  achnitted  to  the  liar  in 
1863  and  gained  quite  a  reputation  for  his  efforts  before  the 
Court  of  Appeals  and  other  courts.  In  addition  to  such 
practice  he  devoted  his  energies  and  undoubted  talents  to 
the  betterment  of  his  fellow-citizens,  and  has  worked  in 
carrying  out  his  objects  in  that  direction  just  as  hard  and 
industriously  as  if  that  were  his  sole  profession.  Mr.  de 
Peyster  is  a  graceful  speaker,  a  man  of  broad  education  and 
of  versatile  abilities.  He  is  President  of  the  New  York 
Dispensary  and  of  the  St.  Nicholas  and  Orpheus  Societies, 
Chairman  of  the  Society  Library,  trustee  of  the  Home  for 
Incurables,  of  the  American  School  of  Classical  Studies  in 
Athens,  of  the  Good  Samaritan  Dispensary,  and  of  the 
Institution  of  the  Deaf  and  Dumb.  He  was  President  of 
the  Associate  Alumni  of  the  College  of  the  City  of  New 
York  from  1882  to  1884,  of  the  St.  Nicholas  Club  from  1887 
to  1889,  and  of  the  Archaeological  Society  from  its  founda- 
tion until  1889.  He  is  also  connected  with  the  Historical, 
Numismatic,  Holland  and  American  Archaeological  Socie- 


86 


JVEIV  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


ties,  an(i  is  member  of  the  Century,  St.  Nitholas  and  Uni- 
versity Clubs,  and  fellow  of  the  National  Academy  of 
Design.  He  was,  in  December,  1892,  elected  Governor  of 
the  Society  of  Colonial  Wars.  Mr.  de  Peyster  was  mar- 
ried in  1 87 1  to  Augusta,  daughter  of  William  H.  Morris  of 
Morrisania,  N.  Y.,  and  great-granddaughter  of  Louis  Morris, 
one  of  the  signers  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence  from 
this  State.  The  lady  is  also  a  grandniece  of  (iouverneur 
Morris. 


JOHN  M.  SCRIBNER. 

iVmong  the  members  of  tlie  liar  of  the  Metro|K)lis,  deserv- 
ing of  more  than  i)assing  mention  in  this  historical  review, 
api)ears  the  name  of  John  M.  Scribner.  This  gentleman  is 
a  son  of  Rev.  John  M.  and  Ann  Kli/.a  Swart  Scribner.  He 
was  born  in  Middleburgh,  this  State,  on  October  4,  1839, 
and  receiving  his  ])reparatory  course  in  Franklin,  N.  Y., 
entered  Union  College,  and  was  graduated  with  the  degree 
of  A.  B.  in  the  class  of  1859.  Immediately  after  finishing 
his  college  course,  he  came  to  this  city,  read  law  in  the  office 
of  Hon.  Hamilton  W.  Robinson,  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in 
1 86 1,  and  in  1863  became  junior  ])artner  in  the  firm  of 
Robinson  &  Scribner,  which  continued  until  1870,  when  Mr. 
Robinson  was  elected   Judge  of  the  Common  Pleas  Court, 


and  the  business  >vas  continued  by  Mr  Scribner  individually. 
In  1876,  the  firm  of  Sanford  &  Robinson  was  di.ssolved  upon 
the  election  of  t'has.  F.  Sanford  to  the  Superior  Court  IJeuch, 
and  K.  Randolph  Robinson,  his  partner,  invited  Mr. 
Scribner  to  become  associated  with  him.  'I'his  offer  was 
acce])ted  and  the  firm  name  became  Robinson  i\:  Scribner. 
In  1S82,  Osborn  P>.  liright  was  admitted  to  partnership  and 
the  business  was  continued  until  May  ist,  1 890,  under  liie 
firm  of  Robinson,  Scribner  <!v  Bright.  In  that  year  Mr. 
S(  ribner  withdrew  in  order  to  give  his  entire  attention  to  his 
large  railroad  and  corporation  jjractire,  in  wlii(  h  department 
of  civil  laws  he  is  a  recognized  leader.  .\lr.  Scribner's 
])rofessional  (  dreer  has  been  marked  by  manv  legal  victories. 


and  his  al)ilities  and  talents  have  gained  him  high  jjrestige 
before  Ijolh  Hench  and  Bar.  His  i-Z/Vz/Z/'A' includes  a  wicle 
and  influential  list  of  corporations,  institutions  and  mercantile 
houses,  which  highly  endorse  the  thoroughly  honorable  and 
reliable  business  and  i)rofessional  methods  of  this  able 
counsel.  Although  a  Democrat  in  politics,  Mr.  Scribner 
devotes  little  time  and  attention  in  that  connection,  never 
having  sought  i)olitical  honors  and  taking  an  active  part  in 
indejjendent  movemenis  only.  He  is  a  member  of  the  City 
Bar  .Association  and  Lawyers'  and  University  Clubs. 


CHARLES  POLLEN  McKIM, 

Senior  member  of  the  architectural  firm  of  McKim,  Mead 
White,  was  born  in  Chester  County,  Pa.,  August  24,  1847, 
studied  at  Harvard,  in  1866  67,  and  then  went  to  Paris, 
where  he  studied  in  the  School  of  Fine  Arts.  On  his  return 
to  New  York,  he  associated  himself  with  William  R.  Mead 
and  Stanford  White,  son  of  Richard  (Jrant  White,  which 
names  compose  a  firm  that  has  done  much  towards  archi- 
tectural develo|)ment  in  this  country.  The  firm  has  a 
national  reputation,  as  well  it  might,  seeing  it  has  built  the 
Boston  Library  and  the  Madison  Scpiare  Garden.  The 
variety  of  work  executed  by  them  has  been  very  great, 
but  their  tendency  has  been  to  produce  buildings  whose 
influence  has  been  derived  from  the  present  styles  of  classic 
architecture.  Among  their  best  productions  in  coun- 
try work  are  the  cottages  erected  in  Newport,  Lenox  and 
other  summer  resorts,  notably  the  house  at  Mamaroneck. 
N.  Y.  This  is  in  the  style  of  a  French  farm-house,  having 
points  of  resemblance  to  the  half-timbered  work  of  England. 
I'heir  houses  at  Newport  are  typical  of  a  style  that  is  |)ecu- 
liar  to  themselves. 

.'\mong  their  city  residences,  the  Tiffany  house  on  Madi- 
son .\venue.  New  York  City,  which  is  Rhenisl  in  style,  with 
details  leaning  toward  the  Italian,  is  proncninced  by  some 
critics  to  be  the  finest  piece  of  architecture  in  the  New 
World.  The  Villard  block  of  houses  on  Madison  Avenue, 
behind  St.  Patrick's  Cathedral,  designed  in  spirit  of  classic 
Italian  architecture  of  the  i6th  century,  is  the  most  beauti- 
ful specimen  of  that  style  in  New  ^'ork  City. 

FRANCIS  HENDRICKS. 
Mr.  Hendricks,  ex-Collector  of  the  Port  of  New  \'ork. 
the  son  of  J.  I'klmund  and  Catharine  (Van  Gaasbeck) 
Hendricks,  was  born  in  Kingston,  N.  Y.,  November  23, 
1834.  He  obtained  his  early  education  m  the  common 
schools  of  Kingston  and  finished  at  the  .Albany  Academy, 
after  which  he  commenced  business  life  as  a  clerk  in 
Rochester,  but  in  a  short  time  removed  to  Syracuse  and 
started  mercantile  business  there  on  his  own  account, 
which  he  continues  to  the  present  day,  being  now  the 
senior  member  of  the  well-known  firm  of  Francis  Hendricks 
&  Co.  He  is  also  President  of  the  State  Bank  of  Syra- 
cuse and  of  the  Trust  and  Deposit  Com])any  of  that  city. 
While  always  an  earnest  and  active  member  of  the  Rei)ub- 
lican  party,  he  never  accepted  public  office  until  he  had 
made  a  comfortable  fortune,  and  since  then  his  ])olitical 
success  has  been  as  pronounced  as  his  ])rosperity  in  busi- 
ness life.  His  first  office  was  that  of  Fire  Commissioner, 
in  which  he  rendered  conspicuous  service.  He  was  then 
elected  Mayor  of  Syracuse,  and  re-elected  for  a  second 
term  to  succeed  himself.  He  afterwards  served  two  terms 
as  member  of  the  .Assembly  from  the  Second  District  of 
Onondaga  County,  and  three  terms  as  State  Senator  from 
the  Twenty  fifth  Senatorial  District.  It  was  only  his  posi- 
tive refusal  to  acce])t  another  term  tliat  prevented  the  citi- 
zens of  his  district  from  nominating  him  the  fourth  time. 
He  has  several  times  been  talked  of  as  an  available  and 
acceptable  candidate  for  the  Governor's  chair,  and  his 
appointment  b\  President  Harrisi)n  to  the  highly  imjjortant 


NEIV   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS.  87 


Collectorslii]>  of  tlic  I'ort  of  New  N'ork  in  Sc])tcinlier,  1.S91, 
met  with  the  unqualified  approbation  of  his  party.  His 
work  while  in  this  was  done  quietly  and  well.  His  modesty 
is  certainly  excejjlional.  He  was  never  heard  s|)eaking  of 
his  services  or  of  himself  in  any  way,  being  apparently 
indifferent  to  the  ordinary  laudation  so  sweet  to  the  ear  of 
many  less  prominent  politicians.  His  ab.'^olute  honesty  and 
integrity  were  never  (piestioned,  and  he  possessed  the  con- 
fidence of  the  merchants  of  the  city  to  the  very  fullest 
extent,  no  matter  what  political  creeds. 

ALFRED  ZUCKER. 
.Alfred  Z.ucker,  the  architect,  was  born  January  23,  1852, 
in  Freiburg,  Silesia,  where  his  father,  Julius  Zucker,  an 
engineer  of  note,  still  resides.  After  finishing  his  college 
education,  Mr.  Zucker  acquired  his  architectural  training  in 
the  ])olytechnic  schools  of  Hanover,  .Xix-la-Chapelle,  and  the 


for  the  \'i(ksburg  and  Meridian  Railroad.  In  i87(;  his 
designs  for  the  Agricultural  and  Mechanical  College  of  the 
State  of  Mississippi,  offered  in  competition  with  others, 
were  adopted,  and  the  trustees  authorized  by  the  Legislature 
commissioned  the  young  architect  to  carry  out  his  j)lans  and 
have  the  building  com])leted  under  his  superintendence,  at 
Starkville,  Miss.  This  college  is  at  present  one  of  the  most 
flourishing  institutions  of  that  character  in  the  South. 
(Governor  J.  M.  Stone,  in  his  message  to  the  Legislature  in 
January,  1880,  commended  Mr.  Zucker  for  the  able  and 
faithful  i)erformance  of  the  work  intrusted  to  him.  He  was 
subsecjuently  appointed  architect  in  charge  of  the  State 
buildings.  As  such  he  made  a  very  enviable  record.  His 
designs  marked  the  beginning  of  a  new  and  decidedly  cred- 
itable era  in  the  architecture  of  public  buildings  of  that 
State.  Among  others,  the  East  Mississippi  State  Insane 
Asylum  at  Meridian,  the  Deaf  Mutes'  Institute  at  Jackson, 


ALFRKD  ZrCKIiK. 


Berlin  Academy.  Upon  graduating  he  was  detailed  as 
assistant  superintendent  to  the  architect  in  charge  of  the 
construction  of  the  government  railroad  depot  at  Hanover, 
during  the  years  of  1872  and  1873.  He  came  to  America 
in  the  latter  year  and  at  once  was  engaged  by  A.  B.  Mullet, 
then  the  supervising  architect  of  the  Treasury  Department 
in  Washington,  D.  C.  Mr.  Zucker  remained  in  the  super- 
vising architect's  office  until  1874,  when  he  was  transferred 
to  the  Board  of  Public  Works  of  the  District  of  Columbia, 
and  placed  in  charge  of  the  engineer's  office  to  the  auditing 
department  during  the  Congressional  investigation  into  the 
Capitol  improvements  under  Gov.  Alexander  Shepard.  In 
1876  he  went  to  Galveston,  Texas,  where  he  associated  him- 
self with  John  Moser,  and  together  they  designed  and 
constructed  the  Galveston  Cotton  Exchange  building.  He 
opened  a  branch  office  in  Vicksburg,  Miss.,  not  long  there- 
after, and  was  subsequently  apjjointed  consulting  architect 


the  court-houses  at  Meridian  and  Corinth  were  designed 
by  Mr.  Zucker.  In  December,  1882,  he  went  to  Europe 
with  his  family  to  regain  his  health,  which  began  to  fail  in 
consequence  of  his  incessant  activity.  After  an  extensive 
tour  of  observation  and  study  he  returned  to  America  in 
August,  1883.  On  coming  to  New  York  he  associated 
himself  in  business  with  the  late  Henry  Fernbach,  who  died 
in  November  of  the  same  year.  Mr.  Zucker  has  continued 
his  practice  in  New  York  ever  since  and  stands  to-day  in 
the  front  rank  of  our  leading  architects.  Of  the  many 
monuments  to  his  genius  we  count  the  Progress  Club,  cor- 
ner Fifth  Avenue  and  63d  Street,  one  of  the  show^  places  of 
New  York.  He  also  designed  and  erected  the  Rouss  Build- 
ing, the  Cossitt  Building  on  lower  Broadway,  the  Hotel 
Majestic,  the  Geraldine,  the  Decker  Building  on  Union 
Stjuare,  and  the  ])alatial  residences  of  lulward  Lauterbach 
and  Leopold  Weissman.     He  was  married  in  1880  to  Miss 


88  NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


Jean  N.  Brooke,  of  an  old  Southern  family  prominently 
identified  with  tiie  history  of  Mississipin.  They  have  one 
child,  a  charming  daughter. 

Alfred  Zuckcr  is  numbered  among  the  best  known  rep- 
resentative Germans  of  New  York.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Liederkranz  Society,  the  Progress  Club,  and  is  actively  in- 
terested in  many  other  organizations,  social  and  benevolent. 


ROBERT  SEAMAN. 

Mr.  Robert  Seaman,  the  well  known  manufacturer,  was 
born  in  the  village  of  Catskill,  this  State,  and  educated  in 
the  public  schools  there.  His  father,  Williams  Seaman,  a 
native  of  Jericho,  L.  1.,  was  descended  from  old  English 
Quaker  stock  that  settled  in  that  section  in  the  seventeenth 
century.  It  is  even  to  this  day  a  Quaker  settlement  and 
Mr.  Seaman  possesses  all  the  characteristics  of  a  denomina- 
tion famous  for  its  good  citizenship,  law  abiding  qualities 
and  virtues  almost  jjeculiar  to  themselves,  among  them  being 
caution,  economy  and  Christian  charity.  He  came  to  this 
city  in  1843,  being  then  a  lad  of  eighteen  and  was  at  once 
employed  as  clerk  by  Charles  F.  Park,  of  the  firm  of  Park, 
Smith  Bruce,  wholesale  grocers  on  West  Street.  After  a 
year  the  firm  was  dissolved,  Smith  and  Bruce  retired  and 


ROBERT  SEAM.\N. 


the  new  firm  of  Park  i!v  Seaman  was  established,  the  subject 
of  our  sketch  being  the  junior  i)artner.  He  was  evidently 
progressing,  'i'his  was  in  1845,  from  which  time  the  house 
advanced  and  was  prosperous  until  1866,  when  Mr.  Park 
died,  and  business  was  carried  on  by  Robert  Seaman  alone 
until  1870,  when  he  took  in  several  of  his  clerks  as  partners 
and  the  firm  continued  as  Robert  Seaman  &:  Co.,  until  1885. 
This  year  Mr.  Seaman  withdrew  from  active  interest  in  the 
concern,  though  still  retaining  a  sjjecial  interest.  In  1869, 
while  still  in  the  grocery  business  he  formed  a  partnershij) 
with  H.  W.  Shei)pard  for  the  manufacture  of  milk  can  sto<  k, 
and  vessels  of  that  kind,  for  the  transjjortation  of  milk,  by 
rail  as  well  as  from  farm  houses  to  the  cheese  fac  tory.  They 
started  at  5  i  1  )ey  Street  and  the  business  grew  to  such'  volume 


that  they  established  a  factory  of  their  own  in  Greenpoint, 
L.  I.  Mr.  Shei)pard's  health  being  delicate  from  the  start  the 
management  rested  largely  with  Mr.  Seaman,  and  on  the 
retirement  of  that  gentleman  a  few  years  ago,  his  death  soon 
following,  Mr.  Seaman  assumed  entire  control  and  full 
l)roprietorship  in  what  is  looked  upon  as  a  very  large  and 
constantly  growing  manufacturing  industry.  Though  he  has 
now  been  living  and  doing  business  in  New  York  City  for 
nearly  half  a  century,  he  has  never  forgotten  his  native  vil- 
lage of  Catskill,  but  has  visited  the  old  homestead  every 
Saturday  during  the  summer  months,  returning  to  the  city 
on  Monday,  as  well  as  any  short  vacation  he  could  steal 
from  his  business.  Mr.  Seaman  is  the  oldest  director  of  the 
Merchants'  Exchange  liank,  and  is  also  director  of  the 
Irving  Savings  Bank. 

WILLIAM  M.  K.  OLCOTT. 

Among  the  rising  lawyers  of  this  city  is  William  M.  K. 
Olcott,  member  of  the  firm  of  Olcott  &:  Olcott.  Of 
the  Olcotts  there  are  four  brothers  in  this  city,  all  young 
men  of  fine  physique  and  of  intellectual  attainments,  and 
all  of  whom  have  succeeded  in  business  to  a  marked  degree. 
William  M.  K.  Olcott,  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  in 
this  city  on  August  27,  1862,  educated  in  the  famous  Gram- 
mar School  No.  35,  was  graduated  in  1881  from  the  College 
of  the  City  of  New  York  with  classic  honors,  then  from 
Columbia  College  Law  School,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
with  special  honorable  mention,  by  Presiding  Justice  Noah 
Davis,  in  October,  1883.  He  practised  law  alone  until 
May  I,  1891,  when,  with  his  brother,  J.  Van  Vechten,  he 
formed  the  firm  of  Olcott  &  Olcott.  The  Olcotts  are 
of  English  and  Dutch  stock.  John  N.,  their  father,  was  an 
old  New  York  merchant,  who  in  later  years  retired  from 
i)usiness  and  who  died  in  1887  at  an  advanced  age.  He  was 
born  in  New  York  City  and  traced  his  descent  to  the  Con- 
neciicut  Olcotts  of  1630,  who  were  among  the  first  settlers  of 
tliat  district.  Their  mother  was  a  daughter  of  the  Reverend 
John  Knox,  for  many  years  senior  pastor  of  the  Collegiate 
Reformed  Dutch  Church,  in  this  city.  Regarding  the  legal 
c.ireer  of  Wm.  M.  K.  Olcott  much  can  be  said  in  very  few 
words.  It  has  been  one  of  progressive  prosperity.  The 
firm  do  no  criminal  business,  and  their  practice  is  confined 
chiefly  to  real  estate  matters  and  general  litigation  in  the 
State  Courts.  They  are  counsel  for  a  number  of  corpora- 
tions and  estates,  notable  among  the  latter  being  the  Hoff- 
m  in  estate,  which  is  valued  at  many  millions.  Though 
attached  to  his  profession  Mr.  Olcott  finds  time  to  con- 
tribute now  and  th<'n  to  general  literature.  In  his  college 
days,  and  even  for  some  time  after,  he  reported  for  the  New 
York  Jlerald,  and  since  then  has  written  many  articles  for 
the  N'orth  American  Rtvieic  and  other  periodicals.  He  is 
also  interested  in  politics.  He  joined  the  Republican  Club 
in  1884,  and  was  its  secretary  from  1885  to  1889,  since 
which  he  has  been  member  of  its  executive  committee. 
He  is  a  director  and  the  Secretary  of  the  Lawyers'  En- 
gineering and  Surveying  Company,  examining  counsel  of  the 
Lawyers  Title  Insurance  Company,  director  of  the  Bridge- 
port Land  and  Improvement  Company  (a  very  success- 
ful corporation),  member  of  the  Hudson  River  Yacht  Club, 
of  the  Al|)ha  Delta  Phi  Society,  the  Phi  Beta  Kajipa.  and 
many  other  organizations,  social,  collegiate  and  political. 
He  was  married  in  December,  1888,  to  Miss  Jessie  Ikddwin, 
daughter  of  Mr.  J.  H.  Baldwin  of  New  York. 

FREDERICK  J.  LEVISEUR,  M  D. 
Frederick  J.  Leviseur  was  born  in  Cassel,  Germany,  on 
January  25,  i860.  His  father,  Dr.  S.  Leviseur,  well  known 
in  educational  circles  as  a  professor  of  languages,  is  still 
living  and  is  in  his  eighty-fourth  year.  His  mother,  Helene 
Mosenlhal,  was  a  sister  of  the  Poet  Mosenthal,  author  of 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


89 


"  Leah  the  forsaken  "  and  other  famous  dramas.  Young 
Leviseur  began  his  studies  in  Cassel,  and  while  there  was 
for  a  time  schoolmate  of  the  present  Emperor  of  Germany. 
After  leaving  Cassel  he  resumed  his  studies  in  Bonn  and 
subsequently  in  Strasbourg,  where  he  served  half  a  year  as  a 
volunteer  in  the  army.  From  Strasbourg  he  went  to 
Gottingen,  where  he  graduated  in  1884,  thence  to  Perlin 
and  served  a  second  mill  ary  term  as  volunteer  physician. 
From  Berlin  Dr.  Leviseur,  always  on  search  after  profes- 
sional knowledge,  proceeded  to  Vienna  and  there  decided 
on  taking  up  the  study  of  skin  diseases  under  Professor 
Kaposi.  After  spending  one  year  under  the  instructions  of 
this  famous  physician  he  visited  the  hospitals  of  Paris,  where 
he  continued  his  studies  under  the  equally  celebrated  Dr. 
Resnier.  From  Paris  he  went  to  London  and  Edinburgh,  and 
finally,  after  having  seen  much  of  the  world  and  learned  many 
of  its  languages,  arrived  in  this  country  in  August,  1886,  and 
dedicated  himself  to  the  treatment  of  skin  diseases  exclu- 
sively. Soon  after  his  advent  to  this  country  he  was 
appointed  dermatologist  to  the  Randall  Island  Hospital. 
Dr.  Leviseur  is  member  of  the  Academy  of  Medicine,  of  the 
County  Medical  Society,  German  Medical  Society,  Metro- 
l)olitan  Medical  Society,  the  Manhattan  Medical  Society, 
and  the  German  Liederkranz.  He  is  a  frequent  contributor 
to  the  Medical  Record  and  a  paper  of  his  entitled  "  Electro- 
lysis in  the  Treatment  of  Skin  Diseases"  has  attracted  much 
attention.    In  the  New  York  J/e'^Z/V^z/  he  published 

an  article  on  "The  Prophylaxis  of  Ringworm  of  the  Scalp 
and  Favus,"  in  which  he  gave  his  experience  collected 
while  treating,  in  consultation  with  Dr.  S.  Baruch,  a  large 
epidemic  of  these  diseases  at  the  N.  Y.  Juvenile  Asylum. 
In  Dr.  Fordyce's  Journal  of  Ctitan  ous  and  Geniio-Urinai y 
Diseases  his  name  appears  occasionally  over  an  article  of 
dermatological  interest.  In  the  beginning  of  his  career  in 
this  country  he  was  assistant  to  Dr.  Bulkley,  Dr.  Jackson 
and  Dr.  Fox.  Afterwards  he  became  first  assistant  in  the 
outdoor  department  for  skin  and  venereal  diseases  in  the 
New  York  Hospital.  I'his  department  was  at  the  time 
under  the  care  of  Prof.  R.  Taylor,  the  eminent  specialist, 
who.  Dr.  Leviseur  is  proud  to  say,  was  his  teacher  and  his 
friend. 


JOHN  J.  TUCKER, 

John  J.  Tucker,  the  successful  builder,  was  born  in 
Shrewsbury,  N.  J.,  on  February  26,  1828.  He  was  edu- 
cated in  the  public  schools  of  New  York  City,  and  forty- 
five  years  ago  became  connected  with  his  uncle,  Joseph 
Tucker,  in  the  building  and  contract  line.  Upon  the 
death  of  his  uncle  in  1852  John  J.,  then  quite  a  young  man, 
succeeded  him,  and  by  his  ability  and  character  soon  ex- 
tended his  lines.  He  it  was  that  erected  the  magnificent 
Tiffany  chateau  and  Villard  houses  on  Madison  Avenue,  the 
Lenox  Library,  the  Stevens,  Whitney,  Cook,  Hoyt,  Fogg, 
Downing,  Gerry,  Sherman  and  other  private  mansions  on 
Fifth  Avenue.  Mr.  Tucker  was  the  President  of  the  Na- 
tional Association  of  ISuilders  for  1890-91,  and  is  President 
of  the  Building  Trades  Club.  He  is  a  member  of  the  com- 
mittee on  uniform  contract  of  the  National  Association,  a 
trustee  of  the  Mechanics'  and  Traders'  Exchange,  a  mem- 
ber of  the  executive,  finance  and  other  committees  of  that 
body,  and  has  been  president  of  the  Mason  Builders'  Asso- 
ciation since  its  organization.  He  is  also  a  director  in  the 
New  York  Orphan  Asylum,  a  member  of  the  finance  com- 
mittee of  the  U.  S.  Life  Insurance  Co.,  Vice-President 
American  Employees  Liability  Insurance  Co.,  an  ex-diiector 
of  the  Seventh  \Vard  Bank,  and  ex-president  of  the  (General 
Society  of  Mechanics  and  Tradesmen,  an  institution  in 
which  he  is  greatly  interested.  He  is  one  of  the  oldest  trus- 
tees of  the  Bank  for  Savings  in  Bleecker  Street,  and  has  held 
that  position  for  nearly  a  (juarter  of  a  century.  He  is  chair- 


man of  the  Committee  on  P.onds  and  Mortgages  for  that  in- 
stitution, and  has  devoted  much  time  and  attention  to  fur- 
thering its  interest  generally.  Mayor  Hewitt  appointed 
him  an  Aqueduct  Commissioner  in  y\ugust,  1888,  and  in  that 
ofifice  he  has  manifested  an  ability  and  courage  commanding 
the  adiniration  and  respect  of  his  confreres  in  that  great  en- 
terprise. Mr.  Tucker  was  married  in  Belleville,  N.  J  ,  on 
A])iil  17,  1856,  to  Miss  Mary  A.  Si)ear,  a  daughter  of 
one  of  the  oldest  families  in  New  Jersey.  His  two  sons, 
Edwin  and  Walter,  are  associated  with  him  in  l)usiness,  and 
display  many  of  the  characteristics  of  their  distinguished 
father. 


RANDOLPH  GUGGENHEIMER. 

Randolph  Guggenheimer,  Commissioner  of  Education, 
was  born  at  Lynchburg,  Va.,  in  1848,  and  came  to  this  city 
in  his  boyhood.  He  received  his  preparatory  education  in 
public  and  private  schools,  was  graduated  from  the  Law 
School  of  the  University  of  New  York,  and  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  in  1869.  He  immediately  began  active  pra  tice 
and  soon  won  distinction  through  his  ability  and  intellectual 
attainments.  Mr.  Guggenheimer  devoted  his  attention  to 
a  general  civil  practice,  making  a  specialty  of  real  estate 
and  corporation  matters,  and  now  enjoys  a  wide  and  influ- 
ential  clientele.      Among   the  many    important  matters 


RANDOLPH  GUGGENHEIMER. 

negotiated  by  his  firm  was  the  purchase  of  the  American 
breweries  and  other  industries  for  the  English  syndicate, 
which  transaction  involved  over  sixiy  millions  of  dollars. 
In  1885  Mr.  Guggenheimer  admitted  to  partnership  his  two 
brothers,  Messrs.  Isaac  and  Samuel  Untermeyer,  two  mem- 
bers of  the  bar  who  have  contributed  much  toward  the 
prominence  of  the  firm.  In  1888  Mayor  Grace  appointed 
Mr.  Guggenheimer  member  of  the  Board  of  Education, 
and  in  his  capacity  of  Commissioner  he  introduced  many 
reforms,  amongst  others  the  retention  of  the  German  and 
French  languages  in  the  schools  ;  also  changing  the  admis- 
sion age  of  children  from  five  to  six  years.  Another 


90  NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


measure  of  his  regulated  the  daily  sessions  at  9  to  12  a.m. 
and  I  to  3  P.M.  Mayor  Cirant's  reappointment  of  this 
gentleman  to  the  same  position  was  a  deserving  mark  of 
recognition  for  the  efficient  and  comprehensive  manner  in 
which  he  performed  the  duties  pertaining  to  the  office  for 
six  years,  and  the  selection  was  received  with  general  public 
approbation.  Mr.  Guggenheimer  was  married  in  1876  to 
Miss  Eliza  Katzenherg,  and  has  a  family  of  one  daughter 
and  two  sons,  aged  fifteen,  fourteen  and  twelve  respectively. 
His  wife's  father,  Julius  Katzenberg,  was  formerly  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Board  of  Education,  and  is  a  gentleman  favor- 
ably known  throughout  educational  circles. 

HENRY  NEWMAN. 

Henry  Newman,  the  well  known  New  York  merchant, 
was  born  in  Wurtemburg,  Germany.    He  began  his  liusi- 


from  87  Chambers  street  and  69  Reade  street  to  the  corner 
of  Hroadway  and  Leonard  street,  then  to  391  Broadwav, 
finally  to  the  present  magnificent  structure,  628  and  630 
Broadway,  erected  by  Mr.  Newman  in  1882,  and  known  as 
the  "  New  York  Mercantile  Exchange."  This  building 
takes  in  a  frontage  of  fifty  feet  on  Broadway,  running  back 
to  Crosby  street,  and  covering  an  area  of  80,000  squ;ire 
feet.  It  is  an  eight  story  building,  the  four  lower  floors 
being  occupied  by  the  firm  of  Henry  Newman  ^-  Co.  A 
fine  feature  of  the  structure  is  its  lightsomeness.  There  is 
not  a  dark  corner  or  crevice  in  it-  Besides  window  light, 
it  is  lighted  by  a  handsome  ventilating  skylight  fifty  feet 
square  placed  in  the  centre  of  the  building,  extending  from 
the  roof  to  the  basement.  The  immense  stock  always  kept 
uj)  to  date  comprises  every  material  used  by  merchant 
tailors  and  dressmakers,  from  a  piece  of  silesia  to  the  most 


HENRY  NEWM.VN. 


ness  career  as  a  mere  youth,  in  1850,  with  the  old 
and  solid  firm  of  Bernheimer  Brothers,  then  located  on 
W  illiam  street,  and  from  tlie  first  manifested  such  industry, 
|)erseverance  and  fidelity  that  his  promotion  was  rapid.  As 
he  advanced  he  developed  such  extraordinary  business 
capacity  that  in  1863  he  was  admitted  to  partnership,  and 
the  name  of  the  firm  for  which  he  had  worked  as  a  boy  w;is 
(  hanged  to  Bernheimer  iV  Nev.man.  About  this  time  also 
he  married  the  daughter  of  his  partner  and  began 
a  domestic  life  full  of  unalloyed  hapi)iness  for  both, 
as  well  as  for  the  fruit  of  the  auspicious  union.  The 
business  i)artnershii)  was  dissolved  in  1872,  leaving  Mr. 
Newman  head  of  a  house  which  has  since  grown  to  be  one 
of  the  greatest  in  its  line  in  the  United  States.  The  firm 
moved  according  to  the  exigencies  of  its  ever-growing  trade 


brilliant  satin,  and  from  "  Italian  cloth  "  to  the  finest  serge, 
rich  velvets  from  Lyons  and  Crefeld,  serges  of  every  con- 
ceivable variety,  and,  in  fact,  the  complete  assortment  of 
goods  foreign  and  domestic  that  one  of  the  best  equii)|)ed 
houses  in  the  country  can  turn  out.  The  trademark  of  the 
concern  is  O  A'.  As  an  illustration  of  the  colossal  manner 
in  which  Mr.  Newman  does  business,  it  may  be  stated  that 
at  one  time  he  bought  the  entire  stock  of  the  well  known 
house  of  Hoyt,  Sprague  iV  Co.,  consisting  of  four  hundred 
and  fifty  cases,  or  one  million  one  hundred  and  thirteen 
thousand  seven  hundred  and  fifty  yards  of  Italian  cloth,  at 
a  cost,  in  round  numbers,  of  S.i75  000.  This  is  business  in 
the  aggregate,  but  in  details  Mr.  Newman  is  e<pially 
prominent.  He  can  tell  the  value  of  a  jiiece  of  goods  with 
one  sharp  glance.    He  is  a  man  of  ideas  essentially,  and  is 


NEW  YORK,  TJIK  METROPOLIS. 


91 


always  inventinf^  and  im])roving.  Il  was  he  who  introduced 
to  the  trade  the  now  ])()i)ular  article  called  "  lustrene," 
which,  though,  hardly  distinguishable  from  satin,  is  not  ore- 
fourth  as  dear.  Mr.  Newman  has  never  allowed  himself  to 
forget  that  he  was  once  a  lad  himself  struggling  for  fame  and 
fortune,  and  he  loves  to  surround  himself  in  business  with 
young  men  of  talent.  Hence  his  partners  to-day  are  of  that 
class,  and  what  is  more,  they  all  entered  his  establ  shment 
as  boys  and  have  risen  under  his  immediate  supervision. 
In  addition  to  these  partners  are  Sandford  Friedl)erger  and 
Mortimer  B.  Newman,  the  former  the  neijhewand  the  latter 
the  son  of  the  head  of  the  house,  who  were  admitted  to 
partnership  January  ist,  1893.  Mr.  Mortimer  B.  Newman 
assumes  charge  of  the  office  and  financial  department 
during  his  father's  absence  in  Europe  and  Mr.  Friedberger 
has  charge  of  the  "small-ware  department."  But  those 
who  have  gained  from  business  contact  with  this  princelv 
gentleman  are  not  confined  to  his  partners  ;  they  are  all 
over  the  country — merchants,  traders,  manufacturers,  many 
of  them  men  of  national  reputation.  In  May,  1888,  the 
firm  celebrated  what  may  be  termed  its  silver  jubilee,  after 
which  Mr.  Newman  went  on  an  e.xtended  Euro])ean  tri|), 
returning,  if  possible,  more  patriotically  American  than  ever. 


JOHN  H,  THOMPSON,  M.D. 

Among  the  surgeons  whose  names  stand  high  in  New  York 
may  be  mentioned  John  H.  Thompson.  Born  in  the  city 
January  2,  1835,  his  father,  William  B.  Thompson,  then  a 
prominent  merchant,  gave  him  all  the  advantages  accruing 
from  a  thorough  classical  education,  first  in  private  schools, 
then  in  the  University  of  New  York,  where  he  became  early 
in  life  thoroughly  equi])ped  for  his  future  lifework,  that  of 
medicine,  and  especially  surgery.  For  a  few  years  after 
leaving  school  he  assisted  his  father  in  his  mercantile  busi- 
ness, and  it  was  not  until  his  26th  year  that  he  began  the 
study  of  medicine.  For  two  years,  under  the  careful  guid- 
ance of  such  eminent  physicians  and  surgeons  as  Drs.  John 
F.  Gray,  Benjamin  I.  Raphael  and  John  M.  Carnochan,  he 
profited  by  the  knowledge  thus  obtained  and  graduated 
with  the  highest  honors  from  the  New  York  Medical  Col- 
lege in  1863.  Immediately  upon  graduating  he  was  ap- 
pointed prosector  to  the  ])rofessor  of  surgery  in  the  aboxe 
college,  and  held  this  position  during  the  remainder  of  its 
existence.  In  1866  he  became  associated  with  Dr.  L.  T. 
Warner  (a  partner  of  Dr.  (Iray),  and  the  intimacy  thus 
formed  continued  with  Dr.  Warner  until  his  death  in  18S3. 
In  1873  Dr.  Thompson  was  appointed  surgeon  to  the  New 
York  Homoeopathic  Surgical  Hospital,  where  he  remained 
until  its  consolidation  with  the  Hahnemann  Hospital,  on 
March  20,  1875,  when  he  was  appointed  surgeon  to  the 
latter  institution,  which  ])osition  he  still  holds.  He  is  also 
secretary  of  the  medical  board  of  the  institution.  He  was 
ai)pointed  visiting  surgeon  to  the  Ward's  Island  homoeopathic 
hosi)ital  on  its  organization  in  1875,  and  still  continues  in 
that  capacity,  as  well  as  being  vice  president  of  its  medical 
board.  For  nine  years,  from  187310  1882,  Dr.  Thompson  was 
lecturer  on  minor  surgery  in  the  New  York  Homoeopathic 
College.  He  is  a  meml)er  of  the  Homoeopathic  County 
Society  and  a  senior  member  of  the  American  Institute  of 
Homoeopathy,  also  Honorary  member  of  the  New  Jersey 
Medical  Club. 


FREDERICK  A.  WARD, 

Frederick  A.  Ward,  one  of  the  successful  and  distm- 
guished  members  of  the  Bar  of  the  Metropolis,  was  born  at 
Farmington,  Conn.,  on  k\)X\\  i,  1841,  and  comes  of  good 
New  England  ancestry.  He  received  his  preparatory  educa- 
tion at  Deacon  Hart's  Academy,  Farmington,  entered  Yale 
College,  and  after  a  brilliant  course  was  graduated  with  the 
Bachelor  of  Arts  degree  in  the  class  of  1862,  subseiiuently 


being  awarded  the  A.M.  degree  from  the  same  institution. 
His  legal  training  was  gained  in  Columbia  Law  School, 
which  since  has  conferred  the  Bachelor  of  Laws  honor  u])on 
him.  He  was  immediately  called  to  the  bar,  and  entered 
tile  law  office  of  Messrs.  Emott,  Van  Cott  &  Jenks,  with 
whom  he  remained  as  managing  clerk  until  the  dissolution 
of  the  firm,  in  1866,  at  which  date  he  formed  a  partnership 
with  the  late  Crenville  T.  Jenks,  one  of  the  most  dis- 
tinguished and  successful  advocates  of  his  time  and  one  of 
the  men  whose  names  have  added  lustre  to  the  New  York 
Bar.  In  1870,  upon  the  death  of  his  associate,  Mr.  Ward 
became  a  partner  of  Hon.  (  Jeo.  (1.  Reynolds,  ancl  when  that 
gentleman  was  re-elected  to  the  bench  Mr.  Ward  for  a  time 
became  associated  with  Hon.  Albert  F.  Jenks,  the  son  of  his 
former  partner,  who  is  now  Corporation  Counsel  in  Brooklyn. 
Since  1844  Mr.  Ward  has  pursued  his  jjrofessional  career 
unassociated,  and  has  gained  an  enviable  reputation  as  an 
able  and  successful  corporation  counsel.  He  has  figured  as 
leading  counsel  in  many  important  corporation  litigations 


FREDERICK  \.  VV.-VRD. 


in  the  higher  courts,  and  won  the  resjject  of  both  Bench  and 
Bar  by  his  brilliant  legal  talents.  His  clientele  is  of  the 
most  desirable  character,  and  includes  railroad,  financial 
and  large  mercantile  corporations,  which  jjlace  every  con- 
fidence in  him.  Mr.  Ward's  social  like  his  professional 
standing  is  a  success,  and  leaves  nothing  to  be  desired.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Lawyers'  Club  of  New  York  City  and  of 
the  Crescent  and  Hamilton  Clubs  of  Brooklyn,  where,  in 
his  resident  city,  he  has  been  singularly  honored  in  election 
to  prominent  positions,  being  a  Director  of  the  Long  Island 
Historical  Society,  the  New  England  Society,  the  Creen- 
wood  Cemetery  Association,  the  Brooklyn  Free  Libraiy, 
the  Peoples'  Trust  Company,  the  Brooklyn  Philharmonic 
Society,  and  is  Vice  President  of  the  N.  Y.  Alumni  Associa- 
tion of  Brooklyn.  Though  taking  a  more  or  less  active 
interest  and  participation  in  politics,  Mr.  Ward  has  never 
sought  political  honors,  preferring  to  devote  his  entire  time 
to  his  more  lucrative  t)rofessional  career. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


A.  H.  LAIDLAW,  M.D. 

Alexander  Hamilton  Laidlaw,  A.  M.,  M.  IX,  one  of  the 
most  distinguished  physicians  in  New  York,  or  for  that 
matter  in  the  country,  was  born  near  Lanark,  Scotland,  on 
July  IT,  1828,  and  arrived  in  thiscountry  in  1833.  In  1841 
he  entered  the  Philadeli)hia  High  School  under  I3r.  Alexan- 
der Dallas  Bache,  and  graduated  from  that  institution  in 
1845.  When  Dr.  Bache  was  appointed  Superintendent  of 
the  Coast  Survey  of  the  United  States  (1842)  he  ajjpointed 
young  Laidlaw  one  of  the  night  meteorological  observers 
(on  the  (lirard  College  property)  in  connection  with  the  U. 
S.  Coast  vSurvey,  which  position  he  held  until  July,  1845.  In 
this  year  Mr.  Laidlaw  became  a  student  in  the  Philadelphia 
Academy  of  Fine  Arts,  and  he  worked  at  Bank  Note  and 
Historical  Engraving  under  Joseph  Ives  Pease  until  1849 
But,  during  all  this  period,  he  never  entirely  desisted  from 


nings  of  Massachusetts,  and  experimented  continuously 
with  it  until  1859.  During  1852  he  studied  practical  chem- 
istry under  Dr.  Alfred  L.  Kennedy,  of  Philadelphia  ;  and, 
during  the  same  year,  studied  the  application  of  electricity 
to  the  cure  of  diseases  under  Dr.  A.  Paige  of  Boston.  In  1854 
he  became  a  student  in  the  Philadelphia  ( Allo])athic)  Col- 
lege, Fifth  street  below  Walnut,  under  the  preceptorship  of 
Professor  (leorge  Hewston.  In  1857  he  became  a  student 
in  the  Homoeopathic  College  in  Filbert  street,  Philadelphia, 
having  Dr.  J.  G.  Howard  as  precej^tor.  In  1859  he  issued 
''An  .American  Pronouncing  Dictionary  of  the  English  Lan- 
guage," which  contained  many  original  features.  It  was 
published  by  Crissy  &:  Markley,  Philadeljjhia,  and.  as  a 
school  book,  met  with  prolonged  success.  ],ate  in  1856  he 
removed  to  New  York,  and  at  Washington  Heights  estab- 
lished the  first  private  hospital  for  the  cure  of  chronic 


A.  H.  LAIDLAW,  M.D. 


the  study  of  medicine  in  one  field  or  another.  In  tlie  Cen- 
tral High  School,  under  Dr.  Henry  McMurtrie,  he  had 
commenced  the  study  of  anatomy,  jjhysiology,  domestic 
medicine  and  minor  surgery,while  chemistry  and  physics  were 
pursued  under  the  direction  of  Prof.  James  C.  Booth.  In 
1846  he  commenced  the  study  of  hydrojjathy,  and,  after 
1848,  frequently  i)ractised  it  mostly  under  the  preceptor- 
ship  of  Dr.  C.  C.  Schiefferdecker.  In  1849  he  took  position 
as  Professor  of  Matliematics  m  the  New  l,ondon  Collegiate 
Academy,  Chester  County,  I'a.  In  1850  he  established  a 
select  academy  at  Port  Elizabeth,  Cumberland  County, 
New  Jersey.  In  185  i  he  was  elected  Princii)alof  tlie  High 
School,  Maiich  Chunk,  Pa.  In  1852  he  became  Principal 
of  the  Oakland,  and,  soon  afterwards,  of  the  Buttonwood 
Street  Cirammar  Schoolsin  the  city  of  i'hiiadelphia.  During 
1851  he  studied  hypnotism  under  the  tuition  of  Dr.  Jen- 


diseases,  in  which  i)atients  were  i)ermitted  to  have  consult- 
ations with  practitioners  of  all  schools  of  medicine.  This 
hos])ital  was  removed  to  the  St.  Cermain  Hotel,  and  again 
to  38th  street  near  Hroadway,  and,  in  1862,  to  Jersey  City 
Heights,  and,  in  1885  to  its  present  location,  at  137  West 
41st  street.  New  York.  Since  1859  Dr.  Laidlaw  has  always 
maintained  a  consulting  office  in  New  York.  He  was  the 
first  resident  practitioner  of  homccopathy  on  Jersey  City 
Heights,  New  Jersey.  Early  in  1863  he  mastered  the  whole 
scheme  of  galvanic  and  medicated  baths  as  practised  and 
taught  by  the  inventor.  Professor  Yergnes  of  New  York 
City.  While  residing  in  New  Jersey,  Dr.  Laidlaw  served 
several  years  as  Superintendent  of  I'ublic  Schools.  He  was 
also  instrumental  in  organizing  the  Hudson  County  Real 
Estate  .Association  for  the  |nir|)osc  of  advancing  the  i)ublic 
weal  and  the  re:il  estate  interests  of  that  county.     He  took 


NEW  YORK,   THE  METROPOLIS. 


93 


an  active  part  in  all  [iublic  nio\tMnents  tor  improving  the 
health  and  the  homes  of  the  people.  He  practised  there 
through  the  plagues  of  small-pox  in  1864,  the  Asiatic 
cholera  of  1866  and  the  typhoid  fever  of  1868,  treating 
many  cases  of  these  diseases  with  distinguished  success.  In 
1864  he  was  tendered  the  presidency  of  the  Girard  College, 
and  in  1868  he  was  elected  to  the  professorship  of  Materia 
Medica  in  the  Hahnemann  College  of  Chicago,  both  of 
which  were  reluctantly  declined.  During  the  year  1868  he 
was  elected  to  the  Professorship  of  Anatomy  in  the  New 
York  Homoeopathic  College,  which  serious  sickness  in  his 
family  C(jm])elled  him  to  relinquish.  During  the  winter  of 
1877-8,  while  attending  a  case  of  cancer,  by  an  accident,  he 
became  inoculated  with  the  same,  and  it  recjuired  more 
than  three  years  of  persistent  effort  to  ])urify  his  body  and 
blood  from  that  malignai\t  disease.  Dr.  Laidlaw  has  been 
an  earnest  and  persistent  student  of  homoeopathy,  alloijathy, 
electropathy,  eclecticism,  hydrotherapeutics,  meteorology, 
climatology,  hygiene,  hypnotism,  and  also  of  the  movement 
rest  and  hunger  cures  ;  and  it  is  this  peculiar  breadth  of 
study  and  preparation  extending  through  half  a  century 
which  enables  him  to  treat  all  non-surgical  chronic  diseases 
with  remarkable  success.  In  attempting  to  master  all  known 
methods  of  curing  disease,  he  has  frequently  purchased  the 
right  to  use  private  methods  of  treatment  in  special  diseases. 
Most  of  these  methods  proved  either  to  be  worthless  or  to 
be  no  better  than  those  of  the  popular  schools  of  practice  ; 
still,  quite  a  large  amount  of  valuable  information  was  gath- 
ered in  this  way,  which,  in  some  obscure  and  difficult  cases, 
contributed  to  unexpected  recovery.  Thus,  in  therapeutics, 
he  became  a  man  of  unlimited  resource,  and  it  is  to  be  regret- 
ted that  an  exceptionally  busy  life  has  rendered  it  impossible 
for  him  to  publish  his  original  and  accepted  methods.  In 
October,  1865,  the  Doctor  married  Miss  Anna  T.  Sites  of 
Philadelphia.  His  only  daughter,  Margaret  Hamilton 
Laidlaw,  died  in  1873.  His  elder  son,  Alexander  Hamilton 
Laidlaw,  Jr.,  is  a  partner  in  the  firm  of  George  H.  Dick- 
son's Sons&  Co.,  of  this  city,  and  George  Frederick  Laid- 
law, M.D.,  his  younger  son,  has  been  associated  with  his 
father  in  office  and  hospital  practice  since  1890. 


HENRY  C.  WEEKS. 

Henry  C.  Weeks,  the  builder,  was  born  in  this  city  far 
enough  back  in  its  history  to  recall  all  the  building 
operations  of  any  magnitude  and  to  mark  the  steady 
improvements  all  along  the  building  lines  which  have  been 
effected  from  time  to  time.  He  is  a  builder  by  heredity, 
and  from  the  time  he  started  in  business,  when  the  struc- 
tures raised  were  not  very  pretentious,  until  now,  Mr. 
Weeks  has  been  engaged  in  erecting  buildings  which  beau- 
tify the  city  and  in  extensive  operations  generally,  which  a 
quarter  of  a  century  ago  were  not  dreamed  of  as  possibilities. 
The  fifth  generation  of  the  Weeks  family  is  now  engaged 
in  the  mason's  trade  in  New  York.  Mr.  Weeks'  father, 
grandfather  and  great-grandfather  before  him  were  build- 
ing in  Hudson  and  other  parts  of  Columbia  County  in  their 
generations  and  the  family  was  well  known  in  that  section 
of  the  State  as  builders.  Hiland  B.  Weeks,  father  of  the 
subject  of  this  sketch,  came  to  this  city  in  1840,  and  was 
for  some  years  in  partnership  with  his  brother — De  Witt  C. 
Weeks — probably  the  only  mason  now  living  who  can  claim 
the  longest  city  record  in  that  trade.  In  those  early  times 
Twenty-third  street  was  considered  well  up-town,  and  H. 
B.  Weeks  built  the  first  houses  of  any  pretension  on  the 
south  side  between  Fifth  and  Sixth  avenues.  At  that  period 
the  Hippodrome  occupied  the  present  site  of  the  Fifth 
Avenue  Hotel,  and  our  subject  remembers  driving  the  family 
cow  to  pasture  on  the  vacant  triangle  where  Broadway  and 
Twenty-third  street  iniersect,  adjacent  to  the  present  site  of 
the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  Building,  where  he  has  had  his  office  for 


twelve  years  continuously,  while  putting  u])  some  of  the 
finest  structures  in  the  city  on  the  plans  of  architects  enjoy- 
ing more  than  local  fame.  This  spot  is  now  the  very  centre 
of  the  city,  as  well  as  of  the  building  trade.  Recently  hither 
have  come  to  locate  architects,  builders,  the  Exchange  and 
the  Building  Trades  Club,  and  the  vicinity  boasts  the  most 
elegant  and  grandest  architectural  edifices  in  the  State  of 
New  York.  Mr.  Weeks  is  a  member  of  the  Exchange  and 
the  Building  Trades  Club. 


EDWIN  A.  McALPIN. 

Colonel  Edwin  A.  McAlpin,  essentially  a  New  York  man 
of  affairs,  was  born  in  this  city  (June  9th,  1848),  as  was  his 
father  before  him,  Mr.  D.  H.  McAlpin,  the  well  known 
tobacco  manufacturer.  The  founder  of  the  family  in  New 
York,  Colonel  McAlpin's  grandfather,  came  herein  18 14  and 
ever  since  then  the  McAl|)ins  have  been  identified  with  the 
growth  and  jjrosperity  of  the  city  in  a  very  prominent  way. 
Colonel  Mc.Alpin,  himself,  is  a  man  of  tremendous  energy 
and  great  force  of  character,  successful  in  everything  he 
takes  in  hand  to  do,  except  when  on  occasions  he  attempts 
the  impossible  in  the  way  of  trying  to  elect  a  Republican 
President,  while  the  political  current  is  flowing  strongly  the 
other  way.    And  yet  Colonel  McAlpin's  management  as 


EDWIN  A.  Mc.\I.PIN. 


President  of  State  League  of  Republican  Clubs  was  such 
that  had  success  been  possible  he  would  have  achieved  it. 
He  is,  perhaps,  best  known  as  the  man  who,  while  in  com- 
mand of  the  Seventy  first  Regiment  N.  G.  S.  N.  Y.,  did  so 
much  towards  raising  its  standard  of  excellence.  He  joined 
this  regiment  in  November,  1869,  was  made  First  Lieutenant 
in  May,  1875,  Captain  in  August  of  the  same  year,  was 
promoted  to  Major  in  1881,  and  finally  to  Colonel,  com- 
manding a  post  he  resigned  on  June  30,  1887,  owing  to 
business  pressure,  much  to  the  regret  of  every  man  in  the 
regiment  who  appreciated  his  sterling  qualities,  his  high 
characterand  military  efficiency.  Colonel  AIcAlpin  isequallv 
well  known  in  the  commercial  world  as  member  of  the  firm 
of  D.  H.  McAljjin  &  Co.  He  is  ex-President  of  the  National 


94 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


League  of  Baseball  Clubs  of  the  United  States,  in  which 
body  he  takes  a  keen  interest,  as  he  does,  in  fact,  in  all 
manly  sports  and  athletic  games,  but  more  especially  in 
yachting.  He  is  also  President  of  the  Manhattan  Hotel 
Company  of  New  York  City,  President  of  the  Ossening 
Electrical  R.  R.  Company,  Director  of  the  Sixth  National 
Hank,  President  of  the  Hygeia  Distilled  Water  Company, 
President  of  the  Sing  Sing  Hospital  and  Free  Dispensary, 
Director  of  New  York  Hoard  of  Trade  and  Transportation, 
Director  of  the  Eleventh  Ward  Hank  of  New  York,  Direc- 
tor of  the  State  Trust  Company  of  New  York  City,  and 
['resident  of  the  McxAlpin  Tobacco  Conijjany  of  Toronto, 
("anada.  Among  the  social,  political  and  kindred  clubs  of 
which  he  is  a  member  are  the  Union  League,  New  \'ork 
Athletic,  New  Rochelle  Yacht  Club,  Sing  Sing  Yacht  Club, 
New  York  Republican  Club,  Seventh  Regiment  Veteran 
Club,  the  Business  Men's  Republican  Club,  and  has  been 
the  energetic  President  of  the  Republican  League  for  four 
years.  It  will  easily  be  inferred  from  the  foregoing  that 
Colonel  McAlpin  is  a  stanch  Republican  and  stands  high  m 
his  party's  estimation.  He  has  been  one  of  the  New  York 
members  of  the  Electoral  College  for  the  last  twelve  years, 
and  was  elected  Mayor  of  Sing  Sing  on  the  Republican 
ticket.  He  is  married  to  a  daughter  of  the  late  Dr.  H. 
Brandreth,  the  famous  ])atent  medicine  manufacturer,  and 
lives  with  his  hapjty  family  in  Sing  Sing. 


JOHN  BOGART. 

John  Bogart,  an  engineer  of  national  reputation,  was 
born  in  Albany,  N.  Y.,  on  the  8th  of  February,  1836.  He 
is  of  Dutch  ancestry  and  holds  ])archment  patent  for  lands 
purchased  from  the  Indians  in  Ulster  County  when 
Benjamin  Fletcher  was  Governor  of  the  Colony.  His  im- 
mediate ancestors  settled  in  1642.  He  was  educated  in  the 
Albany  Academy,  and  thence  was  transferred  to  Rutgers 
College,  whence  he  graduated  as  B.A.  in  1853.  The  degree 
of  M.A.  was  conferred  upon  him  sub.seipiently.  Leaving 
his  Alma  Mater,  he  became  civil  engineer,  not  from  choice, 
but  because  he  was  in  delicate  health,  and  it  was  thought 
the  outdoor  exercise  incidental  to  that  profession  would 
restore  it.  Displaying  ability  of  a  high  order,  lie  was 
emjiloyed  profess  onally  in  the  construction  of  new  lines 
for  the  New  \'ork  Central  Railroad,  in  the  work  of  enlarg- 
ing and  reconstructing  the  State  canals,  and  also  in  the 
original  construction  of  the  Central  Park.  Mr.  ]5ogait 
served  through  the  war  as  an  engineer.  He  constructed 
the  heavy  fortifications  on  the  Rip  Raps  in  Hampton  Roads 
and  was  present  at  the  historic  fight  between  the  Monitor 
and  the  Merrimac.  After  the  war  he  returned  to  civil 
engineering  and  met  with  brilliant  success.  He  was  chief 
engineer  of  Brooklyn's  beautiful  Prospect  Park  and  held 
the  same  position  in  ( onnection  with  the  Department  of 
Public  Parks  of  New  York  from  1872  to  1877.  He 
designed  the  park  at  Albany  and  was  connected  with 
the  Public  \Vorks  of  New  Orleans,  Nashville,  Chicago  and 
other  cities.  He  was  the  resident  engineer  in  charge  of  the 
construction  of  the  great  Washington  15ridge  over  the 
Harlem  River.  He  was  elected  State  engineer  in  1887, 
and  upon  the  resignation  of  General  Newton  in  the  fall  of 
1888  declined  an  offer  to  succeed  that  gentleman  as  Com- 
missioner of  Public  Works.  He  is  now  the  consulting 
engineer  of  the  Cataract  Construction  Company  develojiing 
the  water  power  of  the  Falls  of  Niagara,  a  work  whi<  h, 
both  in  its  own  uni)aralleled  magnitude  and  in  its  certain 
influence  upon  the  production  and  transmission  of  electric- 
power,  will  be  one  of  the  world's  wonders.  He  is  also  the 
consulting  engineer  of  the  Rapid  Transit  ('ommission  of 
New  York,  of  the  Commission  to  store  and  develop  the 
water  jiower  of  the  Genesee  River,  of  the  State  Board  of 
Health  of  New  York,  and  of  various  other  minor  works. 


His  ])aper  on  engineering  feats  published  in  Siiihners 
Mn^^azine  is  of  great  interest.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Century,  the  University,  the  St.  Nicholas,  the  Engineers' 
Clubs,  also  of  the  Holland  and  St-  Nicholas  Societies,  is 
major  and  engineer  of  the  Third  Brigade  of  the  National  » 
Guard,  and  has  been  for  years  an  active  ofticer  of  the 
.Vmerican  Society  of  Civil  Engineers 

F.  H.  BOYNTON,  M.D. 

•  Dr.  Frank  H.  lioynton  was  born  in  Ontario,  Wayne 
County,  N.  Y.,  on  July  20,  1850.  His  father,  Lorenzo  R. 
Boynton,  was  a  farmer.  The  village  school  of  his  native 
place  furnished  him  with  his  earlier  education.  He  sjient  a 
short  time  afterwards  in  Brockport  Normal  School  and  then 
entered  into  that  larger  field  of  study  comprised  in  a  medical 
education.  For  two  years  he  attended  the  lectures  at  the 
Homa'opathic  College,  commencing  in  October,  1872.  After 
his  graduation  he  became  resident  and  visiting  surgeon  to 
the  dispensary  attached  to  the  New  York  Honutopathic 
College.  This  ])()sition  he  retained  for  two  years,  grai.luating 
meanwhile  from  the  Ophthalmic  Hospital  College  in  the  class 
of  1875.  His  history  from  that  time  on  has  been  one  of 
continuous,  hard  but  successful  and  appreciated  work.  He 
was  appointed  clinical  assistant,  then  assistant  surgeon  and 
six  years  later  full  surgeon  to  the  Ophthalmic  Hospital.  One 
of  the  step])ing  stones  to  his  f  uture  was  that  of  lecturer  to  the 
Ophthalmic  College  Hospital.  In  1881  he  was  ajjpointed 
professor  in  the  same  college,  later  a  member  of  the  Board 
of  Senior  Surgeons,  then  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Governing 
Surgeons,  and  finally  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Directors. 
In  1878  Dr.  Boynton  was  appointed  Professor  of  Ophthal- 
mology and  Otology  in  the  New  York  Medical  ("ollege 
and  Hospital  for  Women,  and  in  1890  was  appointed  Pro 
fessor  of  ()pluhalmology  in  the  New  York  Homoeopathic 
College,  which  two  latter  ])ositions  he  holds  at  jjresent.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  different  Homoeoi)athic  Societies,  etc., 
the  American  Institute  of  Homoeopathy  and  the  County  ami 
State  Homoeopathic  Societies. 


THOMAS  E.  MURRAY. 

Thomas  E.  Murray,  Justice  of  the  Eleventh  Civil  Dis- 
trict Court,  is  the  youngest  man  on  the  bench  in  New  York 
City.  He  was  born  in  i860,  and  is  now,  therefore  ( 1892) 
only  thirty-two  years  old.  But  if  the  youngest  it  does  not 
follow  that  he  is  the  least,  for  to-day  there  is  no  one  on  the 
bench  in  New  \'ork  more  respected  for  his  ability  as  a  law- 
yer or  man  of  high  character,  generally,  than  Judge  Murray. 
He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  and  graduated  in 
1 880  from  the  Columbia  I.aw  School.  He  was,  however, 
too  young  for  admission  to  the  bar  and  had  to  wait  until  he 
had  attained  his  majority  in  the  year  following  before  he 
began  to  practise.  It  is  a  matter  of  i)ride  to  the  Judge  that 
though  so  young  he  left  the  Columbia  Law  School  with  high 
honors.  Soon  after  his  admission  to  the  bar  he  was 
appointed  clerk  in  the  \'orkville  Police  Court  and  resigned 
in  1887  when  elected  to  his  present  i)osition  as  Judge  of  the 
P^h  venth  District  Court.  In  ])artnership  with  Mr.  William 
.•\llen,  Judge  Murray  has  a  good  law  i^ractice  of  the  very 
best  kind  which  is  always  increasing.  The  Judge  has  a  very 
agreeable  personality.  He  is  of  medium  height,  with  dark 
hair  and  eyes,  can  tell  an  elegant  story  and  is  naturally 
witty.  Hence  he  is  a  popular  club  man.  He  is  also  an 
adherent  of  the  drama  and  seldom  misses  a  first  night.  This 
bent  of  his  genius  throws  him  into  association  with  authors, 
actors,  |)()ets,  dramatic  writers  anil  the  literati  generally.  It 
is  said  of  Judge  Murray,  in  fact,  that  were  he  not  so  good  a 
lawyer  he  would  be  ojjen  to  the  charge  of  having  missed  his 
vocation,  as  he  possesses  literary  talent  of  a  high  order.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  .\thletic  and  other  clubs,  social,  political 
and  benevolent. 


WILLARD  PARKHR. 
Born  September  2,  iSoo.    Died  April  2^,  1884. 


96 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


CHARLES  W.  MACKEY. 

Charles  W.  Mackey  was  born  in  Franklin  County,  Pa., 
on  November  19,  1842.  Within  the  thirty  years  of  his 
manhood  he  has  been  famous  for  many  successful  achieve- 
ments in  various  fields  of  endeavor.  He  is  a  si)eaker  of 
mucti  force  and  eloquence,  a  writer  of  acknowledged 
ability,  a  soldier  who  fought  for  the  Union,  and  a  success- 
ful lawyer.  Mr.  Mackey  is  of  Scotch-Irish  descent,  with  a 
fine  dash  of  conservative  Teutonic  blood.  Mackey  is  an 
old  Scottish  clan,  and  was  well  known  in  the  time  of  Robert 
the  Bruce  as  helping  to  make  Scottish  history.  Mr.  Mac- 
key's  great-uncle,  John,  settled  in  Chester  County,  Fenn.,  in 
1765,  and  was  delegate  to  the  convention  that  framed  tlie 
first  constitution  of  Pennsylvania.  His  father  was  born  in 
Port  Deposit,  Cecil  County,  Md.,  .\pril  21,  1791,  and,  with 
his  brothers,  William  and  Thomas,  served   against  the 


with  which  he  served  as  First  Lieutenant  imtil  July,  1863, 
when  he  was  honorably  discharged.  He  served  on  the  staff 
of  (ieneral  McCall,  at  another  time  on  the  staff  of  (ieneral 
E.  O.  C.  Ord,  and  was  engaged  in  all  the  battles  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac  with  his  command,  excepting  two. 
He  fought  in  the  bloody  and  decisive  battle  of  Gettysburg. 
After  leaving  the  army  Secretary  Chase  apjjointed  him 
S])ecial  U.  S.  Treasury  Agent  for  the  District  of  Eastern 
Virginia  and  North  Carolina  ;  but  this  position  he  resigned 
in  August,  1865,  and  resumed  his  legal  studies.  He  was 
called  to  the  bar  the  same  month,  and  on  December 
5,  1875,  admitted  to  membership  in  the  Sujjreme  Court  of 
the  United  States.  He  was  not  long  engaged  in  the  active 
practice  of  this  profession  when  he  became  one  of  its 
leaders,  and  took  part  in  many  of  the  most  im])ortant  cases 
tried  in  the  State  of  Pennsylvania.  Having  achieved  success 


CHARLES  \V.  M.\CKEV. 


British  in  the  war  of  1812-14.  H'^  father  before  him  (Mr. 
Mackey's  grandfather)  served  in  the  Continental  army 
during  the  war  of  the  Revolution,  and  as  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  served  in  the  Union  army  during  the  war  of  the 
Rebellion.  Through  his  grandmother,  Kaziah  Rebecca 
Muri)hy,  of  Tyrone,  Ireland,  he  inherits  his  strain  of  bright 
Irish  blood,  and  through  his  mother,  Julia  Ann  F'agundus, 
he  is  descended  from  good  Cerman  stock.  The  Fagundas 
family,  originally  from  Frankfort-on-the-Main,  settled  in 
i'ennsylvania  in  1732.  Mr.  Mackey  learned  how  to  print 
w  hen  a  mere  boy,  ])ublished  a  newspajjcr  while  still  in  his 
teens,  and  at  the  age  of  eighteen  entered  the  office  of  his 
brother-in-law,  the  Hon.  Charles  K.  Taylor,  to  study  law. 
On  the  outbreak  of  the  war  ( 1 S61 )  he,  with  other  young 
men,  organized  the  "Venango  (irays,"  afterward  Company 
C,  of  the  Tenth  Pennsylvania  Reserve  \'olunteer  Corps, 


as  a  lawyer,  Mr.  Mackey  ne.xt  sought  and  won  wealth  and 
distinction  as  an  organizer  of  stock  comjjanies  and  tinancial 
enterprises  covering  manufactures  and  railroads.  As  .Attor- 
ney for  the  Alleghany  Valley  Railroad  of  Pennsylvania  he 
was  thrown  a  good  deal  in  contact  with  capitalists,  and 
gradually  became  a  great  projector  and  organizer  himself. 
He  was  one  of  the  organizers.  President  or  Vice-President, 
of  the  Olean,  l^radford  and  Warren  Railroad  ;  the  Pitts- 
burg, Bradford  and  Buffalo  Railroad  ;  the  Cincinnati  and 
South  Eastern  Railroad,  the  Pittsburg  and  Western  Rail- 
road, the  Norfolk  and  Virginia  Beach  Railroad.  He  organ- 
ized and  was  a  director  and  large  stockholder  in  the 
.•\meri(  an  Oxide  Co.,  of  F  ranklin,  Penn.,  and  is  Vice- 
President  of  the  Shenango  Coal  and  Mining  Co.,  Vice- 
President  of  the  Sterling  Steel  Co.  of  Pittsburg,  and 
\'ice-Presidcnt   of  the  Anglo-American  Oxide  Co.  He 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


97 


organized  and  was  President  of  the  Columbia  Gas  Light 
and  Fuel  Co.,  which  conducted  natural  gas  from  Pennsyl- 
vania to  Youngstown,  O.  He  organized  the  Franklin 
Natural  Gas  Co.,  of  which  he  was  elected  President  He 
also  organized  and  was  elected  President  of  the  American 
Axe  and  Tool  Co.,  which  has  thirteen  factories  in  the 
United  States  and  sells  its  wares  in  every  market  in  the 
civilized  world.  He  is  Vice-President  of  the  Sterling 
Steel  Co.,  which  manufactures  the  higher  grades  of  steel, 
and  leads  the  world  in  the  manufacture  of  armor-piercing 
projectiles,  for  which  they  at  present  carry  heavy  contracts 
from  the  United  States  and  many  foreign  governments. 
Mr.  Mackey  likewise  organized  the  National  Saw  Co., 
the  National  Lead  Trust,  and  the  Columbia  Spring  Co. 
Mr.  Mackey  is  a  strong  and  consistent  Republican.  As  a 
national  stump  speaker  of  the  first-class  he  is  in  demand. 
He  was  Congressional  candidate  for  the  Twenty-seventh 
District  of  Pennsylvania  in  1884  and  again  in  1886,  but 
was  defeated  by  an  inexhaustible  corruption  fund.  While 
Mr.  Mackey's  business  relations  ret]uire  his  residence  in 
New  York  City,  he  still  continues  his  connection  with  the 
law  firm  of  Mackey,  Forbes  &  Hughes,  of  Franklin,  Penn., 
of  which  city  he  has  been  Mayor,  City  Solicitor  for  three 
terms,  and  a  member  of  the  City  Council  for  several  years. 
He  is  a  Past  Commander  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the 
Republic,  Past  Commander  of  Knights  Kemplar,  and  has 
held  high  positions  in  the  Masonic  order.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Military  Order  of  the  Loyal  I  egion.  May  20, 
1872,  he  was  appointed  a  Captain  in  the  National  Guard  of 
Pennsylvania  by  Governor  Hartranft,  which  commission  he 
resigned  in  1873  by  reason  of  business  engagements.  He 
has  visited  Europe  four  times,  and  has  travelled  widely 
on  the  Continent.  He  married  Lauretta  Barnes  Fay,  of 
Columbus,  O.,  who  is  a  daughter  of  Cyrus  Paige  Fay,  a 
scion  of  an  old  American  family  of  Revolutionary  fame. 
He  has  six  children. 


HENRY  W.  CROUSE. 

Two  years  ago  the  pearl  button  industry  scarcely  existed 
in  this  country  save  in  name.  In  the  whole  of  the  United 
States  there  were  but  eleven  factories  and  these  employed 
very  few  hands,  while  their  aggregated  capital  was  less  than 
$50,000.  To-day  this  industry  is  one  of  the  most  important 
in  the  country.  One  of  the  factories  which  have  sprung 
into  existence  since  the  passage  of  the  McKinley  Bill  in 
1890  is  controlled  by  the  Standard  Pearl  Button  Company, 
Limited, of  Detroit.  Michigan.  This  establishment  employs 
600  hands,  has  a  capital  of  $600,000,  and  an  output  of  5,000 
gross  per  day.  Mr.  Henry  W.  Grouse  is  its  chief  promoter, 
with  his  headcpiarters  in  New  York,  which  city  is  the  dis- 
tributing point  of  the  factory.  Under  his  skilful  manage- 
ment the  number  of  employes  in  the  factory  has  been 
doubled  and  the  output  correspondingly  increased. 

Mr.  Grouse  was  born  in  Reading,  Penn.,  May  21,  1851. 
He  was  educated  in  the  high  school  of  that  city,  graduating 
second  in  his  class.  He  then  comjileted  the  classical  course 
in  Dickinson  College,  Carlisle,  Penn.,  but,  contrary  to  the 
expectations  of  his  friends,  decided  to  engage  in  a  mercan- 
tile life.  After  leaving  the  college  Mr.  Grouse  made  the 
tour  of  the  world,  including  Europe,  Egypt,  Palestine,  In- 
dia, China  and  Japan.  Upon  his  return,  in  1872,  he 
entered  the  house  of  John  Thornton  &:  Co.,  the  largest  im- 
porters of  pearl  buttons  in  New  York  and  Philadelphia.  He 
was  most  successful  as  a  salesman,  mastered  all  the  details 
of  the  business,  and  on  a  number  of  occasions  was  sent  to 
Europe  to  purchase  goods.  For  four  years  he  had  charge 
of  a  pearl  button  factory,  which  the  firm  started  as  an  ex- 
periment. By  reason  of  the  low  tariff,  the  factory  was 
abandoned  and  the  firm  reverted  to  importing.  Neverthe- 
less, Mr.  Grouse  felt  that  under  a  dift'erent  tariff  the  indus- 


try must  succeed,  and  acccjrdingly,  in  the  fall  of  1891,  when 
the  firm  of  John  Thornton  &  Co.  was  dissolved,  Mr.  Grouse 
went  to  Detroit  to  investigate  a  pearl  button  concern  which 
existed  in  that  city.  He  became  interested  in  the  concern, 
placed  his  own  capital  in  it,  persuading  his  friends  to  do  the 
same,  and,  with  his  practical  knowledge  of  the  industry, 
made  it  the  leading  factory  of  its  kind  in  the  United  States, 
under  the  name  above  given.  From  that  time  instead  of  a 
few  hands  the  company  has  employed  hundreds  and,  ac- 
cording to  the  highest  authorities,  has  produced  the  best 
])earl  buttons  in  the  country.  They  are  much  superior  to 
foreign  goods  and  find  a  market  in  every  State  in  the  Union. 
If  the  tariff  be  not  tampered  with  the  factory  has  the  ])ros- 


HENRY  W.  (  ROUSE. 


pect  of  assuming  magnificent  proportions,  but  in  tlie  event 
of  a  change,  Mr.  Grouse  believes  the  most  advantageous 
plan  would  be  to  transfer  the  factory  to  the  other  side  of 
the  Atlantic.  Mr.  Grouse  was  married  in  1872  to  the 
daughter  of  John  Thornton.  She  is  since  deceased.  In 
January,  1891,  he  was  married  to  a  niece  of  Hon.  Samuel 
Booth,  one  of  Brooklyn's  most  respected  citizens,  who  was 
mayor  of  the  city  for  two  terms  and  effected  many  reforms. 
Mr.Crouse  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Church.  He  is  every- 
where respected  as  a  man  of  integrity  and  force  of  charac- 
ter, and  as  such  we  belie\  e  he  will  win  success  upon  suc- 
cess in  his  future  career. 


>OHN  W.  VROOMAN. 

The  Hon.  John  W.  Vrooman,  the  prominent  Republican 
and  man  of  affairs,  like  so  many  men  who  have  become 
famous  and  successful,  was  raised  on  a  farm,  and  in  order  to 
acquire  the  education  that  was  to  equip  him  for  the  battle  of 
life,  had  to  surmount  extraordinary  difficulties.  Neverthe- 
less the  Vroomans  are  among  the  best  families  of  the  State, 
and  though  his  father  was  too  poor  to  send  him  to  college 
he  could  boast  of  good  descent.  John  W.  was  born  in  the 
town  of  German  Flats,  Herkimer  County,  N.  Y.,  on  March 
28,  1844.  The  Vroomans  came  over  with  the  first  Dutch 
settlers  from  Holland,  and  settling  in  the  fiercely  contested 


98 


A' £11'  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


Mohawk  Valley,  furnished  their  share  of  achievements  to  its 
bloodstained  annals.  At  the  burning  of  Schenectady,  on 
February  9,  1690,  by  the  Indians,  the  records  show  that 
Bartholemus  Vrooman  was  "  kild  and  burnt,  and  Barent  ye 
Sonne  of  Adam  Vrooman  was  taken  prisoner  and  carried  to 
Canada."  John  W.  Vrooman  traces  his  pedigree  back  to 
Count  Egmont,  the  famous  Flemish  General,  whose  execu- 
tion by  the  Spaniards  in  1568  led  up  to  the  revolt  that 
annihilated  Spanish  power  in  the  Netherlands.  His  (Vroo- 
man's)  grandmother  was  a  Casler,  and  closely  related  to  the 
brave  General  Herkimer  and  other  leading  families  of  the 
Mohawk  Valley.  What  early  education  he  obtained  was 
snatched  from  adverse  circumstances  in  the  intervals  of  farm 
labor,  but  the  indomitable  spirit  of  the  lad  triumphed  over 
all  difficuhies,  and  we  find  h  m  teaching  as  well  as  studying 
in  the  district  schools,  in  order  to  arrive  at  the  means  for  a 
higher  education.  At  the  age  of  eighteen  he  entered  Judge 
Ezra  Graves'  office,  in  Herkimer,  as  law  student,  teaching 
school  meanwhile,  but  when  the  war  broke  out  (he  was  then 
nineteeri)  he  joined  the  volunteer  Navy  of  the  United  States, 


and  he  with  it  he  ran  15,000  votes  ahead  of  his  ticket.  He 
was  Presidential  Elector  on  the  Republican  ticket  in  1892. 
In  a  pecuniary  sense,  the  Democratic  flood  tide  which 
temporarily  swamped  the  Republican  jjarty  was  a  benefit  to 
Mr.  Vrooman,  for  it  gave  him  more  time  to  dedicate  10  his 
private  affairs.  Before  this,  however,  he  was  elected  Treas- 
urer of  the  Mutual  Reserve  Fund  Life  Association  of  New 
Vork,'and  (Chairman  of  its  Executive  Committee  (1890). 
This  important  position  was  entirely  un  ought  by  him  and 
was  a  tribute  to  his  ability  and  integrity  which  he  accepted. 
Although  Mr.  Vrooman  lives  in  Herkimer  County,  his  busi- 
ness and  social  relations  are  all  in  New  Vork  City,  where  he 
is  well  known  and  highly  respected.  He  is  a  Trustee  of  the 
Holland  Society,  and  of  the  New  York  State  Volunteer  Fire- 
men's Home,  a  member  of  the  Republican  Club,  the  Lotos 
Club,  the  Farragut  Naval  Veteran  Association,  the  Aaron 
Helmer  Post,  G.  A.  R.,  of  Herkimer,  and  honorary  member 
of  the  Brooklyn  Montauk  Club.  He  is  an  earnest  member 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  takes  much  interest 
in  Sunday-school  and  V.  M.  C.  A.  matters.     He  is  also  a 


JOHN  \V.  VROOM.AN. 


and  served  on  board  the  "  Vanderbili  "  until  1864,  when 
that  steamer  joined  the  Norih  Atlantic  blockading  squadron 
and  he  as  one  of  her  crew  took  part  in  the  two  battles  of 
Fort  Fisher.  After  the  war  he  was  honorably  discharged, 
and  resuming  his  law  studies,  was  called  to  the  bar  (in  1866) 
and  began  taking  an  active  i)art  in  Re])ul)lican  politics.  In 
November,  1S67,  he  marriecl  Anna  Ford,  of  .Mohawk,  and  in 
the  year  following  was  apj)ointed  Chief  Clerk  to  the  Surro- 
gate of  Herkimer  County,  a  position  he'hekl  for  ten  years, 
until  (1876)  he  was  appointed  Deputy  Clerk  of  the  Assembly. 
In  1877  he  was  Chairman  of  the  Herkimer  County  delega- 
tion to  the  Rochester  Convention,  and  was  elected  member 
of  the  Rei)ublican  State  Committee,  and  in  1878  was  elected 
Clerk  to  the  Senate,  which  post  he  occujjied  with  honor 
until  1878,  having  been  re-elected  five  consecutive  terms. 
He  declined  to  stand  as  candidate  for  the  sixth  term,  where- 
ui)on  the  State  Senate  presented  him  with  a  set  of  resolutions 
of  which  any  American  citizen  might  be  proud.  In  Sep- 
tember, i89i,he  was  nominated  for  Lieutenant  Govemorof 
the  State  of  New  York,  and  althoughhis  |)arty  was  defeated 


Mason  of  high  standing  and  Member  of  the  Iroquois  Chajjler, 
No.  236.  Royal  Arch  Masons,  at  Ilion,  N.  Y.,  of  the  Utica 
Commandery,  No.  3,  Knights  Templar,  in  Utica. 

WARNER   VAN  NORDEN. 

Mr.  Warner  \'an  Norden,  President  of  the  Bank  of 
North  America,  with  a  national  reputation  as  a  financier, 
was  born  in  this  city  on  July  2.  1841.  In  his  veins  flows  the 
blood  of  the  oldest  Dutch  and  Huguenot  families  in  the 
State.  His  ancestors  on  both  sides  of  the  house  came  over 
when  this  country  was  young.  The  names  of  their  descend- 
ants since  then  are  written  on  almost  every  i)age  of  New 
York's  early  history,  while  in  later  times  they  have  taken 
liroinment  positions  in  both  its  social  and  commercial  life. 

On  the  Huguenot  or  maternal  side  Mr.  Van  Norden 
conies  from  .Abraham  de  la  Noy  and  Jean  Monsiner  de  la 
Montagnie,  French  noblemen,  who.  as  their  names  indicate, 
held  social  rank  in  their  native  country  ere  Louis  XIV. 
revoked  the  Edict  of  Nantes,  which  sent  the  cream  of 
his  subjects  to  find  the  religious  toleration  abroad  denied 


NEIV  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


99 


them  at  home.  Montagnie  served  under  Stuyvesant  as 
Governor  of  Fort  Orange  (Albany)  and  at  once  became 
prominent  in  the  affairs  of  New  Amsterdam.  The  Van 
Nordens  reached  this  country  in  1640,  and  settled  in  Petrus 
Stuyvesant's  City.  One  of  the  most  celebrated  progenitors 
of  Mr.  Van  Norden,  through  his  mother,  was,  however,  the 
Rev.Dr.  Everardus  Bogardus,who  began  to  preach  in  16^3  in  a 
church  within  the  fort,  near  where  the  Battery  is  now  situated. 
He  is  often  referred  to  in  the  history  of  New  Amsterdam, 
and  represented  as  a  man  of  unyielding  principles  and 
remarkable  abilities.  He  was  the  first  Dutch  ''Dominie" 
and  Presbyterian  minister  of  New  Amsterdam.  And  here 
it  may  be  stated,  incidentally,  that  Mr.  Van  Norden,  his 
descendant,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  is  also  an  active  Pres- 
byterian, and  was  for  many  years  President  of  the  Presby- 
terian Union  of  New  York  City.  As  descendant  of  this  Dr. 
Bogardus  he  is  one  of  the  Aneke  Jans  heirs,  who  have  been 
for  years  engaged  in  the  famous  suit  for  the  ownership  of 
the  vast  Trinity  Church  property,  and  it  is  also  as  his 
descendant,  as  well  of  the  Van  Nordens,  that  he  is  related 
by  blood  or  marriage  to  such  prominent  Knickerbocker 
families  as  the  Van  Nests,  the  Roomes,  Kips,  Kiersteds, 
Waldrons  and  Vermilyes.  He  is  great-grandson  of  Adriance 
Hoghland,  who  in  his  time  owned  all  the  land  now  occupied 
by  Riverside  Park,  long  known  as  the  De  Kay  Farm. 

Mr.  Van  Norden,  while  a  mere  youth,  was  placed  in 
charge  of  the  New  Orleans  branch  of  a  New  York  com- 
mercial house,  and  soon  after  went  into  business  on  his  own 
account.  He  was  a  very  steady  young  man,  a  Christian  in 
the  most  practical  sense,  used  neither  liquor  nor  tobacco, 
was  possessed  of  great  force  of  character  and  executive 
ability,  and  he  succeeded  from  the  start.  He  was  elected 
president  of  a  bank  in  the  Crescent  City,  and  inducements 
were  held  out  for  him  to  remain,  but  seeing  in  the  Metropolis 
wider  scope  for  his  talents  he  returned  hither  in  1876  and 
engaged  in  private  banking,  railroading  and  other  financial 
enterprises.  In  January,  1891,  he  was  elected  President  of 
thfe  Bank  of  North  America,  one  of  the  most  solid  institu- 
tions in  the  city  and  country.  He  is  besides  connected  in  a 
prominent  way  with  many  other  monetary  concerns,  is 
director  of  the  Home  Insurance  Company,  the  Holland 
Trust  Company,  the  American  Savings  Bank,  a  Wisconsin 
banking  house,  the  Mobile  and  Ohio  Railroad  Company, 
President  of  the  South  Yuba  Water  Company,  is  member  of 
the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  Vice-President  of  the  Holland 
Society  and  member  of  the  Metropolitan  and  Lawyers*  Clubs. 
As  already  stated,  Mr.  Van  Norden  is  a  practical  Chris- 
tian who  takes  a  keen  and  active  interest  in  religious  work. 
He  is  a  trustee  both  of  his  Presbytery  and  Synod,  and  one  of 
the  foremost  of  ruling  elders.  He  has  frequently  served  in 
the  Judicatories  and  is  member  of  the  Committee  on  Church 
Extension.  He  is  likewise  a  member  of  the  Board  of  For- 
eign Missions,  a  Director  of  the  American  Tract  Society, 
of  the  Association  for  Improving  the  Condition  of  the  Poor, 
and  Trustee  of  Elmira  College. 

Personally,  Mr.  Van  Norden  is  a  man  of  splendid  phy- 
sique and  fine  constitution.  He  is  a  great  traveller,  a  lover 
of  art  and  literature,  and,  as  may  be  seen  by  his  home,  which 
is  adorned  with  paintings,  sculptures  and  contains  a  hand- 
some library,  is  a  man  of  cultivated  tastes.  Socially,  he  and 
his  family  move  in  the  very  highest  circles. 


ALFRED  TAYLOR. 

Among  the  successful  lawyers  of  this  city  is  Alfred 
Taylor,  A.M.,  LL.B.  He  was  born  in  Marlton,  N.  J.,  on 
September  1 1,  1848.  and  is  descended  from  English  ancestors 
of  the  early  Colonial  tim.es,  belonging  to  the  denomination 
of  the  Society  of  Friends,  or  Quakers.  His  father,  Samuel 
Taylor,  was  in  his  day  one  of  the  most  distinguished  citi/ens 
of  New  Jersey,  and  served  three  terms  as  a  member  of  the 


State  Legislature.  He  was  a  strong  Repul)lican  in  i)olitics. 
Alfred  Taylor,  after  a  training  in  common  schools,  at  an 
early  age,  entered  Bucknell  University,  located  at  Lewisl)urg, 
Pa.  Hard  ap|)lication  kept  him  in  the  front  rank.  In  the 
literary  societies,  as  a  graceful,  convincing  speaker,  a  strong, 
ready  debater,  a  keen,  pleasant  wit,  merciless  in  onslaught, 
yet  generous  and  kind  withal,  he  showed  those  qualities 
which  have  wrought  for  him  the  great  success  of  his  after 
life.  He  graduated  with  high  honors,  is  a  member  of  the 
Alumni  Association  and  was  two  years  its  President.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  University,  and 
frequently  orator  before  the  Alumni  at  their  commencement 
exercises  and  annual  reunions.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Sigma  Chi  fraternity,  and  at  the  Biennial  Convention  of  all 
the  colleges  at  Washington,  in  1890,  he  was  elected  its  Vice- 
Grand  Consul.  After  leaving  the  University  (1866),  he  was 
principal  of  the  public  school  in  his  native  village,  studying 
law  meanwhile,  and  in  187 1  graduated  from  the  Law  Depart- 
ment of  Columbia  College,  NewYork,with  the  degree  of  LL.B. 


ALFRED  TAVLOR. 


Admitted  to  the  bar  the  same  year,  Mr.  Taylor  at  once 
entered  on  the  practice  of  his  profession,  and  by  sheer  force 
of  ability  pushed  his  way  upward.  In  1878  he  was  appointed 
counsel  to  the  Bank  Superintendent  in  this  city,  and  in  1880 
formed  a  copartnership  with  Mr.  Frederick  S.  Parker,  and 
the  firm  under  the  name  of  Taylor  &:  Parker,  with  offices  at 
Broad  and  Wall  Streets,  do  a  large  and  ever  increasing  busi- 
ness, having  among  their  clients  many  banks  and  great 
corporations,  as  well  as  private  individuals,  not  only  in  New 
York,  but  in  various  parts  of  the  country.  He  has  been 
engaged  in  many  important  cases,  not  only  in  the  highest 
courts  of  this  State,  but  also  in  the  Supreme  Court  of  the 
United  States,  to  which  he  was  admitted  topracticein  1883, 
and  in  the  Courts  of  New  Jersey,  Massachusetts,  Connecticut 
and  Pennsylvania.  He  is  well  known  as  an  organizer  of 
successful  financial  enterprises,  and  in  fact,  though  admittedly 
an  able  lawyer,  he  is  a  capable  business  man  as  well,  as  is 
fully  illustrated  by  his  career.    He  is  also  a  polished  orator, 


JVEll^   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


is  a  |)roininent  Mason,  and  lo\  cs  to  trav  el  for  relaxation  from 
arduous  labors.  He  has  been  in  nearly  every  State  of  the 
Union,  and  sojourned  in  Europe,  British  America  and 
Alaska.  Mr.  Taylor  is  a  memLer  of  the  Lotos  Club,  Union 
League  Club,  one  of  the  General  Committee  of  the  Baptist 
Congress,  and  many  other  social  and  political  organizations. 
A  thorough  student  of  the  law,  a  graceful  s])eaker,  clear  in 
analysis,  forceful  in  argument,  he  has  won  high  position  at 
the  bar. 

THEODORE  P.  HOWELL. 

Among  wiiat  may  be  termed  the  great  firms  of  New 
V'ork  is  that  of  T.  P.  Howell  &  Co.,  the  wholesale  leather 
dealers,  the  largest  firm  of  that  character  in  the  United 
States,  ])erhaps  in  the  world. 

Theodore  Pike  Howell,  the  founder  of  the  house,  was 
l)orn  at  Luccasunna  Plains,  Morris  County,  N.  J.,  January 
6,  1819.  His  father  was  Jacob  Drake  Howell,  of  the 
LTnited  States  Army,  who  died  in  1826.  The  Howells,  as 
indicated  by  the  name,  come  from  Welsh  ancestry.  The 
originator  of  the  name  was  Ynyr  Aj)  Howell,  a  prince  or 
chief  of  that  j^rincipality,  who  flourished  in  the  tvv'elfth 
century,  and  is  mentioned  in  Welsh  annals  of  the  time 
(A.  1).  1 150)  as  Ynyr  O'lal,  from  his  possessions  in  the 


T.  p.  I  :<  i\\  1:1.1.. 

territory  of  Vale.  The  first  of  the  family  to  settle  in  this 
country  was  Kclward  Howell,  who  owned  500  acres  of  land 
in  Lyme,  Conn.,  in  1609,  but  removed  subsecpiently  to  I ,ong 
Island,  and  sellied  on  the  "Connecticut  Farms."  Mr. 
Howell,  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  educated  in  the  i)rivate 
academy  of  the  Rev.  Stephen  R.  Grover,  of  Caldwell,  N.  J., 
and  after  completing  his  education  entered  the  em|)Ioy  of 
Smith  iV  Wright,  harnessmakcr.s,  of  Newark,  N.  J.,  and 
afterwards  the  establishment  of  his  uncle,  S.  M.  Howell, 
where  he  mastered  the  details  of  tanning  and  currying. 
His  uncle  took  him  into  jjartnership  in  1840,  and  the  firm 
was  known  under  the  style  of  S.  M.  iV  T.  P.  Howell.  In 
1846  their  i)reniises  were  destroyed  by  fire,  and  immediately 
after  they  erected  extensive  buildings  on  five  acres  of  land 


they  had  purchased  outside  the  city.  Soon  after  Mr.  S.  M. 
Howell  died,  and  T.  W.  Dawson  was  received  into  the  firm, 
which  in  1855  was  organized  as  a  stock  company,  with  T. 
P.  Howell  as  President.  Henceforth  the  trade  of  the  firm 
grew  to  such  an  extent  that  they  were  compelled  to  erect 
their  present  immense  works  in  Middletown,  N.  Y.  Origin- 
ally a  Whig,  Mr.  Howell  joined  the  Rei)ublicans  when  that 
party  was  called  into  existence.  He  ran  as  the  first  Repub- 
lican candidate  for  Mayor  of  Newark  in  1856,  but  with  his 
party  suffered  defeat.  Mr.  Howell  was  physically  a  man 
of  splendid  presence,  and  morally  of  high  character.  Henry 
Clay  Howell,  his  eldest  son,  and  present  head  of  the  firm, 
was  born  in  Newark  on  October  10,  1845.  He  was  edu- 
cated in  the  Newark  and  Bloomfield  academies,  and  entered 
his  father's  employ  in  i86i.  In  1865  he  was  admitted  to 
partnership,  and  assumed  charge  of  the  New  York  sales 
department.  When  the  elder  Mr.  Howell  died,  in  1878, 
Henry  Clay  Howell,  with  his  brother  Samuel  C,  took 
charge,  and  established  agencies  in  every  important  indus- 
trial centre  in  the  world.  Samuel  C.  Howell  has  charge  of 
the  manufacturing  department,  and  spares  no  pains  to 
uphold  the  standard  of  the  house,  and  to  improve  ui)on  it 
when  i)ossible  by  the  employment  of  the  most  skilful 
hands  and  the  introduction  of  the  most  improved  machinery 
money  can  buy. 


NORMAN  L.  MUNRO. 

With  the  New  York  Ledger  and  New  York  Weekly 
enjoying  a  ]jrosperous  existence  as  serial  story  papers  and 
an  immense  circulation  the  man  was  rash  who  would  enter 
the  lists  to  compete  with  them  for  public  favor,  even  were 
he  a  millionaire  capable  of  advertising  as  extensively  as  he 
jileased  and  paying  the  highest  i)rices  in  the  market  to  the 
l)est  authors.  What,  then,  shall  we  say  of  a  ])oor  man,  a 
young  man,  without  friends  or  backers,  entering  the  lists  ? 
.\nd  yet  there  was  such  an  audacious  individual  and  h-s 
name  is  Norman  L.  Munro,  and  what  is  more  he  succeeded 
and  his  Family  Story  -Taper  and  other  ])ublications  are  now 
known  all  over  the  civilized  world.  Surely  such  a  man  as 
that  deserves  space  in  this  history  of  celebrities.  Norman 
I,.  Munro  was  born  in  1843,  in  the  small  town  of  Millbiook, 
Pictou  C'ounty,  Nova  Scotia.  Like  many  others  wl;o  have 
achieved  fame  and  fortune  in  New  York  he  comes  of  sturdy 
farmer's  stock.  Arrived  in  this  city  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
live  he  possessed  little  besides  a  sjjlendid  constitution, 
indomitable  energy,  a  good  character  and  untiring  ])erseve- 
rance.  But  these  were  enough.  His  first  em|)loyment  was 
obtained  in  a  publishing  house  in  a  very  subor- 
dinate capacity,  but  he  ke))t  his  bright  brains 
working  and  his  eyes  open  and  learned  the  details 
of  the  business  thoroughly.  He  saw  his  employer 
growing  rich  day  by  day,  and  resolving  that  he  too  should 
be  a  publi.sher  he  saved  what  he  could  from  a  small  salary 
as  the  cai)ital  to  begin  business  on.  Keeping  his  ultimate 
object  in  view,  but  saying  nothing  about  it  to  even  his 
friends,  lest  they  might  laugh  at  him,  he  worked  unceasingly, 
storing  his  mind  with  the  practical  details  of  every  dejjart- 
ment  for  future  use.  By  rigid  economy  and  the  strictest 
self  denial  he  saved  a  sum  of  money  which  a|)])eared  in  his 
eyes,  at  tlie  time,  a  sufficient  capital  to  start  on,  but  which 
to-day  would  probably  not  ])ay  the  cost  of  the  postage  stamps 
he  uses  for  a  single  mail.  .\t  length  the  time  came  when  he 
informed  his  emjjloyer  he  could  serve  him  no  longer,  as 
he  was  about  to  start  out  on  his  "own  hook"  in  the  ])ub- 
lishing  business.  And  so  Norman  L,  Munro  went  out 
of  his  employer's  office,  walked  downtown  to  the  dingy, 
narrow,  cramped  building.  No.  169  \\'illiam  Street,  and 
there  launched  the  /uvnily  Story  Paper.  But  the  dingy 
building  was  not  the  worst  of  it.  The  times  were  out  of 
joint.     It  was  in  September,  1873,  when  Wall  Street  was  in 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROrOLIS. 


lOl 


a  panic  and  the  Stock  Exchange  a  howling  bedlam,  when 
men  got  up  in  the  morning  millionaires  and  went  to  bed  the 
same  night  paupers.  It  was  on  the  very  day  when  the  crisis 
reached  its  climax  that  the  first  number  of  the  New  York 
Family  Story  Paper  was  given  to  the  public.  The  big  and 
prosperous  weeklies  already  in  existence  either  sneered  at 
the  venture  or  treated  it  with  silent  contempt,  one  of  them 
terming  it  "  an  insignificant  rural  sheet."  But  Mr.  Munro 
was  not  troubled  about  this.  He  sent  out  his  paper  on  its 
merit,  and  the  people,  who  are  the  supreme  judges  of  merit, 
took  to  it  and  it  increased  in  circulation,  at  first  slowly, 
then  more  rapidly,  all  the  time  cutting  into  its  rivals,  until 
now  it  prints  400,000  copies  a  week  to  supply  an  ever  in- 
creasing demand,  and  has  added  several  other  weeklies  in 
lighter  vein  to  the  great  and  original  Family  Story  J'afifr. 
The  difficulties  that  he  had  to  surmount,  the  obstacles 
he  had  to  overcome  were  very  great.  His  growing  business 
obliged  him  to  leave  William  Street,  and  occupy  28  and  30 
Beekman  Street,  where  he  was  burned  out  in  February,  1876. 

We  can  easily  picture  Mr.  Munro,  just  as  he  had  turned 
the  corner  on  the  road  to  prosperity,gazing  at  his  costly  manu- 
script and  his  plant  go  up  in  smoke.  It  was  in  this  emer- 
gency that  he  really  showed  the  materials  of  which  he  was 
made.  The  editions  of  his  various  ])ubiications  were  ready 
for  distribution  by  the  news  companies  when  the  fire  broke 
out  and  destroyed  them.  Within  an  hour  after  Mr.  Munro's 
arrival  on  the  scene  he  made  up  his  mind  what  to  do,  and 
giving  sharp,  decisive  orders  to  his  employes  standing 
around  him,  the  labor  of  replacing  the  consumed  editions 
was  in  full  operation,  and  the  New  York  Family  Story  Paper 
and  his  other  publications  appeared  on  the  stands  on  time. 

He  moved  into  74  Beekman  Street  after  the  fire,  but  that 
building  becoming  inadequate  Mr.  Munro  erected  the  pres- 
ent magnificent  structure  on  Vandewater  Street,  which  is  a 
fit  home  for  one  of  the  greatest  publishing  houses  in  the 
country.  His  own  office  is  on  the  ground  floor,  where  he  is 
accessible  to  all,  unlike  many  publishers  who  care  not  to 
come  in  personal  contact  with  authois,  artists  and  people 
generally  who  have  business  in  such  a  concern.  In  March, 
1893,  the  upper  part  of  the  new  building  was  gutted  by  fire 
and  much  damage  done,  but  this  time,  while  some  incon\  en- 
ience  was  caused,  Mr.  Munro  looked  upon  the  destruction 
with  comparative  equanimity,  feeling  the  security  that  re- 
sources all  but  limitless  bestow,  and  though  his  loss  was 
greater  than  in  1876  it  was  merely  a  trifle  under  the  new  and 
prosperous  conditions  surrounding  him.  A  man  who  spends 
^T,ooo  a  day  in  advertising  can  afford  to  look  calmly  on  a 
fire  that  destroys  only  $100,000  worth  of  his  property.  And 
speaking  about  advertising  he  does  more  of  it  and  spends 
more  money  in  it  than,  perhaps,  any  other  publisher  in  the 
world.  Thus  in  one  year  (1885)  he  printed  and  gave  away 
to  each  one  of  the  Family  Story  Paper  subscribers 
15,600,000  novels,  or  one  for  each  copy  of  the 
year.  Nor  are  the  stories  thus  presented  mere 
productions  of  the  moment.  Among  those  given  away 
are  translations  of  the  best  works  of  the  younger  Dumas, 
Octave  Feuillet  and  other  great  authors.  And  again,  every 
new  story  in  the  Family  Story  Paper  is  advertised  by  an 
eight  page  sample  copy,  a  facsimile  of  the  paper  itself.  Mil- 
lions of  such  papers  are  constantly  distributed  in  every  city, 
town  and  Canada,  by  a  staff  of  employes  kept  on  the  road 
for  that  purpose.  Mr.  Munro  himself  is  a  splendid  looking 
man,  of  fiiie  physique,  of  good  intellectual  features,  tall,  com- 
manding, one  who  looks  like  the  master  of  men — ultimately, 
a  man  full  of  energy  and  resolution.  He  lives  on  Fifty- 
seventh  Street,  near  Fifth  Avenue,  in  a  magnificent  mansion, 
he  is  the  owner  of  the  famous  yacht  "  Norwood,"  built  for 
himself  according  to  his  instructions,  and  he  enjoys  the 
wealth  and  distinction  that  fortune  always  bestows  on  a 
man  of  his  genius. 


ROBERT  L.  DARRAGH. 
Robert  Darragh,  the  ]>oiHilar  and  successful  builder, 
was  born  in  New  York  City,  May  26,  1825.  He  was  edu- 
cated in  the  ])ul)lic  schools  of  the  city,  and  learned  his 
trade  as  mason  with  his  father,  William  Darragh,  who  was 
also  a  well-known  builder  of  his  day,  and  was  foreman  in 
the  construction  of  the  Spring  Garden  Water  Works  when 
only  twenty  years  of  age.  In  March,  1S48,  he  entered  into 
jjartnershi])  with  Mr.  Abram  A.  Andruss,  and  the  firm  of 
Andruss  &  Darragh  flourished  as  builders  and  contractors 
for  seventeen  years,  when  the  ]>artnership  was  dissolved, 
and  Mr.  Darragh  continued  business  on  his  own  account. 
For  forty-five  years,  without  any  inlerru|jtion,  Mr.  Darragh 
has  ])ursued  his  calling.  He  has  always  been  successful, 
and  a  mere  catalogue  of  the  very  large  number  of  fine 
buildings  he  has  erected  would  take  up  a  considerable 
portion  of  this  work.  He  has  made  money,  too  ;  but  he  is 
not  rich,  and  he  never  failed.  He  has  always  superintended 
his  own  work  and  taken  great  pains  to  budd  honestly  and 
well  ;  and  nil  over  the  Metropolis  substantial  monuments  to 


ROHER T  -L.  DARR.AGH. 

his  faithful  and  perfect  work  will  stand  for  many,  many 
years.  For  a  long  time  he  held  a  monopoly  of  Broadway, 
no  other  builder  obtaining  a  contract  of  any  note  on  that 
street.  Mr.  Darragh  was  also  the  pioneer  of  high  build- 
ings. His  ambition  was  to  go  higher  than  any  other  com- 
jjetitor,  and  when  any  one  succeeded  in  e(pialling  his  work 
he  at  once  sought  and  obtained  a  contract  for  a  stdl  higher 
edifice,  and  he  stands  the  peer  to-day  in  this  respect. 
Among  his  great  works  may  be  mentioned  the  Tribune 
Building,  the" World  Building,  the  Standard  Oil  Building, 
the  Telephone  Buildings,  the  United  Bank  Building,  the 
Boreel  Building,  Liverpool,  London  e^'  Globe  Insurance 
Building,  Female  Department  House  of  Refuge,  the  New 
York  Central  Grain  Elevators,  the  Evening  Post  Building, 
the  Greenwich  Savings  Hank,  the  interior  of  the  Stock  Ex- 
change, the  Rossmore  Hotel,  and  the  great  Waldorf  Hotel, 
just  comi)leted  That  he  is  still  active  in  the  work  may  be 
judged  by  the  fact  that  he  has  just  recently  commenced 
the  erection  of  a  magnificent  "sky  scrajier"  for  the  Corn 


I02 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS 


Exchange  Bank,  at  the  corner  of  William  and  Reaver  streets  ; 
the  very  large  factory  building  for  the  Hoe  Press  Co.,  in 
Columbia  street;  the  "sky  scraper''  for  the  Home  Life 
Insurance  Co  ,  on  Broadway  ;  and  several  other  buildings. 
Mr.  Darragh  is  the  oldest  builder  in  active  employment  in 
New  Vgrk,  and  his  record  during  the  past  forty-five  years 
is  without  a  blemish.  His  work  is  substantial,  and  his 
popularity  with  all  who  know  him  is  at  the  highest  attainable 
point.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Builders'  Cir.b.but  of  no  other 
club  organization. 

LEWIS  MAY. 

Among  the  best  known  and  most  highly  esteemed  citi- 
zens of  New  YoTk  there  are  few  whose  record  is  more  cred- 
itable than  that  of  Mr.  Lewis  May.  For  the  i)ast  quarter 
of  a  century  he  has  been  actively  engaged  in  many  enter- 
prises connected  with  the  best  interests  of  the  city.  He  has 
been  prominently  engaged  in  the  real  estate  business  and 
connected  with  the  management  of  a  large  number  of  chari- 


been  solicited  to  accept  public  office,  but  has  always  de- 
clined. Among  his  co-religionists  he  has  a  record  second 
to  none.  He  has  been  chief  director  and  president  of  that 
magnificent  synagogue,  the  Temple  Emanu-EI,  on  Fifth 
Avenue,  for  the  past  twenty-nine  years.  There  are  few 
religious  institutions  whose  good  works,  charitable  deeds  and 
liberality  shine  more  conspicuously  in  practical  life  than 
those  of  the  Temple  Emanu-EI.  In  all  of  these  the  name 
of  Lewis  May  is  prominent.  Of  him  the  learned  Dr. 
Cottl>eil,  rabbi  of  the  temple,  fittingly  said,  "During  my 
ministry  here  Mr.  May  has  been  uniformly  courteous  and 
considerate  in  his  bearing.  He  never  asked  anything  to 
which  he  was  not  fully  entitled,  nor  ever  refused  to  do  any- 
thing he  could  be  expected  to  do.  As  chief  executive 
officer  of  this  congregation  he  exercised  his  power  with  the 
utmost  moderation.  His  ways  were  ways  of  pleasantness, 
and  all  his  paths  were  peace.  There  has  grown  up  a  bond 
of  personal  friendship  between  us  which  is  very  precious  to 
me,  and  which  I  am  confident  will  last  our  lifetime." 


LEWIS  MAY. 


ties.  He  was  a  director  and  treasurer  of  the  Mount  Sinai 
Hospital  for  nineteen  years.  He  was  one  of  tlie  organizers 
of  the  Young  Men's  Hel)rew  Association,  and  its  first  ])resi- 
dent.  Mr.  May  was  elected  a  trustee  of  the  Mutual  Life 
Insurance  Company  in  1873  and  has  occupied  that  position 
ever  since.  Referring  to  his  connection  with  this  great 
financial  institution,  Mr.  Richard  McCurdy,  its  President, 
says  :  "  He  is  held  in  the  highest  esteem  by  all  his  friends, 
of  whom  I  am  glad  to  count  myself  one." 

Mr.  May  is  a  director  in  several  railroad  companies,  has 
been  treasurer  of  the  Twentv-third  Street  Railroad  Com- 
pany, treasurer  of  the  Iron  Steamboat  Company,  and  a 
director  in  many  other  cor|)orations,  from  all  of  which  he 
has  since  retired. 

As  a  financier  he  has  had  a  successful  career  as  head  of 
the  banking  firm  of  May  &  King.  He  was  the  assignee  f)f 
the  estate  of  Halstend,  Haines  &  Co.,  and  that  of  the  old 
banking  house  of  John  L  Cisco's  Sons.     Mr.  May  has  often 


Mr.  May  was  born  in  the  city  of  Worms,  Germany,  in 
1823,  and  lost  his  i)arents  when  only  six  years  old.  He  re- 
ceived his  education  in  the  ])ublic  schools  and  in  the  higher 
seminary.  Coming  to  this  country  in  1840,  he  first  found 
employment  as  clerk  in  a  country  store  in  Pennsylvania,  at  a 
salary  of  $100  for  the  first  year.  He  removed  with  the 
firm,  with  which  he  had  become  very  popular,  to  Huntsville, 
Alabama,  and  received  there  $2,000  a  year.  He  went  into 
business  for  himself  in  1845  at  Shreveport,  Louisiana,  where 
he  continued  to  ])rosper  until  1850.  He  then  went  to  Cali- 
fornia, where  he  formed  a  jjartnership  and  did  a  very  pros- 
perous business  in  San  Francisco  and  Portland,  Oregon. 
He  came  to  New  York  in  185 1  to  attend  to  the  buying  for 
the  California  house.  In  1857  he  retired  from  the  California 
business  and  engaged  in  the  commercial  and  financial  pur- 
suits in  which  he  has  made  such  an  honorable  name  in  this 
citv.  His  life  has  been  a  model  well  worthy  of  imitation  by 
the  voung  business  men  of  the  present  generation.  Mr. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS.  103 


May  married,  in  1853,  the  daughter  of  Cliarles  King  of  this 
city.  They  had  no  children,  but  ado))ted  three.  His  wife 
died  in  November,  1874.  He  remained  a  widower  seven 
years  and  married  again,  in  1880,  Miss  Wolf,  of  this  city, 
and  is  now  blessed  with  five  lovejy  children. 

GEORGE  P.  ANDREWS. 

The  Hon.  George  P.  Andrews,  Justice  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of  the  State  of  New  York,  a  distinguished  lawyer  and 
upright  Judge,  was  born  in  North  Brighton,  Maine,  on 
September  29,  1835.  Even  when  attending  the  common 
schools  of  his  native  town,  he  was  noted  as  a  very  bright 
scholar,  and  soon  after  his  entry  into  Yale  College  dis- 
tinguished himself  both  by  his  talents  and  untiring  industry. 
He  graduated  from  Yale  in  1858  with  the  very  high  honor 
of  being  the  class  orator  of  the  occasion,  an  honor  conferred 
by  the  votes  of  his  classmates,  and  resting  upon  merit  and 
ability  only.  After  leaving  the  university  he  studied  law 
under  the  Hon.  William  Pitt  Fessenden,  then  United  States 
Senator,  and  subsequently  Secretary  to  the  Treasury.  In 
1859,  he  gravitated  to  New  York,  and  in  the  spring  of  i860 
was  called  to  the  bar.  He  was  not  long  in  this  city  when 
his  talents  were  made  manifest  to  all,  and  he  was  appointed 
Assistant  United  States  District  Attorney,  and  served  in  that 
capacity  under  Theodore  Sedgwick,  James  L.  Rosevelt,  E. 
Delafield  Smith  and  Daniel  S.  Dickenson.  After  the  war 
he  resigned  and  went  in  for  private  practice.  The  abilities 
he  disjilayed  as  United  States  District  Attorney  had  made 
him  famous,  and  he  had  no  difficulty  in  obtaining  clients  of 
the  best  class.  In  1872  his  old  chief,  Hon.  E.  Delafield 
Smith,  was  appointed  Corporation  Counsel  for  New  York 
City,  and  he  at  once  offered  Mr.  Andrews  the  place  of  As- 
sistant. It  was  accepted  and  he  filled  the  office  under  Mr. 
Smith  and  Mr.  Whitney,  his  successor.  On  the  retirement 
of  Mr.  Whitney,  Mr.  Andrews  was  appointed  Corporation 
Counsel  by  Mayor  Grace.  He  showed  himself  an  able, 
fearless,  faithful  and  viligant  public  servant,  and  a  reformer 
in  the  best  sense  of  the  word.  The  achievement  which 
gained  him  most  credit,  and  on  which  he  naturally  prides 
himself,  was  his  compelling  the  National  Bank,  and  the 
Corporations  of  the  State  to  pay  taxes.  One  of  these  cases 
was  carried  on  appeal  to  the  General  Term  of  the  Supreme 
Court,  and  another  to  the  Court  of  Appeals,  where  they  were 
prepared  and  argued  by  Corporation  Counsel  Andrews  with 
care,  consummate  tact,  legal  acumen  and  rare  eloquence.  The 
result  was  a  great  victory  to  the  city  and  a  relief  to  the  tax 
payers.  The  National  and  State  Banks,  by  the  judgment  he 
obtained,  were  obliged  to  pay  $3,000,000  in  taxes  to  the  city 
Treasury,  and  the  amount  received  into  the  city  Treasury 
ever  since  from  this  source  has  lessened  the  taxation  and 
the  assessed  value  of  real  estate.  He  was  elected  to  the 
Supreme  Court  Bench  in  1883,  since  which  time  his  conduct 
has  been  that  of  an  ideal  judge.  He  is  an  unflinching 
Democrat  in  politics,  but  no  whis])er  of  partiality  has  ever 
been  heard  about  him  or  his  decisions. 


WILLIAM  J.  McKENNA. 

William  J.  McKenna,  ex-Clerk  of  the  City  and  County 
of  New  York,  was  born  near  the  village  of  Gortin,  County 
Tyrone,  Ireland,  October  2,  1854.  At  the  age  of  eight 
years  he  emigrated  with  his  parents  to  Canada,  settling  in 
Belleville,  Hastings  County,  where  they  resided  for  two 
years.  In  June,  1865,  they  removed  to  the  City  of  New 
York,  where  Mr.  McKenna  has  lived  ever  since.  He  was 
educated  in  the  public  schools,  the  College  of  the  City  of 
New  York,  and  the  Evening  High  School.  On  the  23d  of 
July,  1868.  he  obtained  a  situation  in  the  wholesale  house 
of  A.  T.  Stewart  &  Co.,  corner  of  Chambers  street  and 
Broadway,  where  he  remained  for  fourteen  years,  advancing 
step  by  step,  until  he  finally  had  charge  of  their  ledger. 
On  the  retirement  of  that  house  from  business,  in  1882, 


Mr.  McKenna  obtained  a  situation  as  accountant  in  the 
office  of  H.  B.  Clartin  &  Co.,  the  leading  wholesale  dry 
goods  house  in  the  United  States.  In  the  fall  of  1886  he 
was  elected  by  the  Tammany  Hall  Democracy  to  represent 
the  Sixth  Assembly  District  of  New  York  County  in  the 
lower  branch  of  the  State  Legislature  of  1887.  He  resigned 
from  Claflin's  on  the  night  of  December  31,  1886,  to  enter 
u|jon  his  legislative  duties  the  next  day.  He  served  on  the 
Insurance  Committee,  and  took  such  an  active  and  intel- 
ligent part  in  furthering  good  and  opposing  vicious  legisla- 
tion, as  to  earn  the  encomium  of  his  associates  and  of  the 
press,  regardless  of  political  affiliations.  When  the  Legis- 
lature adjourned,  on  May  26,  1887,  he  obtained  a  situation 
in  the  counting  room  of  the  dry  goods  house  of  Butler, 
Clapp,  Wentz  &  (]o.,  Nos.  365  and  367  Broadway.  In  the 
following  November  he  was  re-elected  to  the  State  Legis- 
lature by  an  increased  majority,  and  resigned  his  mercan- 
tile situation  to  serve  in  the  Assembly  of  1888.  When 
the  Legislature  adjourned,  on  May  11  of  that  year,  Mr. 


WILLI.AM.  J.  McKENNA. 

McKenna,  on  the  recommendation  of  Hon.  Richard  Croker, 
the  leader  of  the  Tammany  Hall  organization,  was  ap- 
pointed to  the  position  of  cashier  in  the  Internal  Revenue 
Department  of  the  United  States  Government.  After 
serving  in  that  capacity  for  eighteen  months,  he  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  position  of  Chief  Searcher  in  the  County 
Clerk's  office.  On  the  death  of  the  late  County  Clerk, 
Edward  F.  Reilly,  Mr.  McKenna  succeeded  him  as  the 
Chairman  of  the  Tammany  Hall  General  Committee  of  the 
Sixth  Assembly  District,  and  so  successful  was  he  in  con- 
ducting the  campaign  of  1890,  that  he  was  apj)ointed  chief 
clerk  to  Hon.  DeLancey  Nicoll,  when  that  gentleman 
entered  upon  his  duties  as  District  Attorney  of  New  York 
County,  on  January  i,  1891.  On  November  10,  1891,  Mr. 
McKenna  was  agreeably  surprised  to  find  that,  on  the 
recommendation  of  the  leaders  of  the  Tammany  Hall 
organization,  he  was  appointed  by  Gov.  David  B.  Hill, 
now  United  States  Senator,  to  the  office  of  Clerk  of  the 


lo4  J\r£lV  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


City  and  County  of  New  York,  a  position  made  vacant  by 
the  promotion  of  Hon.  Leonard  A.  (liegerith  to  a  place  on 
the  bench  of  the  Court  of  C'ommon  IMeas.  His  present 
position  is  that  of  Coroner,  to  which  he  was  appointed  by 
Governor  Flower. 


GOUVERNEUR  M.  SMITH,  M.D. 
Gouverneur  M.  Smith,  M.D.,  was  born  in  New  York 
City,  and  is  a  physician  almost  by  heredity.  His  father, 
Joseph  Mather  Smith,  Nf.D.,  was  born  at  New  Rochelle, 
N.  Y.  Removing  to  New  York  City,  he  was  for  forty  years 
Professor  in  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons, 
and  held  many  other  public  positions  of  honor  and 
trust.  He  was  eminent  in  his  profession  and  for  his 
l)ul)lic  spirit,  widely  known  as  an  author  in  the  medical  and 
scientific  world  and  beloved  for  his  estimable  character. 
His  grandfather.  Dr.  Matson  Smith,  was  born  in  Lyme, 
Conn.,  belonging  to  an  old  New  England  family,  and  settling 
early  in  life  at  New  Rochelle,  was  also  distinguished  as  a 
physician,  and  active  in  promoting  the  religious  welfare  of 
the  community.  He  married  a  daughter  of  Dr.  Samuel 
Mather,  of  Lyme,  an  officer  and  also  a  surgeon  in  the  army 
of  the  Revolution. 


GOUVERNEUR  M.  SMITH,  M.D. 


Dr.  Gouverneur  M.  Smith,  the  sul)ject  of  this  sketch, 
on  the  maternal  side  is  connected  with  such  old  New 
York  families  as  the  Lispenards,  Rutgers  and  Marstons, 
being  a  great-great-grent-grandson  of  (Jolonel  Leonard 
Lispenard,  member  of  the  first  Colonial  and  first  Provincial 
Congresses.  He  graduated  from  the  New  York  University 
in  the  class  of  1852,  and  received  the  degree  of  A.M.  in 
1855.  While  in  college  he  was  a  member  of  the  P^ucleian 
Society,  and  belongs  to  the  Delta  Phi  and  Phi 
Beta  K.a|)]}a  Fraternities.  In  [855  he  graduated  at  the 
College  of  I'hysicians  and  Surgeons,  New  York,  and  in  1856 
was  ai)|)ointed  |)hysi(  ian  to  the  Demilt  Dispensary.  In 
1858  he  was  one  of  the  delegates  from  the  New  York 
Academy  of  Medi(  inc  to  the  meeting  of  the  American  Medi- 
cal Association  held  at  W  ashington,  and  subsccjuently  rejire- 
senled  the' Academy  in  the  Me(li(  al  Society  of  this  State  at 


Albany.  During  the  Civil  War  he  served  gratuitously  as  a 
medical  officer  on  board  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission 
Transport  "  Daniel  Webster."  In  December,  1862,  he  was 
appointed  Acting  Assistant  Surgeon,  U.  S.  A.,  and  served 
until  the  close  of  the  war.  In  1864  he  was  appointed  execu-  ^ 
tive  officer  in  charge  of  the  U.  S.  A.  General  Hosjjital,  at 
which  he  was  stationed,  during  the  absence  of  the  Surgeon, 
U.  S.  v.,  in  command  of  the  Post.  His  father  died  in  1866, 
and  Dr.  Smith  was  selected  his  successor  as  one  of  the 
attending  physicians  of  the  New  York  Hosjjital,  and  since 
1879  he  has  been  one  of  its  consulting  jjhysicians.  He  has 
also  been  one  of  the  attending  ])hysicians  of  Bellevue 
Hospital,  and  one  of  the  attending  and  consulting  ])hysicians 
of  the  Presbyterian  Hospital.  From  1875  to  1878  Dr. 
Smith  was  Yice-President  of  the  New  York  Academy  of 
Medicine,  and  since  then,  for  about  fifteen  years,  one  of  its 
Trustees.  In  1887  and  1888  he  was  President  of  the  New 
York  Society  for  the  Relief  of  Widows  and  Orphans  of 
Medical  Men. 

He  has  written  many  essays,  which  have  been  published 
in  the  Transactions  of  the  N'.  Y.  Academy  of  Medicine, 
Medical  Record,  The  American  Journal  of  the  Medical 
Sciences,  and  elsewhere.  Of  these,  his  article,  "  Uses  and 
Derangements  of  the  (Glycogenic  Function  of  the  Liver," 
was  reviewed  in  London  as  being  "  admirable  and  sugges- 
tive." His  essay,  "  The  Epidemics  of  the  Century,  and  . 
the  Lessons  derived  from  them,"  was  i)ronounced  by  the 
American  Journal  of  Medical  Philadelphia,  to  be 

a  "  scholarly  production."  His  paper,  "  Wasted  Sunbeams 
— Unused  House-Tops,"  Medical  Record,  April  21,  1888, 
was  quoted  from  and  reprinted  in  various  journals  and  very 
favorably  and  widely  noticed.  He  has  in  a  lighter  vein 
written  a  number  of  poems,  both  of  a  serious  and  humorous 
nature,  which  have  appeared  in  various  periodicals.  Among 
the  more  notable  of  his  humorous  verses  may  be  mentioned 
"  Santa  Claus'  Mistake,"  publi.shed  in  J/arper's  Monthly, 
December,  1888  ;  ''  An  International  Congress  of  Microbes 
at  Berlin,"  which  ajjjjeared  in  ihtt  Medical  Record,  January  10, 
1891,  and  "Santa  Claus  and  the  Burglar,"  published  in  the 
Mail  and  Express,  December  22,  1892.  Dr.  Smith  is  one 
of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  "  Society  of  the  Sons  of 
the  Revolution,"  one  of  the  incorporators  and  treasurer  of 
the  "  Society  of  the  War  of  i8i2,"one  of  the  consulting 
physicians  of  the  St.  Nicholas  Society,  a  member  of  the 
("entury  and  Metropolitan  Clubs,  and  the  New  York  His- 
torical Society.  He  is  also  one  of  the  managers  of  the  New 
York  Association  for  Imi)roving  the  Condition  of  the  Poor, 
and  of  the  New  York  Institution  for  the  Blind. 

SPENCER  TRASK. 

New  York  City  has  now  for  so  long  a  period  been 
recognized  as  the  financial  centre  of  the  country  at  large, 
that  more  than  ])assing  interest  attached  to  those  houses 
which  not  only  now  occupy  a  ])rominent  i)osition  in  the 
financial  community,  but  which  have  been  infiuential  in  its 
affairs  for  many  years.  This  interest  is  natural,  for  it  is  a 
reasonable  assumption  that  such  houses  have  been  no  small 
factor  in  bringing  the  Metroi)olis  to  its  present  commanding 
financial  ])osition.  Among  these  old  established  houses  is 
that  of  S])encer  Trask  &  Co.,  having  for  now  nearly  a  ipiarter 
of  a  century  been  successfully  guided  through  the  several 
commercial  dei)ressions  and  many  troublous  periods  that 
have  occurred  in  that  time,  to  a  constantly  increasing  promi- 
nent e.  The  business  was  founded  in  1869  by  the  senior 
member.  Spencer  Trask.  In  the  spring  of  the  following 
year,  .April,  1870,  he  bet  ame  a  member  of  the  Sto<  k  Ex- 
change, when  the  firm  name  was  Trask  &  Stone.  Later  it 
was  changed  to  Trask  vV  Francis,  and  in  1881  the  |)resent 
title  was  adopted.  The  asso<  iale  i)artners  now  are  George 
Foster    Peabody,    William   lilodget,  Edwin    M.  liulkley. 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS.  105 


Charles  J.  Peabody,  and  E.  P.  Merritt  (resident  in  Boston). 
Mr.  C.J.  Peal)ody  is  also  a  member  of  the  Stock  Ivxchange, 
so  that  with  Mr.  Trask's  seat  the  firm  has  a  doidjle  repre- 
sentation in  that  influential  body.  The  firm  has  commodious 
offices  at  10  Wall  Street,  New  York  City,  and  at  20  Congress 
Street,  Boston.  It  also  has  branch  offices  at  Albany,  N.  Y., 
and  at  Providence,  R.  I.  Private  wire  connections  between 
each  of  these  offices,  as  well  as  to  correspondents  in  Phila- 
delphia and  Chicago,  give  the  firm  exceptional  facilities  for 
the  conduct  of  its  l)usiness.  'J'he  house  makes  a  specialty 
of  the  negotiations  of  railroad,  municipal,  and  other  desirable 
bond  issues,  in  addition  to  which  it  does  a  large  domestic 
banking  and  general  brokerage  business.  Spencer  Trask 
was  born  in  Brooklyn,  in  1844.  His  early  education  was 
attained  at  the  Polytechnic  Institute  of  that  city  ;  from  thence 
he  went  to  Princeton  College, from  which  institution  he  gradu- 
ated in  1 866.  He  is  now  President  of  the  Edison  Electric 
lUuininating  Co.,  of  N.  Y.,  and  a  Director  in  several 
important  railroad  corporations.  He  is  also  Chairman  of 
Trustees  of  New  York  Teachers' College.  His  habits  are 
domestic,  and  he  takes  great  pride  in  his  country  home, 
Yaddo,  situated  about  a  mile  from  the  village  of  Saratoga, 
on  the  avenue  leading  to  Saratoga  Lake.  Here  he  has  about 
500  acres,  in  which  there  is  a  chain  of  small  lakes.  Winding 
in  and  out  among  these  and  the  surrounding  woods  there  are 
beautiful  drives,  which  are  open  to  the  pubic  and  are  freely 
made  use  of  by  Saratogians  and  the  visitors  to  this  fashion- 
able watering  place.  In  the  fall  of  1891  the  old  house  which 
had  been  extensively  remodelled  was  burned.  A  new 
structure  is  now  about  completed,  and  is  undoubtedly  one 
of  the  finest  country  residences  to  be  found  anywhere.  A 
few  years  since  he  gave  to  the  Diocese  of  Albany  a  convale- 
scent home  in  Saratoga,  buying  and  fitting  up  a  place 
expressly  for  this  ];urpose.  The  children  are  brought  from 
hospitals  and  elsewhere,  and  some  100  or  more  are  taken 
care  of  each  summer.  Mention  is  made  of  this  simply  to 
show  that  where  the  object  appeals  to  his  better  judgment 
he  gives  with  a  liberal  hand,  though  always  trying  to  avoid 
publicity  in  such  matters. 


WILLIAM  H.  SCOTT,  M.D 

Among  the  men  who  l)y  force  of  character  as  much  as 
undoubted  professional  skill  have  fought  their  way  into  the 
front  rank  of  New  York's  i)hysicians  is  Dr.  William  H. 
Scott.  Dr.  Scott  was  born  in  Berkshire  county,  Mass.,  and 
was  educated  in  the  schools  of  New  England.  Without 
wealth  or  influential  friends  and  left  to  his  own  resources  at 
an  early  age,  he  looked  around  him  for  an  avocation  and 
notwithstanding  the  numerous  obstacles  in  his  way  deter- 
mined to  be  a  physician.  He  received  a  classical  training 
in  the  Berkshire  County  Medical  College  and  graduated 
from  that  institution  in  1862.  He  first  practised  his  profes- 
sion in  the  country  and  his  patients  were  chiefly  sufferers 
from  typhoid  fever.  An  epidemic  of  that  terrible  disease 
was  raging  at  the  time  in  the  neighborhood,  and  the  rate  of 
mortality  in  consequence  was  appalling.  Experts  were  in 
doubt  as  to  how  the  epidemic  should  be  treated,  and  Dr. 
Scott,  though  doing  all  he  could,  and  being  intensely  in 
sympathy  with  the  sufferers,  was  baffled  like  others.  He 
came  to  New  York  and  after  a  course  of  lectures  and  stud- 
ies in  the  Homcropathic  College  he  was  still  undecided  as  to 
how  the  epidemic  should  be  met  with  successful  results. 
Returning,  he  resolved  to  treat  typhoid  fever  cases  after  the 
manner  of  the  homoeopathic  school,  of  which  he  had  by  this 
time  become  an  enthusiastic  exponent.  The  effect  was 
wonderful.  In  a  short  time  the  percentage  of  deaths  fell 
from  eighty  to  ten  per  cent,  and  the  scourge  was  soon 
stamped  out  altogether.  Two  years  later  Dr.  Scott  associ- 
ated himself  with  Dr.  J.  G.  Baldwin,  and  since  then  has 
become  a  leading  representative  of  tiie  new  school  of  medi- 


cine. For  six  or  seven  years  he  has  been  visiting  jjhysician 
to  the  Ward's  Island  I lomcropathic  Hosi)ital,he  is  a  member  * 
of  the  American  Institute  of  I Iom<uoi)athy,  member  of  the 
County  and  State  Homoeopathic  Societies  and  many  other  * 
kindred  organizations.  Dr.  Scott  ])urchased  his  present 
U|)town  residence  four  years  ago  and  his  large  clientele  is  to 
be  found  in  that  section  of  the  city  among  the  best  families. 

HOMER  LEE. 

Althougli  Mr.  Lee,  like  so  many  of  our  distinguished 
citizens  whose  sketches  appear  in  this  work,  is  not  a  native 
of  New  York  there  are  few  men  who  have  added  more  to 
the  commercial  importance  of  the  Metropolis  than  he.  He 
is  a  native  of  Ohio  and  is  distinctively  a  self-made 
man,  the  position  to  which  he  has  attained  being  due 
to  his  own  powers  and  the  result  of  exceptional  energy 
and  acumen.  His  father  was  a  watchmaker  and  engraver 
of  Mansfield,  Ohio.  Young  Lee  was  brought  up  in  the 
business,  and  this,  combined  with  his  inventive  faculty, 
became  the  basis  of  his  future  success.  Mansfield  pre- 
senting too  small  a  field  for  his  energies  Homer  Lee  went 
for  a  time  to  Toledo,  and  then  to  Cincinnati,  where  he 
became  proficient  in  enamelling.  He  shortly  after  came  to 
New  York  and  served  an  apprenticeship  to  a  card  engraver, 
and  having  by  great  economy  saved  $!3co  he  while  yet  a 
minor   started    business   for  himself  on   Liberty  street. 


P'or  several  years  it  was  a  hard  fight,  l)ut  his  good  work 
had  its  reward  and  his  business  thrived.  He  soon  after 
organized  The  Homer  Lee  Bank  Note  Co.,  which  was 
incorporated  in  1881  with  a  capital  of  ,^30,000,  which  was 
later  on  increased  to  $500,000,  having  meanwhile  visited 
the  leading  engraving  establishments  in  Europe.  His  com- 
pany has  obtained  ])atronage  from  the  Governments  of 
Spain,  Japan  and  the  United  States  as  well  as  many  of  the 
Central  and  South  American  Republics,  and  has  branches 
in  London  and  Paris.  The  work  of  this  company  has 
attained  to  the  highest  standard  of  excellence,  one  example 
of  this  being  that  after  a  long  struggle  against  almost  in- 
surmountable opposition  for  a  share  of  the  business  of 
the  New  York  Stock  Exchange  the  Homer  Lee  Company 
gained  the  victory.  Mr.  Lee  has  been  more  than  once 
offered  the  position  of  C'hief  of  the  Bureau  of  Engraving,  and 
as  we  understand,  similar  positions  by  foreign  governments 
whicii  have  lieen  always  refused.   He  has  many  valuable  in- 


io6  NEIV  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


ventions  to  his  credit  connected  with  the  engraving  and  typo- 
graphical arts,  and  the  Homer  Lee  press  for  printing  l)ank 
notes  by  steam  power,  which  system  was  adopted  not 
only  by  the  Treasury  Department  at  Washington,  but  by 
the  governments  of  Russia,  Germany  and  other  countries. 
Mr.  Lee  is  one  of  the  three  founders  and  organizers  of  the 
Ohio  Society  and  was  its  first  secretary  ;  he  is  member  of 
the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  incorporator  of  the  East  Side 
Bank,  is  trustee  of  St.  John's  Guild,  and  director  of  the 
U.  S.  Savings  Bank  of  N.  Y.,  and  member  of  the  Colonial 
Club  and  a  Mason  of  high  degree.  He  takes  a  lively 
interest  in  all  movements  tending  to  advance  the  best 
interests  of  the  city.  It  was  largely  due  to  Mr.  Lee's  effort 
that  the  law  was  passed  by  Congress  making  it  a  criminal 
offence  to  counterfeit  foreign  bank  notes  in  this  country. 

JER.  T.  SMITH. 
Mr.  Jer.  T.  Smith,  one  of  the  most  famous  builders  of 
the  Metropolis,  was  born  in  Jamaica,  Long  Island,  fifty- 
seven  years  ago,  of  good  old  stock,  and  belongs  to  a  family 
of  builders.  His  achievements  in  the  line  of  his  profession 
have  made  him  justly  prominent,  not  only  in  New  York, 
but  in  many  other  cities.  He  is  equally  well  known,  how- 
ever, to  hosts  of  friends  in  other  walks  of  life,  being  a 
veteran  of  the  Seventh  Regiment,  a  member  of  the  Old 
Guard,  the  Ikiilders'  Association,  the  Manhattan  Athletic, 
and  several  other  clubs  and  societies.    He  finds  time  for 


I 


jkr.  1.  s.Mirii. 


pleasure  as  well  as  business,  and  his  never-failing  fund  of 
good  humor  and  hospitality,  his  cheery  manners,  and  his 
tireless  energy  and  activity  make  him  welcome  everywhere. 
As  an  ex])ert  in  his  profession  he  has  few  ])eers,  and  when 
difficult  problems  are  to  be  solved  he  is  often  the  first  to  be 
called.  Several  large  corporations  consider  his  judgment 
unecpialled,  and  his  fund  of  information  about  old  proper- 
ties in  New  York  seems  ine.xhaustible.  Mr.  Smith  has  at 
various  times  put  up  some  of  the  finest  and  largest  build- 
ings in  the  city.  Among  many  others,  he  is  justly  proud  of 
the  Park  National  Hank,  on  Broadway  ;  the  Urexel  IJuilding, 


at  Wall  and  Broad  Streets  ;  the  first  and  second  sections  of 
the  Equitable  Life,  the  once  famous  Booth's  Theatre,  at 
Sixth  Avenue  and  Twenty-third  Street  (now  changed  to 
stores)  ;  and  the  new  Market  and  Eulton  National  Bank,  at 
Eulton  and  Gold  Streets.  Mr.  Smith  erected,  at  the  corner  ^ 
of  Madison  Avenue  and  Twenty-third  Street,  what  has 
turned  out  to  be  one  of  the  handsomest,  most  elaborate  and 
most  extensive  office  buildings  above  the  City  Hall.  This 
structure,  planned  by  the  well-known  architects,  N.  Le 
Brun  &  Sons,  which  is  ten  stories  in  height,  of  white 
marble,  richly  carved  with  many  beautiful  reliefs,  and  abso- 
lutely fireproof  throughout,  is  the  new  home  of  the  Metro- 
])olitan  Life  Insurance  Company.  Imperishable  foundations, 
grand,  massive  and  ornate  superstructures,  seem  to  be  the 
specialty  of  this  builder.  To  him  no  construction  is  too 
comj)licated  or  difficult,  no  plans  too  extensi\  e  or  elaborate. 
He  builds  strong  who  builds  well  ;  he  builds  well  who 
builds  honestly. 


ROBERT  KUNIT2ER,  M.D. 

Robert  Kunitzer,  A.B.,  M.D.,  was  born  on  Eebruary 
i8th.  1865,  in  .Szegedin,  Csongrad  County,  Hungary.  After 
passing  through  the  various  grades  of  the  grammar  school  in 
his  native  town  he  went  to  Vienna,  capital  of  the  Austrian 
Empire,  and  was  there  educated  in  the  Imjjerial  Academical 
Gymnasium.  After  com])leting  his  classical  course  and 
receiving  the  degree  of  A.B.,  he  studied  medicine  in  the 
University  of  Vienna,  and  graduated  from  there  as  M.I).  In 
1888  he  became  assistant  at  the  K.  K.  AUgemeine  Poliklinik 
of  Vienna,  and  soon  after  came  to  this  country  and  began 
]iractice  in  New  York.  Dr.  Kunitzer.  brought  character  and 
reputation  for  skill  in  his  profession  with  him,  which  at  once 
gave  him  the  beginning  of  a  fair  practice,  and  his  energy, 
a])])lication  and  undoubted  ability  as  a  medical  practitioner 
did  the  rest  for  him  after  a  short  time,  that  is  to  say  brought 
him  patients  of  a  select  class,  and  established  him  in  the 
front  rank  of  New  York's  rising  physicians.  In  April,  1880, 
he  was  appointed  professor  of  the  practice  of  medicine  in 
the  Eclectic  Medical  College  of  the  city  of  New  York,  and 
the  year  following  chief  of  the  department  for  internal 
diseases  in  the  Woodstock  Hospital. 


JOSEPH  M.  OHMEIS. 

One  of  the  most  popular  German-.'\merican  citizens  of 
New  York  City  to-day  is  Joseph  M.  Ohmeis,  President  of 
the  famous  Beethoven  Miinnerchor  Society.  Not  only  is 
Mr.  Ohmeis  ])opular,  but  he  is  loved  and  respected,  and  it  is 
with  deep  affection  that  members  of  the  Society  and  many 
others  outside  of  it  speak  of  him  as  "  Papa  Ohmeis."  He 
was  born  on  August  10,  1823,  in  a  small  village,  Ober- 
Erlenbach,  in  the  Duchy  of  Hess,  and  socially  s])eaking 
was  well  connected.  His  father  was  a  ])rominent  citizen  of 
the  village.  He  came  to  New  York  from  Germany  in  1853 
and  anxious  to  procure  immediate  employment  accepted  a 
situation  in  a  restaurant.  Here  he  manifested  so  much 
capacity  and  was  found  so  reliable  that  his  employers  took 
him  into  ])artnership  after  a  few  years.  In  1865  he  bought 
out  his  partner  and  the  year  following  he  sold  out  his  own 
interest  and  entered  the  real  estate  business.  Mr.  Ohmeis' 
talents  do  not  run  in  one  groove  and  in  real  estate  he 
sliowed  the  same  capacity  and  executive  ability  he  had  dis- 
played as  a  restaurant  keei)er.  He  was  shrewd,  industrious 
and  energetic,  but  above  all  he  established  for  himself  so 
high  a  rei)utation  for  integrity  and  honest  business  methods 
that  in  a  few  years  he  had  made  a  large  fortune.  In  May. 
1S69,  he,  with  a  few  others,  founded  the  Germania  Bank,  of 
which  he  was  for  many  years  a  director  and  ultimately 
became  Vice-President. 

It  is,  however,  his  connection  with  the  Beethoven  Miin- 
nerchor Society  that  entitles  him  to  a  i)lace  in  this  history 


NEtV  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS.  107 


of  "  New  York,  the  Metroixjlis."  'I'liis  famous  society  was 
organized  on  August  19,  1H59,  by  eight  young  German- 
Americans  of  cuhure  and  love  for  the  music  and  literature 
of  the  Fatherland.  Of  couise  they  were  sneered  at  and  the 
wiseacres  predicted  for  them  a  disastrous  failure.  Being 
young  men  of  nerve  and  backbone  they  heeded  not  the 
scoffers,  but  pursued  the  even  tenor  of  their  way,  determined 
at  all  events  to  do  the  best  they  could.  Their  first  meeting 
was  held  in  the  saloon  of  Joseph  Doelger,  the  late  emjnent 
brewer.  Henceforth  the  society  ])rogressed  and  was  in  a 
fair  way  of  becoming  as  prosi)er(nis  as  it  has  eventually 
become,  when  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  broke  out  and  the 
flag  was  fired  upon  at  Fort  Sumter.  '["his  portentous 
event  thinned  the  ranks  of  the  society,  for  many  of  its 
young  members,  and  most  of  them  were  of  that  descrip- 
tion, volunteered  at  once  for  service  in  the  field. 
Mr.  Ohmeis  became   member  of  the  society  on  October 


1  will  raise  it  in  an  hour."  And  in  fact  so  they  did,  almost 
literally,  and  to  their  exertions  is  due  a  graceful  monument 
to  the  great  German  composer  in  Central  Park.  Once  an 
idea  enters  the  man's  head  it  is  sure  of  being  put  into  prac- 
tical shape.  It  was  the  same  energy  of  his  that  erected  the 
St.  Joseph's  Home  for  Incurables.  At  a  concert  gotten  up 
for  its  benefit  he  paid  all  the  expenses  out  of  his  own  pocket, 
and  when  it  was  over  handed  the  hospital  committee  ^3,000. 
It  is  therefore  no  wonder  that  on  the  sixtieth  anniversary  of 
his  age  the  society  (1883)  gave  him  a  benefit  and  an  ovation, 
which  was  repeated  on  the  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  its 
own  organization  the  year  following.  From  January,  1870, 
till  October,  1892,  Mr.  Ohmeis  was  President  of  the  society, 
but  failing  in  health  he  resigned  in  the  above  month  from 
active  incumbency  of  the  position.  On  his  resignation  he 
was  with  great  enthusiasm  elected  Honorary  President  for 
life.    Mr.  Ohmeis  has  a  charming  ])ersonality  which  ac- 


JOSEPH  M.  OHMEIS. 


15,  1867,  and  it  was  mainly  through  his  exertions  it  became 
self-sustaining.  When  elected  President  on  January  i,  1870, 
in  reward  for  his  zeal  and  general  services,  the  Beethoven 
Miinnerchor  took  an  upward  bound.  He  infused  new  life 
into  it.  Concerts  in  aid  of  the  widows  and  orphans  made 
by  the  war  were  given  and  the  organization  grew  prosperous 
and  popular.  The  next  step  was  to  build  a  hall,  which  was 
done  within  a  year  after  the  idea  had  been  conceived  by  the 
new  President,  that  is  to  say  in  1870.  The  hall,  which  is 
situated  at  210-212  East  Fifth  street,  cost  $112,000,  including 
the  furniture.    An  addition  to  this  hall  was  made  on  May 

16,  1892,  when  the  adjoining  house  was  purchased  for  ]iur- 
poses  of  enlargement  at  a  cost  of  $25,000.  It  was  in  1884 
that  Mr.  Ohmeis  advanced  the  idea  of  erecting  a  monument 
to  Beethoven  in  Central  Park.  As  usual  the  doubters  came 
forward  and  remarked:  "  Oh,  say,  where  will  you  get  the 
money?"    "Why,"  answered  Mr.  Ohmeis,  "my  friends  and 


counts,  at  least,  for  some  of  his  ])opularity,  and  although 
approaching  the  span  allotted  to  man  he  is  still  strong  and 
vigorous  and  full  of  life  and  activity. 


JAMES    ROBERTSON  PITCHER. 

James  Robertson  Pitcher  is  on  his  father's  side  of 
English  ancestry  and  entitled  by  descent  to  use  the  coat  of 
arms  borne  for  many  generations  by  the  Pitcher  family  in 
England.  Darling  H.  Pitcher,  the  father,  a  man  whose  un- 
blemished honor  and  force  of  character  made  him  of 
recognized  weight  and  importance  in  the  community,  was, 
for  his  day  and  the  ])eoijle  among  whom  he  li\ed,  a  wealthy 
man.  He  lived  for  ten  years  at  Prattsville,  carrying  on  an 
establishment  for  the  manufacture  of  sole  leather.  His 
wife  was  Philira  Robertson,  direct  descendant  at  only  two 
removes  from  George  Robertson,  who  traced  his  descent 


io8 


from  the  Duke  of  Argyle,  and  who,  when  only  seventeen 
years  of  age,  left  Glasgow,  and  came  to  this  country  to  assist 
the  Colonists  in  their  struggle  for  independence.  By  his  de- 
votion to  the  cause  of  American  liberty  he  forfeited  his 
Scotch  estates,  and  after  the  revolution  was  ended  pur- 
chased land  where  the  City  of  Troy  now  stands.  James 
Robertson  Pitcher,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  on 
March  5,  1845.  was  an  only  son.   Mr.  Pitcher  received 

an  academic  education,  first  at  Kinderhook,  nnd  later  at 
Whitesboro,  near  Utica.  The  death  of  his  father  in 
November,  t<S57,  however,  left  large  business  interests  to  be 
looked  after,  and  at  eighteen  he  had  charge  of  the  store 
attached  to  the  tanneries.  At  twenty-one,  recognizing  that 
his  talents  reijuired  a  wider  field  for  their  exercise,  his  in- 
terests in  the  tanneries  were  sold,  his  mother  and  sisters 
settled  at  Saratoga,  and  Mr.  Pitcher  came  to  New  \ork 
City.  His  first  position  was  with  H.  B.  Claflin  &  Co.  After 
a  short  apprenticeship  with  them  in  the  business  methods  of 
the  Metro])olis,  he  went  into  the  clothing  business.  Here, 


JAMES    KOIUCRTSCJN  I'lTCHER. 


though  successful,  he  was  unsatisfied.  He  knew  that  a 
magnificent  company  could  be  built  up  to  furnish  accident 
insurance  on  the  mutual  plan.  He  wanted  to  be  the  man  to 
build  up  such  a  company,  and  in  the  fall  of  1877  The 
United  States  Mutual  Accident  Association  began  doing 
business.  The  United  States  Mutual  Accident  Association 
is  in  itself  the  greatest  monument  to  the  remarkable  busi- 
ness ability  and  real  genius  of  Mr.  Pitcher.  Starting  from 
nothing  in  1877,  in  the  fifteen  years  ending  with  December 
31,  1892,  it  i)aid  to  insured  and  their  beneficiaries 
*2, 998, 538.73,  nearly  ^^500,000  of  this  amount  being  ])aid 
during  the  year  1892.  It  closed  the  year  1892  with  a  larger 
amount  of  accident  insurance  in  force  than  any  otiier 
organization  in  the  world.  As  the  association  became  an 
assured  suc(  ess,  and  as  its  de])artments  were  organized,  he 
turned  over  ihe  details  of  management  largely  to  sui)ordi- 
nates,  and  while  keeping  a  general  oversight  of  this  business 
has  found"  it  possible  to  pay  attention  to  other  undertakings. 


He  is  President  of  the  Cachari  Company,  a  company  or- 
ganized to  mine  gold  along  the  Cachari  River  in  Ecuador  ; 
and  of  the  New  York  Leather  Belting  Co.;  Vice-President 
of  thi  Mercantile  Credit  (iuarantee  Co.;  'i'reasurer  of  the 
National  Mutual  Building  and  Loan  Association,  the  largest  ^ 
organization  of  the  kind  in  America,  carrying  a  million  of 
dollars  in  bonds  and  mortgages  ;  director  in  the  Tradesmen's 
National  Bank,  the  Lawyers'  Surety  Co.,  and  the  National 
^L^caroni  Co.  The  United  States  Nurseries  he  organized 
in  (  onjunction  with  the  well  known  \V.  Albert  Manda,  with 
a  branch  in  England  ;  it  has  turned  out  a  splendid  success 
financially.  Mr.  Pitcher  is  also  largely  interested  in  real 
estate  operations  at  Short  Hills.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Manhattan  Club,  the  Players'  Club,  the  Merchants'  Club, 
the  'i'uxedo  Club,  the  Essex  County  Club,  and  various  other 
social  organizations.  In  his  domestic  life  Mr.  Pitcher  has 
been  exceptionally  happy.  In  1869  he  married  Helen 
Kingsbury  Sweet,  and  the  real  charm  of  his  fine  home  at 
Short  Hills  consists,  not  in  the  evidences  of  wealth  and 
taste  which  adorn  it.  but  in  the  delightful  life  which  he  lives 
therein  with  his  beautiful  wife,  and  the  four  lovely  daughters 
and  one  son  with  which  their  union  has  been  blessed.  He 
is  in  religion  a  I'rotestant  Episcopalian.  Originally  a 
Republican  in  politics,  he  has  voted  with  the  Democratic 
|)arty  since  Cleveland's  first  nomination  for  the  Presidency. 


JACOB  RUDOLPHY. 

Jacob  Rudolphy,  Civil  Engineer  and  City  Surveyor,  was 
born  in  Ciermany  on  May  i,  1826.  He  graduated  from  the 
Darmstadt  Polytechnic  Academy  with  high  honors.  In 
1850  he  came  to  New  York  City,  and  at  once  entered  into 
business  for  himself  as  civil  engineer  and  surveyor.  Mr. 
Rudolphy  now  enjoys  the  distinction  of  being  the  oldest 
(  ity  surveyor  now  engaged  in  active  work  in  this  city.  In 
1856  he  was  engag  d  on  the  preliminary  Central  Park  sur- 
vey, and  gave  entire  satisfaction  to  the  authorities  who 
emijloyed  him.  His  history  since  then,  in  fact,  is  very 
closely  connected  witli  the  imjjrovements  of  New  York  and 
the  neighboring  cities.  His  work  has  placed  his  services 
in  such  demand  with  builders  contractors  and  architects, 
that  he  is  constantly  overloaded  with  engag  ments  and  his 
offices  have  a  busy  aspect  at  all  hours  of  the  day.  Mr. 
Rudolphy  is  very  popular  in  social  circles,  and  belongs  to 
many  organizations  social  and  benevolent.  His  character  for 
integrity  and  capacity  stands  high.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
lamous  Liederkranz  and  other  (ierman  societies.  It  is  well 
known  that  he  has  fretpiently,  when  time  meant  money  to 
liim,  rendered  gratis  services  to  charitable  institutions.  He 
lias  done  this  jjromptly  and  cheerfully  in  a  good  cause,  and 
lias  never  been  sorry  for  it.  Mr.  Rudolphy  was  married  in 
1855  and  has  three  sons,  dustavus,  Emil  and  W  illiam,  and 
a  daughter,  Mrs.  Col.  Heppenheimer. 


JAMES    M.  FITZSIMMONS. 

Judge  James  M.  Fitzsimmons.  of  the  City  Court,  is  a 
Democrat  in  politics,  and  yet  this  is  what  the  New  York 
Ri'ionler,  a  leading  Republican  newspaper,  has  to  say  of 
him  :  "  He  is  a  discreet  and  thoughtful  judge,  a  courteous 
man  and  an  energetic,  long-headed  politician."  Judge 
Fitzsimmons  was  born  in  New  York  City  in  1858,  and  he  is 
consecpiently  the  youngest  judge  on  the  bench  in  this  city 
to-day.  In  this  connection,  as  indicative  of  the  man's  tal- 
ents and  character,  it  may  be  as  well  to  mention  that  when 
he  graduated  from  C:olumbia  College,  he  was  the  youngest 
in  a  class  of  256  ;  when  elected  to  the  Board  of  Aldermen 
he  was  the  voungest  member  of  that  body,  and  when  elected 
to  the  judiciary  he  was  the  youngest  judge  on  the  bench,  as 
in  fact  he  is  now,  as  already  slated.  It  is  pretty  jilain  from 
this  that  Judge  Fitzsimmons,  in  the  nature  of  things,  has  a 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROrOLIS.  109 


bright  career  l)t't'ort'  liiiii.  lieforc  entering  Colunil)ia  Col- 
lege he  attended  the  pnl)lic  schools  and  there  suri)rised  his 
teachers  by  his  intellectual  feats  and  general  aptitude.  He 
next  entered  the  law  office  of  Ex-Recorder  James  R.  Smith, 
and  there  read  Blackstone  in  such  good  company  as  Hugh 
J.  Grant,  future  Mayor  of  New  York.  It  was  remarked  of 
him  while  a  student  that  he  was  a  jjhenomenally  hard 
worker  ;  also  that  instead  of  idling  his  leisure  nights  he  at- 
tended debating  clubs,  and  thus  developed  his  natural 
talent  for  public  speaking.  He  was  only  nineteen  years  of 
age  when  he  graduated  from  ('olumbia  College,  and  during 
the  two  years  that  must  elajise  before  admission  to  the  bar, 
he  continued  his  legal  studies  in  the  office  of  Nehrbas  & 
Pitshke.  After  having  been  called  to  the  bar  he  gained  a 
large  real  estate  practice,  and  is  now  what  may  be  termed 
an  expert  in  that  department  of  law.  He  was  elected 
Alderman  from  the  Eighteenth  District,  and  in  1889 
served  as  Vice-President  of  the  Board.  On  the  death 
of  Judge  Pitshke  he  was  appointed  City  Court  Judge  to  fill 
the  unexpired  term.  This  was  on  February  22,  1890,  and 
in  the  autumn  of  the  same  year  he  was  elected  to  succeed 
himself. 

JOSEPH  T.  O'CONNOR,  M.D. 
Joseph  T.  O'Connor,  M.  1).,  Ph.D.,  one  of  New  York's 
most  distinguished  homoeopathists,  was  born  in  I'hiladel- 
])hia  in  1S42,  attended  the  jjublic  schools  there,  finishing 
with  a  partial  course  at  the  Central  High  School.  In 
1864  he  moved  to  Washington,  D.  C,  and  began  the 
study  of  medicine  in  the  medical  department  of  the 
University  of  Georgetown.  His  studies  were  conducted 
in  the  Allopathic  School,  but  after  graduating  (1867) 
and  practising  for  one  year,  desirous  of  studying  homoeo- 
pathy systematically,  he  attended  the  Hahnemann  Medi- 
cal College,  of  Philadelphia,  session  of  1869-70.  Return- 
ing to  Washington  he  resumed  practice,  and  remained 
in  the  national  capital  until  1874,  when  he  accejited  the 
a])pointment  of  Professor  of  Chemistry  and  Toxicology  in 
the  New  York  Homcpopathic  Medical  College.  He  held 
this  position  until  1881,  at  the  same  time  building  up  a  fine 
private  practice.  Then  a  family  bereavement  com])elle(l 
Dr.  O'Connor  to  retire  from  jjractice,  with  the  intention  of 
never  returning  to  it.  Time,  however,  lessened  his  grief, 
and  after  a  few  years  we  find  him  again  taking  up  his  pro- 
fessional practice,  and  connecting  himself  with  the  old 
institutions  that  knew  him  so  well.  He  became  Chemical 
Professor  of  Nervous  Diseases  in  the  New  York  Homoeo- 
pathic Medical  College,  and  in  1886  was  appointed  to  the 
chair  of  mental  and  nervous  diseases  in  the  New  York 
Medical  Hospital  for  Women,  a  position  he  still  holds.  In 
1879-80  he  occupied  the  chair  of  Materia  Medica  and 
Therapeutics  in  the  same  institution.  In  1876  he  received 
the  degree  of  Ph.D.  from  the  St.  Francis  Xavier  College, 
New  York.  He  is  member  of  the  American  Institute  of 
Homoeopathy  and  also  of  the  State  and  County  Homeo- 
pathic Societies.  He  is  at  present  Neurologist  to  the  I.aura 
Franklin  Hospital  for  Children  and  to  the  Ward's  Island 
Homoeopathic  Hospital,  and  is  Consulting  Neurologist  to 
the  New  York  Ophthalmic  Hospital.  Dr.  O'Connor  has 
contributed  extensively  to  the  various  medical  journals  of 
the  country,  and  is  looked  upon  as  an  expert  in  neurology. 

SAMUEL  VICTOR  CONSTANT. 
Samuel  Victor  Constant  was  born  in  this  city  in  1857. 
He  is  a  direct  descendant  of  John  Tuttle,  who  came  over  in 
the  ship  '"Planter"  in  1635  and  settled  in  Ipswich.  His 
family  was  from  St.  Albans,  in  Hertfordshire,  iMigland. 
Another  of  Mr.  Constant's  early  American  ancestors  was 
Nicholas  Noyes,  belonging  to  Choulderton,  Wiltshire,  who 
came  over  in  the  ship  "  Mary  and  John  "  in  1834  with  his 


brother,  the  Rev.  James  Noyes,  and  settled  in  Newbury, 
Mass.,  and  still  another  was  James  Smith,  of  the  same  jjlace, 
who  came  from  Romsey  in  Ham|)shire.  The  two  former 
served  in  the  Colonial  Legislatures  of  the  period,  as  the 
annals  of  Massachusetts  show,  John  Tuttle  in  1644,  and 
Nicholas  Noyes  in  1660,  1679  and  1680,  while  the  son  of 
James  Smith,  also  James,  served  as  lieutenant  in  Sir 
William  Phip's  exjjedition  against  Quebec,  but  i)erished  on 
his  return  by  shipwreck  on  the  Island  of  Aniicosti,  in  Oct., 
i6qo.  Since  then  Mr.  Constant's  ancestors  have  been  prom- 
inent one  way  or  another  in  every  generation  and  taken  an 
active  part  in  the  wars  of  the  Revolution.  He  was  edu- 
cated in  Anthon's  and  (!harlier's  famous  schools,  and  pre- 
l)ared  by  a  private  tutor  for  ('olumbia  College,  from  which 
he  graduated  in  the  class  of  1880  He  was  called  to  the 
bar  in  1882  and  received  his  degree  of  LL.B.  in  i886.  Mr. 
Constant  has  been  able  to  dedicate  some  of  his  time  to 
scientific  literature  and  is  an  oriental  scholar.  This  does 
not  mean,  however,  that  he  is  idle  at  any  time.    In  1876  he 


SAMII-.I.    VICTOR    C'O.WS  1  ANT. 

joined  the  First  Com])any,  Seventh  Regiment,  of  N.  Y.,  is 
now  member  of  its  Club  and  also  of  its  Veteran  Association. 
He  is  one  of  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  and 
member  of  its  International  Committee.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Psi  Upsilon  Club,  Quill  Club,  American  Oriental 
Society,  Royal  Asiatic  Society  of  Great  Britain,  of  the 
Archseological  Institute  of  America,  the  Mercantile  Marine 
Service  Association  of  Great  Britain  and  solicitor  of  that 
association  in  the  United  States,  member  of  the  Sons  of  the 
Revolution  of  the  State  of  New  York  and  one  of  its  dele- 
gates to  the  General  Society,  member  of  St.  David's 
Society,  State  Bar  Association,  N.  Y.,  Genealogical  and 
Biographical  Society,  Alumni  Association  of  Columbia 
College  and  of  the  .Academy  of  Sciences  and  American 
Historical  Association  and  the  New  York  Historical  Society. 
Mr.  Constant  was  the  first  to  conceive  the  idea,  some  three 
years  ago,  of  the  formation  of  a  society  composed  of 
descendants  of  partici])ants  in  the  Colonial  wars,  from  the 
Pequod  \\'ar  in  1639.  down  to  the  beginning  of  the  Revo- 


I  JIO 


NEIV  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


lution,  and  as  a  result  of  the  suggestion  the  Society  of 
Colonial  Wars  was  organized  and  now  contains  a  large 
number  of  distinguished  men  as  members.  Mr.  Constant  is 
the  Society's  treasurer. 

W.  G.  HITCHCOCK. 

The  following  sketch  of  a  remarkable  man  and  a  great  mer- 
cantile house  is  most  interesting  and  full  of  important  lessons 
to  young  men.  Just  here  we  would  »ay  that  the  sole  reason 
Mr.  Hitchcock  has  favored  us  with  the  following  details  re- 
garding his  early  struggles  and  successes  is  with  the  hope 
that  they  may  be  of  some  benefit  to  the  young  men  of  to- 
day in  encouraging  them  to  make  their  life  work  the  object 
of  their  everyday  life  and  not  merely  a  side  issue  ;  to  put 
duty  first,  pi  asure  second.  The  house  of  which  Mr.  Hitch- 
cock is  now  the  head  was  established  in  1818  in  Pearl  street, 
then  in  the  heart  of  the  city,  by  Pierre  Becar,  importer  of 
linen  handkerchiefs.    Next  we  see  the  firin  name  as  P.  c\:  N. 


Montrose,  Penn.,  of  old  New  England  stock,  family  dating 
back  over  200  years.  His  grandfather  fought  in  the  war  of 
the  Revolution,  and  the  records  sjjeak  of  his  grandfather  on 
the  mother's  side  as  emjiloying  Indians  on  his  farm  in  Con- 
necticut. Young  Hitchcock  was  educated  in  Montrose,  » 
and  when  about  fifteen  years  old  his  parents  removed  to 
New  York  for  the  ex])ress  purpose  of  finding  employment 
for  their  boys,  and  on  October  22,  1850,  Welcome  entered 
the  employment  of  Joseph  ¥.  Sanxay,  of  146  William  street, 
men's  furnishing  goods,  at  a  salary  of  $2.00  a  week.  We 
may  mention  that  Mr.  Sanxay  is  still  alive  and  in  business 
on  Fulton  street.  Young  Hitchcock  stayed  here  but  a  few 
months,  not  feeling  ha])py,  as  he  expressed  it,  and  on  Feb- 
ruary 20,  1851,  went  to  Carlton  Co.,  dry  goods,  202 
Broadway,  at  a  salary  of  $100  a  year.  Here  he  commenced 
a  regular  and  exact  account  of  his  exjjenditure  which  is 
contained  in  an  old-fashioned  book  we  have  been  permitted 
to  ])eruse.    We  have  such  items  as  dinner,  12  cents  ;  sup- 


W.  G.  HITCHCOCK. 


Becar,  then  Noel  J.  Ik'car  it  Co.,  at  this  time  moving  to  187  * 
Broadway,  then  considered  (juite  a  movement  up  town,  then 
successively  Becar,  Ijenjamin  Co.,  Noel  J.  Becar  &  Co. 
(for  the  second  lime)  and  Becar  «!v:  Co.,  these  changes  in 
firm  making  the  admission  or  withdrawal  of  different  mem- 
bers. It  is  at  this  date,  for  instance,  that  we  note  James 
M.  Constable  as  a  member  of  the  firm.  Here,  too.  we  note 
another  movement  up  town,  this  time  to  342  Broadway  un- 
der the  name  of  Becar,  Napier  &  Co.,  names  being  Alfred 
Becar,  Alex.  I).  Napier  and  W.  (I.  Hitchcock.  Then  we 
come  to  Hecar  &  Co.,  again,  firm  being  composed  of  Alfred 
Becar,  W.  G.  Hitchcock  and  E.  ().  Potter,  this  marking  an- 
other movement  to  455-57  Broome  street,  i)resent  location 
of  the  house.  The  next  change  in  firm  name  is  to  Hitch- 
cock iV  Potter,  and  on  Mr.  Potter's  death  in  1880  to  W.  (}. 
Hitchcock  &  Co.,  jjersonal  of  firm  now  being  W.  (i.  Hitch- 
cock, (leorge  Jarvis  (Ireer,  A.  Howard  Ho])])ing  and 
Charles  H.  Lane.    Welcome  C.  Hit(hco(k  was   born  in 


per,  12  cents;  bath,  12  cents;  dinner,  6  cents;  and  soon, 
though  he  was  allowed  25  cents  for  suj)per.  So  for  several 
months  the  biggest  item  of  exjienditure  is  21  cents  for  Har- 
per's magazine,  though  at  this  time  often  working  until  11 
o'clock  at  night  and  even  later,  until  in  April,  185  i,  we  see 
silver  watch,  $7.50  ;  the  total  expenses  for  the  month  in- 
cluding watch  being  $10.52.  In  March  the  total  expendi- 
ture was  $3.96.  The  total  expenses  for  the  year  1851  being 
$106.56,  he  having  earned  a  few  extra  dollars  by  errands 
etc.  In  1852  salary  was  raised  to  $200  and  total  expenses 
for  year  $15 1. 81  ;  in  1853  to  $300  and  year's  expenditure 
$285.05.  In  this  year  we  notice  an  item  that  recalls  an  old 
lanclmark.  It  is  a  ticket,  25  cents,  for  the  Hip])odrome,  where 
Fifth  .'\ venue  Hotel  now  stands.  This  was  the  ojjening  night 
and  the  first  lime  the  term  hipi)odrome  was  iised  in  the 
I'nited  States.  In  October  i,  1854,  he  entered  the  house  of 
Noel  J.  i5ecar\-  Co.at  a  salary  of  $600,  and  the  record  shows 
that  he  continued  the  same  economical    habits,  keeping 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


1 1 1 


much  below  his  income,  for  example,  though  receiving  $50 
a  month  we  find  December,  1854,  holiday  month  to  be  re- 
membered, expenses  $23.50,  and  January,  1855,  only  $12.51, 
including  tickets  to  Burton's  theatre,  $1.00.  May  i,  1856, 
we  have  an  item  of  $22  for  pew  rent  in  the  old  Market 
street  church,  then  Dr.  Cuyler's.  In  short,  as  Mr.  Hitch- 
cock tersely  expresses  it,  he  attributes  one  great  element  of 
his  success  to  the  fact  that  he  walked  when  he  could  not 
afford  to  ride  and  carried  his  lunch  in  his  pocket.  Hi«  in- 
dependence of  character  is  shown  by  his  not  having 
received  anything  from  home  since  he  started  out  in  Octo- 
ber, 1850.  When  the  firm  was  Hitchcock  Potter  Mr. 
Hitchcock  negotiated  the  sale  of  $25,000  worth  of  his  i)aper 
(this  being  the  first  he  ever  made)  with  the  president  of  a 
New  York  bank  who  is  still  living.  'I'he  paper  was  accepted 
without  a  detailed  report  of  the  firm,  and  was  done  on  the 
strength  of  Mr  Hitchcock's  name  and  signature.  This 
marked  an  era  in  Mr.  Hitchcock's  career  ;  he  seemed  to 
have  gained  the  summit  of  his  ambition,  for  his  aim  through 
all  his  struggles  has  never  been  to  be  wealthy  for  its  own 
sake  merely,  but  to  gain  a  competence,  and  more  especially 
an  honorable  name.  This  point  was  reached  and  it  had  the 
effect  of  somewhat  relaxing  his  energies  and  ambition.  In 
1865  Mr.  Hitchcock  became  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Recar 
cK:  Co.,  as  before  noted,  the  firm  having  branched  out  from 
the  original  importation  of  linen  handkerchiefs  to  many 
other  features  of  imported  and  home  jjroduction. 


WILLIAM  BUTLER  HORNBLOWER. 
William  Butler  Hornblower,  a  prominent  lawyer  of  New 
York  City,  was  born  at  Paterson,  N.  J.,  May  13,  1851.  He 
comes  of  a  distinguished  ancestry.  His  great-grandfather, 
the  Hon.  Josiah  Hornblower,  was  born  in  England,  was  a 
member  of  the  Continental  Congress,  his  grandfather,  the 
Hon.  Joseph  C.  Hornblower,  was  Chief  Justice  of  the  State 
of  New  Jersey,  and  his  father,  the  Rev.  William  H.  Horn- 
blower,D.D.,  was  a  prominent  Presbyterian  divine.  William 
Butler  Hornblower,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  educated 
at  home  under  his  father's  care.  At  the  age  of  twelve,  he 
was  placed  in  the  well  known  Collegiate  School  of  Prof. 
George  P.  Quackenbos.  In  1867,  being  then  in  his  seven- 
teenth year,  he  entered  Princeton  College,  and  was  graduated 
there  in  1871.  In  1873,  having  determined  to  adopt  the  pro- 
fession of  law,  he  entered  the  Columbia  College  Law  School, 
and  two  years  later  received  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Laws. 
He  then  connected  himself  with  the  law  firm  of  Carter  & 
Eaton  of  New  York  City,  the  style  of  which  was  changed  in 
1877  to  Chamberlain,  Carter  &:  Hornblower.  In  1888  Mr. 
Hornblower  associated  himself  with  James  Byrne,  subse- 
quently with  Howard  &  Taylor,  and  founded  the  present 
well  known  firm  of  Hornblower,  Byrne  &  Taylor.  Mr. 
Hornblower  was  engaged  for  a  number  of  years  in  bank- 
ruptcy suits.  His  practice  now  embraces  the  whole  range 
of  legal  business.  In  the  suits  connected  with  the  famous 
Grant  and  Ward  case  he  was  counsel  for  the  Receiver,  and 
as  such  was  successful  in  recovering  a  judgment  for 
him,  setting  aside  transfers  of  property  by  Ferdinand  Ward 
of  over  $300,000.  His  practice  in  the  United  States  Courts 
has  covered  some  very  important  cases.  Mr.  Hornblower 
married  Ajjril  26th,  1882,  Miss  Susan  E.  Sanford,  daughter 
of  William  E.  Sanford  of  New  Haven,  Conn.  Mrs.  Horn- 
blower died  .\pril  27th,  1886.  Her  three  children  survive 
her.  In  1890,  Mr.  Hornblower  was  appointed  by  the 
Governor  of  the  State  and  served  as  a  member  of  a  Com- 
mission of  38  lawyers,  authorized  by  an  Act  of  the  Legisla- 
ture to  propose  amendments  to  the  Judiciary  Article  of  the 
State  Constitution.  He  is  President  of  the  Princeton  Club 
of  New  York,  is  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the 
New  York  Life  Insurance  Company,  also  of  iis  General 
Council. 


JACOB  A.  CANTOR. 
Hon.  Jacob  A.  Cantor,  a  successful  lawyer  and  politician 
of  the  Metropolis,  was  born  in  New  York  City,  in  December, 
1854,  and  is  of  English  ancestry,  both  of  his  parents  having 
come  from  London.  Like  many  of  our  brightest  men  he 
was  educated  in  the  public  schools  primarily,  but  pursued 
his  classical  studies  in  the  law  school  of  the  University  of 
New  York,  from  which  institution  he  graduated  in  1875, 
and  was  called  to  the  bar,  but  immediately  attached  himself 
to  the  staff  of  the  New  York  World  as  a  reporter.  At  the 
same  time,  developing  a  strong  taste  for  politics,  he  attached 
himself  to  the  fortunes  of  Tammany  Hall,  which  were  not 
then  as  bright  as  they  are  now,  and  soon  attracted  the  atten- 
tion of  its  chiefs.  After  serving  five  years  on  the  World 
and  making  a  reputation  as  a  good  journalist,  Mr.  Cantor 
began  the  practice  of  his  profession,  taking  up  Civil  Court 
business,  making  a  specialty  of  real  estate  and  corporation 
litigation.  In  1889  he  associated  himself  in  business  with 
Eugene  Van  Schaick,  and  in  1891  the  Hon.  John  J.  Linson, 


JACOB   A.  CANTOR. 


now  Commissioner  on  the  Re\  ision  of  State  Statutes,  joined 
them,  and  the  firm  under  the  style  of  Cantor,  Linson  &  A'an 
Schaick  does  a  large  and  lucrative  business.  Of  course  it 
is  as  a  politician  that  Mr.  Cantor  is  best  known,  and  doubt- 
less will  be  belter  known  by  and  by,  for  he  is  young  and 
ambitious.  Up  to  this  his  career  has  been  singularly  suc- 
cessful. He  was  elected  to  the  Assembly  from  the  Twenty- 
third  (Harlem)  Assembly  District  in  1884,  and  served 
uninterruptedly  until  1887,  when  he  was  sent  to  the  Senate 
from  the  Tenth  District,  and  having  been  re-elected  in  1889 
and  1891,  is  member  of  that  body  now.  He  cut  a  figure  in 
the  Senate  and  was  President  protein,  during  the  last  session. 
He  was  Democratic  leader  of  the  Senate  the  first  term, 
which  is  a  very  unusual  honor  for  a  new  member.  Mr. 
Cantor's  power  consists  in  his  earnest  eloquence.  He  can 
sway  a  Harlem  meeting  to  more  purpose  than  any  other  ora- 
tor that  goes  amongst  them,  and  this  not  so  much  because  of 
his  force,  though  a  very  fine  speaker,  as  by  the  opinion  he 
con\eys  that  he  is  convinced  himself  that  what  he  says  is 


I  12 


NEPV  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


true  That  he  is  honest  and  conscientious,  both  as  a  lawyer 
and  legislator,  is  bejond  qviestion.  Even  the  cynical  Re- 
form Almanac,  so  sparing  of  praise,  says  of  him,  "unlike 
most  of  the  city  members  he  is  both  able  and  honest."  He 
is  Chairman  of  the  Senate  Committee  on  Finance  and  Rules 
and  member  of  the  Committees  on  Judiciary  and  General 
Laws. 

CLARENCE  W.  CORNELL,  M.D. 
Clarence  W.  Cornell,  M.D.,  son  of  Edwin  Cornell,  a 
prominent  builder  and  real  estate  dealer,  was  born  in  this 
city,  May  i,  1856.  His  earlier  education  was  obtained  from 
the  public  schools  of  his  native  city,  and  afterwards  from 
the  College  of  New  York.  He  entered  the  New  York 
Homoeopathic  College  in  1874,  graduating  with  honors 
three  years  later.  He  received  an  appointment  as  Interim 
at  the  Ward's  Island  Hospital,  which  he  continued  to  hold 
for  one  year,  until  he  received  the  appointment  of  Demon- 
strator of  Anatomy  in  the  New  York  HonKxojjathic  Medical 
College.  After  filling  the  position  with  credit  for  a  period 
of  two  years,  he  was  appointed  Clinical  Assistant  to  the 
Chair  of  Surgery.  In  1888  he  was  a])pointed  Lecturer  on 
Minor  Surgery,  which  position  he  still  holds.  In  1878  he 
was  ap|)ointed  one  of  the  visiting  surgeons  to  the  Ward's 
Island  Hospital,  and  in  1880  was  made  surgeon  to  the  Col- 
lege Dispensary,  which  position  he  still  occupies.  He  is  a 
member  of  both  the  County  and  State  Societies,  and  also  a 
member  and  for  three  years  one  of  the  Examining  Com- 
mittee of  the  Alumni  Association  ;  a  member  of  the  New 
York  Clinicil  Club,  the  Medico-Social  Club.  He  married 
in  1889  Annie  V,.  Rudd,  of  this  city,  and  has  one  little  Miss, 
Cenevieve  M.  Rudd.  He  removed  in  1889  to  354  West 
l''ifty-eighth  Street,  where  he  still  resides  and  has  his  offices. 

OTTO  HEINZE. 
Otto  Heinze,  for  for  y  years  one  of  New  York's  promi- 
nent merchants,  and  a  noble  representative  of  the  great 
Herman  element,  was  born  on  January  23,  1831,  in  Saalfeld, 
Thuringen,  Cermany.  He  belonged  to  a  strictly  literary 
family.  On  the  mother's  side  he  was  descended  from  a 
long  line  of  ministers,  covering  a  period  of  350  years. 
One  of  his  ancestors,  the  learned  Casjjar  Aijuda,  was  a 
friend  of  M.irtin  Luther,  whom  he  materially  aided  in  his 
translation  of  the  Old  Testament.  Mr.  Heinze's  father,  a 
highly  res])ected  clergyman  and  himself  a  man  of  scholastic 
attainments,  was  desirous  that  his  children  should  not  be 
handicapi)ed  in  the  battle  of  life  for  lack  of  an  education. 
Otto,  anxious  to  follow  the  family  trend,  wished  to  study 
for  a  profession,  but  his  father,  seeing  in  him  a  talent  for 
business,  dedicated  him  to  a  commer(  ial  career.  He  was, 
therefore,  according  to  Oerman  custom,  apprenticed  to  a 
merchant  in  Namnburg  on-the-Saale.  While  serving  his 
a|)prenti<eshi])  he  devoted  his  leisure  to  studying  French 
and  English,  Sunday,  his  only  day  of  recreation,  being  sjjent 
usually  at  his  father's  parsonage.  On  the  expiration  of  his 
ai)])renticeship  he  took  a  ])lace  in  a  commercial  house  in 
Halle-on-the-Saale,  a  famous  university  town,  where  he 
remained  a  few  years.  Having  finished  his  business  educa 
tion,  he  concluded  to  come  to  this  country,  which  ])resented 
such  grand  jiossibilities  for  a  young  man  of  ability. 
Arriving  in  New  York,  in  1850,  he  found  it  difficult 
enough  to  get  along  without  influential  friends  ;  but 
possessing  the  energy  and  intelligence  he  did  it  was  only  a 
(juestion  of  time  with  him  to  find  his  level,  and  he  finally 
secured  a  temjjorary  position  with  the  firm  of  Hcnschen 
iV'  Unkart.  He  did  his  best  to  gain  the  confidence  of  his 
em])loyers,  and  succeeded,  for  so  satisfactorily  were  his 
duties  performed  that  they  engaged  him  jjcrmanently. 
Not  only  that,  but  when  several  years  later  Mr.  Henschen 
died,  young  Heinze  was  admitted  to  partnership  in  the  firm. 


Previous  to  this  he  entertained  the  intention  of  returning 
to  (iermany  and  carrying  out  his  original  idea  of  studying 
for  a  profession,  but  the  change  in  his  prospects  decided 
him  to  settle  down  in  America  and  found  a  home  of  his 
own.  Consequently,  on  February  12,  1862,  he  married 
Miss  Eliza  M.  Lacey,  with  whom  he  enjoyed  for  well  nigh 
thirty  years  the  maximum  of  domestic  happiness.  In  1866 
Mr.  Heinze  and  his  partner  sejjarated  on  account  of  a  dif- 
ference of  ojjinion  as  to  the  policy  to  be  pursued  by  the 
house.  Mr.  Heinze  joined  the  firm  of  Hachez,  (Joetze  iS: 
Co.,  one  of  the  most  ])rominent  importing  houses  in  the 
metropolis.  Although  from  that  time  on  the  members  of 
the  firm  changed  more  than  once,  Mr.  Heinze  uj)  to  the  day 
of  his  death  was  its  controlling  and  guiding  spirit.  Those 
changes  led  first  to  Goetze,  Heinze  &  Co.  ;  then  to  Heinze, 
Gross  &  Co.  ;  next  to  Otto  Heinze  &  Co.  ;  and  finally  to 
the  name  it  bears  to  day,  namely,  Heinze,  Loewy  &  Co. 

It  is  one  of  the  largest  knit  goods  houses  in  the  country, 
and  through  all  the  panics  and  crises  of  the  last  quarter  of 
a  century  stood  solid  and  untarnished,  with  high  charai  ter 
and  sound  financial  credit.  During  the  last  two  decades 
Mr.  Heinze  took  an  acti\e  j)art  in  many  financial  and  com- 
mercial interests,  esjjicially  insurance,  and  was  ma  nly 
instrumental  in  founding  the  Cierman-American  Insurance 
Company,  one  of  the  strongest  fire  insurance  companies  of 
New  York,  and  also  the  Germania  Life  Insurance  Company, 
in  both  of  which  he  was  a  director  and  member  of  their 
finance  committees.  From  all  sources,  by  energy,  ability 
and  honorable  methods,  Mr.  Heinze  accumulated  a  large 
fortune.  Personally  Mr.  Heinze  was  a  gentleman  of  kind 
and  affable  manners,  jjossessing  in  a  marked  degree  the 
great  faculty  of  making  and  keeping  many  warm  friends. 
He  was  mild  in  sjjeech,  but  ])rompt  in  action — a  man  the 
Latin  i)hrase  admirably  describes,  "  Suaviter  in  modo, 
fortiter  in  re."  He  was  a  Freemason,  one  of  the  most 
prominent  in  the  Stite.  He  was  also  prominent  in  .social  life, 
and  was  in  his  time  President  of  the  Brooklyn  Germania.  He 
was  member  of  the  Hamilton  (Brooklyn)  Club  and  of  the 
German  Hosi)ital  and  Merchants'  Club,  of  New  York.  It 
is  well  known  of  Mr.  Heinze  that  his  hand  was  always  open 
to  the  worthy  poor  and  to  deserving  charities,  and  that  he 
did  much  toward  ameliorating  the  condition  of  the  people. 
He  early  became  a  citizen  of  the  L'uited  States,  and  fulfilled 
his  duties  as  such  while  retaining  his  love  for  the  country 
of  his  birth  and  the  tongue  of  his  childhood.  In  politics 
he  was  at  one  time  a  Republican,  but  since  1884  figured  as 
a  supporter  of  Mr.  Cleveland.  Mr.  Heinze  had  a  strong 
sense  of  religious  duty  instilled  into  him  in  his  i)aternal 
home,  and  attended  the  Grace  Ei)iscoi)al  Church,  Brook 
lyn  Heights,  with  his  family.  He  died  on  November 
1,  1891,  to  the  surprise  and  regret  of  the  community, 
which,  judging  from  his  appearance,  hoped  and  believed  he 
would  enjoy  many  more  years  of  usefulness.  Mr.  Heinze 
had  eight  children,  five  of  whom,  three  sons  and  two 
daughters,  with  his  widow,  survive  him.  His  eldest  daugh- 
ter, Alice,  married  George  W.  Watjen,  of  the  old  German 
shi|)])ing  house  of  l>remen,  D.  H.  Watjen  cS:  Co,  and  the 
second  daughter,  Lida,  is  married  to  William  M.  Fleitmann, 
of  Fleitmann  &  Co.,  New  York.     The  sons  are  unmarried. 

The  eldest,  Arthur  P.  Heinze,  is  a  well-known  practising 
lawyer,  Otto  C.  Heinze  is  his  father's  successor  in  business, 
and  F.  Augustus  Heinze  resides  in  Butte,  Mont.,  where  he  is 
the  manager  of  the  large  smelting  works  of  the  Montana 
Ore  Purchasing  Co.  It  may  be  stated  incidentally  that 
both  Mr.  Heinze's  brothers  occu])y  leading  positions  in 
Germany.  As  may  be  seen  in  the  "Encyclopedia  of 
Science,"  the  elder,  Rudolph,  is  a  professor  of  law  in  the 
celebrated  Heidelberg  L'niversity,  while  the  younger,  Max, 
is  professor  of  philosophy  in  the  equally  celebrated  Uni- 
versity of  Leipsic. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


"3 


114 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


JOHN  J.  GORMAN. 

John  J.  Gorman  was  born  in  New  York  City,  on  the  stli 
of  October,  1828.  He  was  educated  at  Public  School  No. 
3,  in  Hudson  Street.  A  typical  New  Yorker  and  popular 
among  his  associates,  at  an  early  age  he  became  identified 
with  the  Volunteer  Fire  Department,  then  the  city's  only 
protection  against  conflagration,  and  soon  became  promi- 
nent as  one  of  its  most  daring  and  devoted  members.  On 
May  12th,  1859,  Mr.  Gorman  was  elected  a  Fire  Commis- 
sioner, and  on  the  expiration  of  his  first  term  of  office  in 
1863  he  was  unanimously  re-elected.  During  the  two  years 
next  following,  he  served  as  President  of  the  Board.  For 
nineteen  years  he  continued  Trustee  of  the  Widows'  and 
Orphans'  Fund,  and  was  finally  elected  President  of  that 
benevolent  institution.  In  1877  Mr.  Gorman  was  api)ointed 
a  Commissioner  in  the  present  fire  department,  and  on 
August  loth,  1 88 1,  he  was  chosen  President  of  the  Board, 
which  position  he  continued  to  fill  to  the  entire  satisfaction 
of  the  public,  until  his  appointment  as  Police  Justice  on 
November  13,  1883.    There  is  no  citizen  to  whom  greater. 


JOHN  J.  GORMAN. 

if  equal,  credit  is  due  for  the  perfection  of  our  fire  service  in 
the  discipline  of  the  uniformed  force  in  de])artniental 
management  and  in  perfection  of  apparatus,  "'(hice  a  fire- 
man always  a  fireman,"  is  often  said  of  the  old  time  fire 
volunteers  who  did  such  noble  work  for  the  protection  of 
life  and  property,  impelled  only  by  a  spirit  of  bravery  and 
devotion  to  the  public  welfare.  Even  now  Sheriff  (iorman 
takes  the  same  keen  and  critical  interest  in  the  fire  service  as 
when  he  was  actively  connected  with  it  as  "  fire  laddie," 
Chief  Commissioner  and  Departmental  Head.  In  business 
life  Mr.  Gorman  was  long  an  indefatigable  and  successful 
worker.  During  many  years  he  was  extensively  engaged  in 
the  manufacture  of  metallic  ])ackages,  a  business  at  which  he 
accumulated  a  comfortable  fortune.  His  investments  in 
real  estate  have  grown  from  small  beginnings  to  great 
dimensions,  and  he  has  reaped  large  gains  by  anticipating 
the  march  of  the  city's  growth  and  avoiding  merely  s|)e(  u- 
lative  ventures.  John  J.  Gorman  bei  ame  interested  in 
l)oliti(  al  affairs  as  soon  as  he  attained  his  majority.  Always 


a  Democrat  he  spared  no  honorable  effort  to  ])romote  his 
party's  success.  When  Samuel  J.  Tilden  entered  upon  the 
reorganization  of  Tammany  Hall,  Mr.  (iorman  was  one  of 
his  most  active  lieutenants,  in  co-operation  with  such  men  as 
Charles  O'Conor,  August  Belmont,  John  Kelly,  Abram  S.  ^ 
Hewitt,  and  Augustus  Schell.  For  many  years  he  was 
Treasurer  of  the  General  Committee  of  Tammany.  In  the 
Tammany  Society,  or  Columbian  Order,  he  has  been  a 
Sachem  since  1877,  and  he  is  now  Father  of  the  Council,  ?. 
presiding  offit:er  of  the  Board  of  Sachems.  From  1883  to 
1 89 1  Police  Justice  (iorman  was  regarded  universally  as  a 
model  magistrate.  Patient  in  hearing  cases,  he  was  i>rompt 
in  his  decisions,  and  the  thought  of  influencing  his  magis- 
terial action  by  political  or  personal  favor  never  entered 
into  the  mind  of  any  one.  In  November,  1890,  he  was 
elected  Sheriff  of  the  County  of  New  York,  as  a  nominee  of 
the  Tammany  Democracy.  This  great  office  was  nevermore 
systematically  organized  or  more  satisfactorily  conducted. 
With  the  success  of  Sheriff  Gorman  in  business  and  official 
life,  the  absolute  sim|)licity  and  rectitude  of  his  private 
career  have  much  to  do.  He  is  a  model  citizen  in  all  his 
relations  to  household,  church  and  political,  financial  and 
benevolent  institutions.  Abstemious  in  habit,  regular  in 
hours  of  rest  as  well  as  of  duty,  always  cool  but  incessantly 
active,  he  enjoys,  in  the  maturity  of  his  ])owers,  health  and 
strength  that  younger  men  envy.  As  a  Mason  the  career  of 
John  J.  Gorman  is  truly  illustrous.  Joining  the  Order  in 
Hope  Lodge,  244,  on  January,  1854,  he  passed  through 
various  grades  of  Masonic  honor,  and  became  Master  of  the 
Lodge  in  1858.  Exalted  to  the  Royal  Arch,  November  20, 
1857,  knighted  in  Morton  Commandery  in  the  following  year, 
High  Priest  of  Hope  Chapter  in  1870,  he  received  the  33d 
degree  in  the  Ancient  and  Accejjted  Rite  in  1881,  and  was 
chosen  Sovereign  Grand  Commander  of  that  Rite  in  1887, 
and  still  holds  that  office.  With  the  Masonic  Fair  of  1865.  and 
similar  undertakings,  including  the  erection  of  the  Masonic 
rem]jle,  he  was  identified  as  a  leading  spirit.  As  a  member 
of  the  Masonic  Court  of  Appeals  and  as  Trustee  of  the  Hall 
and  Asylum,  he  has  made  a  brilliant  record.  On  June  the 
5th,  1889,  he  was  elected  Grand  Treasurer  of  the  (irand 
Lodge,  by  acclamation,  and  he  has  since  been  annually  re- 
elected to  that  most  responsible  trust.  To  enumerate  and 
describe  Sheriff  Gorman's  Masonic  services  would  require  a 
volume.  They  are  such  as  might  be  expected  of  a  man 
whose  life  of  devotion  to  duty  is  so  full  of  deserved  honor. 

THADDEUS    J.    KEANE,  M.D. 

Thaddeus  J.  Keane,  M.D.,  one  of  New  York's  prominent 
physicians,  was  born  in  the  County  Kerry,  Ireland,  in  1S59. 
His  father,  John  Keane,  was  a  gentleman  farmer,  and  the 
old  family  homestead,  which  is  still  in  existence,  is  occu- 
l)ied  by  the  doctor's  brother.  From  his  sixth  to  his  six- 
teenth year  he  attended  the  Irish  national  schools  in  the 
Old  Country  and  the  public  schools  of  this  city.  He  was 
brought  to  this  country  in  1875,  where  he  continued  his 
studies  at  St.  Francis  Xavier's  College,  West  Sixteenth 
Street,  New  York  City,  and  subsecjuently  at  St.  Ignatius' 
College  in  Chicago,  in  which  city  he  remained  until  his 
nineteenth  year.  He  received  his  medical  training  partly 
in  the  Rush  College,  Chicago,  and  later  in  the  University 
Medical  College,  of  New  York,  from  which  he  graduated  in 
1883.  Immediately  upon  graduating  he  received  an  ap- 
pointment, gained  through  a  competitive  examination,  to 
the  St.  \'incent's  Hospital,  which  position  he  held  for 
eighteen  months.  For  a  short  time  he  was  visiting  sur- 
geon to  St.  Elizabeth's  Hos])ital,  and  is  at  present  visiting 
surgeon  to  St.  Joseph's  Home  for  the  Aged.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  New  \'ork  County  Medical  Society,  the 
Physicians'  Mutual  Aid  Society,  Young  Men's  Roman  Cath- 
olic Benevolent  .Association,  the  Catholic   Club  and  the 


NEW  YORK,  TBI':  METROPOLIS. 


"5 


Tammany  Clencral  Committee  of  tlie  Seventh  District.  Dr. 
Keane  married  in  May,  1882,  Miss  Rose  McManiis, 
daughter  of  Thomas  McManus,  of  this  city,  and  has  four 
children. 

JOHN  RUSZITS. 

The  man  who  made,  or  caused  to  be  made,  the  first  seal 
skin  garment  ever  manufactured  in  this  country  died  on 
Oct.  18,  1890,  the  acknowledged  father  of  the  fur  trade  in 
the  United  States.  He  was  born  in  Baja,  Hungary,  in  1816, 
and  his  parents  being  poor  he  had  to  begin  work  at  an  early 
age  as  a  furrier's  ajjprentice.  But  he  was  always  ambitious, 
for  he  always  felt  the  consciousness  of  possessing  ability, 
and  so,  when  only  twelve  years  of  age  he  started  out  for  the 
great  city  of  London  to  make  his  fortune,  as  thousands  had 
started  before  him.  In  the  British  Metropolis  he  expe- 
rienced the  most  grinding  poverty.  It  was  some  time  before 
he  managed  to  procure  work,  and  meantime,  having  brought 
but  a  small  allowance  of  money  with  him,  he  found  it  very 


work.  At  this  stage  he  remembered  that  lie  had  a  letter  of 
introduction  to  a  Mr.  Randall  who  had  lived  in  London  and 
went  to  him  for  advice.  "The  best  you  can  do,"  said  Mr. 
Randall,  "  seeing  you  are  not  accpiainted  with  the  way  in 
which  business  is  transacted  here  in  New  York,  is  to  obtain 
a  position  in  some  fur  house  for  a  year  or  two  before  start- 
ing out  for  yourself."  Mr.  Ruszits  said  it  was  then  too 
late  as  he  had  rented  a  loft,  whereupon  Mr.  Randall  asked 
him  in  what  way  he  intended  doing  business,  and  was  an- 
swered on  a  cash  basis.  "You  are  away  behind  the  age," 
said  his  friend  ;  "  you  must  work  on  the  credit  system,  a 
cash  basis  will  never  do."  But  cash  it  was,  and  Mr. 
Ruszits  did  succeed  and  prospered  and  grew  wealthy,  as 
all  New  York  knows,  and  died  with  a  rejjutation  for  hon- 
esty, integrity  and  fair  dealing  that  any  man  might  be  proud 
of.  He  struck  the  keynote  of  his  own  character  when,  at  a 
meeting  of  furriers  held  in  1887,  he  said  :  "  I  have  had  a 
great  many  struggles,  a  great  many  ups  and  downs,  but 
with  will  power  and  the  assistance  of  the  Almighty  Creator 


JOHN  Rl'SZITS. 


easy  to  economize,  and  often  in  after-times,  when  he  was 
rich  enough  to  purchase  a  cattle  ranch  without  missing  the 
money,  he  was  prone  to  dwell  on  the  fact  that  at  this  period 
of  his  life  in  London  he  was  often  six  weeks  without  tast- 
ing meat.  After  a  while  he  secured  work,  struggling  along 
until  he  was  thirty-five  years  of  age  without  meeting  with 
much  success.  He  had  mastered  the  details  of  the  fur 
trade,  however,  and  that  in  the  most  thorough  manner,  and 
succeeded  in  sa>ing  $2,000  from  his  earnings.  At  this 
time,  partly  to  improve  his  fortunes,  but  chiefly  to  recuper- 
ate his  health  by  a  change  of  climate,  Mr.  Ruszits  came  to 
New  York  and  put  up  in  the  Franklin  House.  Next  morn- 
ing he  put  on  his  Sunday  clothes  and  went  looking  for 
work.  Going  down  Maiden  Lane  he  found  some  lofts  to 
rent  and  he  took  thein,  paying  down  $450.  He  also  pur- 
chased fixtures  and  thus  made  a  big  hole  in  his  savings. 
This  was  in  August,  185 1,  and  getting  some  goods  he 
brought  from  Europe  with  him  out  of  bond  he  went  to 


I  achieved  what  I  have  achieved  by  labor,  labor,  always 
labor."  He  was  a  great  worker,  and  in  that  and  his  bright 
intellect  lay  the  secret  of  his  success. 

ELBERT  ELLERY  ANDERSON. 

Elbert  EUery  Anderson,  the  Political  Reformer,  was  born 
in  this  city  on  October  31,  1833.  His  father  was  Henry 
James  Anderson,  also  born  in  New  York,  in  1799.  He  was 
a  man  of  distinguished  attainments  in  the  classics  and  liter- 
ature, in  the  mastery  of  many  languages  and  in  the  culture  of 
the  higher  branches  of  mathematics. 

After  traveling  in  Europe,  Africa  and  Asia,  from  1843 
to  1848,  Mr.  Anderson  returned  to  America,  was  graduated 
from  Harvard  College,  and  was  called  to  the  bar  in  T854. 
From  that  time  to  the  present  day,  Mr.  Anderson  has  prac- 
ticed his  profession  without  interruption.  He  has  had  the 
management  of  many  trusts,  and  still  has,  and  has  been  con- 
spicuous in  many  causes  cdebres.    In  1868  he  formed  a  part- 


ii6  NEiy   YOJiK,  TJIE  AIKTROPOLIS. 


ncrsliip  with  Mr.  Frederick  H.  Mun,  son  of  the  late  Alon 
P.  Man,  and  the  firm  of  Anderson  Man  is  one  of  the  best 
known  and  respected  in  the  city.  During  the  last  ten  years 
he  has  been  more  particularly  engaged  in  litigation  against 
railroads  and  in  reorganization  i)lans.  He  conducted  the  liti- 
gation against  Jay  Gould,  in  the  Missouri,  Kansas  and 
Texas  Railway  Company,  for  the  recovery  of  interest 
due  on  income  bond  coupons,  and  the  result  of  the  suit  was 
the  payment  in  value  of  over  two  millions  of  dollars  to  the 
parties  in  interest. 

In  the  spring  of  1862,  Mr.  Anderson,  just  after  the  re- 
treat of  General  Banks,  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley,  went  to 
the  front  as  Major,  in  the  N.  Y.  State  Militia,  was  cajjtured 
by  the  Confederates,  under  Stonewall  Jackson,  paroled  and 
returned  to  his  home.  In  1871,  he  engaged  actively  in  the 
crusade  against  the  Tweed  Ring,  subsecjuently  joined  the 
Tammany  Hall  organization,  and  was  for  fome  years  its 
chairman  in  the  nth  district.  He  withdrew  from  Tammany 
Hall  in  1879,  and  soon  after,  with  Abram  S.  Hewitt,  Edward 


ELIiERT  ELLERV  ANDERSON. 

Coo])er  and  William  C.  Whitney,  organized  the  County 
Democracy,  of  whose  General  Committee  he  was  for  several 
years  the  chairman.  In  this  connection  he  helped  materi- 
ally in  the  rout  of  Tammany  Hall  in  1884,  and  the  election 
to  the  Mayoralty  of  William  R.  Grace  over  Hugh  J.  Grant. 

During  the  last  few  years  Mr.  Anderson  has  been  an 
able  advocate  of  tariff  reform.  His  opposition  to  the  tariff 
is  based  upon  a  deep  conviction  that  it  is  unjust  in  princi|)le 
and  that  its  effect  is  to  enable  favored  classes  to  accumulate 
vast  sums  which  they  do  not  earn,  and  are  taken  from  the 
scanty  earnings  of  the  masses.  He  has  never  held  office,  and 
though  on  many  occasions  he  received  the  offer  of  nomina- 
tion to  the  Supreme  (,'ourt  Bench,  he  has  always  declined. 
He  has  served  as  School  Trustee,  Rajjid  Transit  Commis- 
sioner, and,  respectively,  of  land  taken  for  the  Croton  .Aique- 
duct  and  the  Klevated  Railroad.  He  was  appointecl  in 
1887,  by  President  Cleveland,  a  Commissioner  to  investigate 
the  affairs  of  the  Union  Pacific  and  Central  Pacific  Com- 
panies, and  prepared  the  majority  report  of  the  Commission. 


The  services  rendered  the  Democratic  jiarty  in  general, 
and  President  Cleveland  in  particular,  by  Mr.  .\nderson  in 
the  late  memorable  campaign,  are  considered  of  inestima- 
ble value  by  Democratic  leaders  all  over  the  country.  He 
was  President  of  the  Reform  Club,  and  Chairman  of  the  » 
Tariff  Reform  Committee,  and  as  such  played  an  important 
l)art  in  the  election.  It  was  chiefly  the  action  of  the  "  Anti- 
Snappers"  that  prevented  the  nomination  of  Senator  Hill,  at 
the  Chicago  convention,  and  Mr.  Anderson  was  one  of  their 
.organizers  and  directing  s])ir.ts.  He  is  an  active  man,  and 
always  has  been,  but  it  is  doubtful  if  in  all  his  career  he 
worked  half  as  hard  as  he  did  during  the  three  months  pre- 
ceding the  last  November  election.  It  was  not  only  that 
his  tactics  in  bringing  about  the  nomination  of  Grover  Cleve- 
land were  masterly,  but  he  did  more  than  any  other  man 
to  educate  the  people  all  over  on  tariff  reform.  In  fact  Mr. 
Anderson's  name  is  synonymous  with  reform.  He  is  its 
apostle,  and  as  such  he  will  always  be  known. 


JULIUS  BUNZL. 

If  some  bright  literary  man  ever  writes  a  history  of  the 
rise  and  fall  of  some  of  New  York's  leading  commercial 
houses  he  will  have  furnished  a  remarkable  and  an  interest- 
ing work  to  the  public.  Many  of  the  houses  began  with 
large  capital  and  have  disappeared  from  the  face  of  trade  ; 
there  is  not  a  memory  of  them  left,  while  others  which 
commenced  in  the  most  inconceivably  modest  fashion  have 
grown  into  large  proportions  and  descend  from  sire  to  son. 
Though  luck  often  plays  a  prominent  ])art  in  commerce,  it 
may  be  stated,  as  a  general  rule,  that  while  capital  without 
brains  goes  to  the  wall,  brains  when  backed  by  persever- 
ance, integrity  and  method  are  bound  to  win.  Happy, 
however,  is  the  firm  that  have  both  brains  and  caj^ilal,  and 
of  such  is  J.  Bunzl  &  Sons,  the  great  tobacco  dealers.  The 
founders  of  the  house  had  a  history  that  is  almost  unique. 
Julius  Bunzl,  for  that  was  his  name,  was  born  in  Prague, 
Bohemia.  A  chemist  by  profession,  he  came  to  this  country 
in  1848  with  very  little  money  in  his  pocket,  but  with  an 
undaunted  resolution.  He  was  unable  to  find  anything  to 
do  in  his  own  line,  and  therefore  looked  around  him  for 
something  else,  thus  illustrating  the  soundness  of  the 
Sjianish  ])roverI)  which  says  that  if  one  cannot  get  what  he 
likes,  he  must  like  what  he  gets.  On  the  voyage  out  he 
made  the  acquaintance  of  some  of  his  countrymen  who  were 
cigar  makers,  and  meeting  them  in  New  \'ork  one  day  a 
short  time  after  he  prevailed  upon  them  to  teach  him  the 
business,  which  they  did,  and  by  this  means  he  eked  out  a 
scanty  living  for  a  while.  A  few  months  later  he  met  Mr. 
Henry  Dormitzer,  also  a  native  of  Prague  ;  they  clubbed 
the  few  dollars  they  had  together  and  bought  a  small  cigar 
store  on  Catharine  street.  'That  was  the  beginning  of  the 
firm  of  Bunzl  Dormitzer,  and  now  known  as  J.  Bunzl  c^- 
Sons,  and  esteemed  all  over  the  United  States.  In  1858 
the  ])artners  moved  to  their  present  quarters  and  engaged 
in  the  wholesale  tobacco  trade,  and  in  1863  sold  out  half  a 
dozen  cigar  stores  they  owned  in  various  parts  of  the  city. 
Prom  that  day  to  this  the  business  of  the  house  has 
increased  and  branches  have  been  thrown  out  until  to  day 
it  may  be  considered  an  American  institution.  In  January, 
1884,  Mr.  Dormitzer  retired  from  the  firm  with  a  large 
fortune,  and  on  July  4,  1887,  Mr.  Bunzl  died,  lea\ing  his 
three  sons  as  executors  of  his  estate  and  heirs  to  his 
immense  business.  The  firm  buys  and  packs  tobacco  in  the 
States  of  New  York,  Ohio,  Pennsvlvania,  Massachusetts, 
Wisconsin,  Connecticut,  Indiana,  \'ermont,  New  Hamj)- 
shire  and  New  Jersey,  and  has  warehouses  in  Lancaster, 
Maytown  and  Wrightville,  Pa.;  Kdgerton  and  Stoughton, 
Wis  ;  Miamisburg,  Ohio  ;  Geimantown.  Ohio  ;  Baldwins- 
ville,  N.  v.;  Big  Flats,  N.  Y.;  Hartford  and  New  Milford, 
Conn.;    South    Deerfield,   Mass.,  and    Putney,  Vt.  'The 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METJiOJ'OLIS. 


117 


ii8  NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


present  firm  consists  of  Mr.  Bunzl's  sons — Victor,  Giistav 
and  Ernest.  They  were  all  born  in  the  United  States,  and 
received  a  liberal  education  in  American  Colleges.  Victor 
graduated  from  New  Vork  College  in  June,  1877  ;  Gustav 
went  through  a  course  in  the  School  of  Mines  in  Columbia 
College  ;  Ernest  has  also  the  New  York  College  for  an  Alma 
Mater.  All  three  are  married  and  the  three  ladies  are 
natives  of  New  York  City.  Victor  was  married  on  Novem- 
ber 25,  1890,  to  Miss  Pauline  Bookman  ;  Gustav,  on 
December  17,  1891,  to  Miss  Harriet  Kaufman,  and  Ernest, 
on  November  7,  1888,  to  Miss  Elizabeth  C.  (ioble.  Their 
mother,  Mrs.  Julius  Bunzl,  widow  of  the  founder  of  the 
house,  is  a  lady  well  known  for  her  unostentatious  charities. 
In  her  good  deeds  she  does  not  disc  riminate,  but  serves  all 
creeds  and  nationalities  alike,  and  the  same  may  be  said  of 
the  younger  ladies,  who  are  also  well  known  in  high  social 
circles.  The  store  on  Water  street  is  one  of  the  oldest  in 
the  city. 

CHARLES  F.  HOLM. 

Charles  F.  Holm,  who  has  an  office  in  the  Pulitzer  Build- 
ing, is  a  hard  worker  and  may  be  set  down  as  one  of  New 
York's  most  prosperous  lawyers.  An  idea  of  his  business 
may  be  gleaned  from  the  statement  that  he  has  six  assistants 
constantly  emjjloyed,  three  of  them  in  the  profession.  Among 
his  clients  are  such  by  establishment  as  the  Consumers' 
Brewing  Company  of  New  York,  limited.  Pain's  Protec- 
tive Company  of  New  York  and  London,  the  Butchers'  Stock 
Trust,  Koscher  Meat  and  Sausage  Company,  Eagle  Dis- 


CII.AKLKS  r.  HOl.M. 

tillery,  MeyerCage  Manufacturing  Company,  and  Quintuple 
Iron  Company.  He  also  acts  as  counsel  for  the  Lawyers' 
Title  Insurance  Company  of  New  York.  Mr.  Holm  was 
born  in  this  city  in  1862,  and  received  the  rudiments  of  his 
education  in  the  public  schools.  He  was  sent  to  Euro])e 
to  complete  his  studies,  and  spent  seven  years  in  the  Ger- 
man University  of  Rostock.  He  graduated  from  Columbia 
College  and  received  the  degree  of  LL.B.  Mr.  Holm  is  a 
member  of  Herman  Lodge,  and  has  attained  the  thirty- 
second  degree  in  Masonry. 


ANDREW  J.  CAMPBELL. 

Andrew  J.  Camijbell,  one  of  New  York's  prominent 
builders,  was  born  in  Newark,  N.  J.,  on  July  5,  1828.  At 
the  age  of  five  he  went  to  live  with  his  grandfather,  William 
Campbell,  a  farmer  near  Hackensack,  N.  J.,  whose  father  . 
served  three  years  in  the  Federal  army  of  the  American 
Revolution.  From  ten  to  fourteen  the  boy  did  a  man's 
work  on  the  farm,  attending  the  village  school,  a  mile  and 
a  half  distant,  during  the  winter  months.  He  came  to  New 
York  in  1842,  being  then  thirteen  years  old,  and  aj)prenticed 
himself  to  a  builder.  At  eighteen  he  began  work  as  a 
journeyman,  and  at  twenty-two  started  in  business  for  him- 
self. In  1856  he  was  elected  Councilman  for  the  Nmth 
Ward,  and  was  appointed  Deputy  Tax  Commissioner  in 
1857,  which  position  he  held  until  1864,  when  he  was 
appointed  Clerk  of  the  Third  District  Civil  Court.  In  1870 
he  was  appointed  Su|)erintendent  of  Repairs  and  Supplies 
in  the  Department  of  Public  Works,  and  was  in  the  fall  of 
1875  elected  member  of  the  Assembly,  where  he  reaped 
honors  and  made  both  friends  and  enemies  by  his  straight- 
forward conduct.  In  1865  Mr.  Campbell,  in  partnership 
with  W.  H.  Van  Tassel,  established  his  present  business  of 
Architectural  Iron  Works  in  a  small  way,  and  by  industry, 
perseverance  and  sterling  integrity  has  extended  it  until  it 
has  assumed  its  large  proportions  of  to-day.  The  West 
Side  Architectural  Iron  Works  now  occupy  ten  full  building 
lots,  from  550  to  560  on  the  south  side  and  from  553  to  557 
on  the  north  side  of  West  Thirty-third  Street,  all  covered 
with  appropriate  buildings.  Mr.  Campbell  was  President  of 
"  The  Chelsea  "  six  years  and  has  now  resigned.  He  had 
the  care  of  that  property  as  special  trustee  the  last  five 
years  and  made  it  famous  as  a  family  hotel,  all  the  while 
attending  to  his  own  business,  and  by  judicious  manage- 
ment raised  it  from  the  brink  of  failure  to  its  present  value, 
estimated  at  81,300,000.  He  is  still  a  member  of  the  Board 
of  Trustees  in  charge  of  the  property.  In  politics  he  is  a 
Republican  and  a  strong  advocate  of  protection,  and  though 
sixty-four  years  old  is  in  the  full  vigor  of  life. 

JOHN    AIKMAN  STEWART. 

John  .-\ikman  Stewart,  President  of  the  United  States 
Trust  Com])any,  and  formerly  .Assistant  Treasurer  of  the 
United  States  at  New  York,  was  born  in  P'ulton  Street, 
New  York,  August  22,  1822.  His  father  emigrated  from 
Scotland  when  (juite  young  and  settled  in  New  York,  where 
for  many  years  he  was  one  of  the  Assessors  for  the  Twelfth 
and  Sixteenth  wards,  and  subsetpiently  Receiver  of  Taxes. 
He  married  June  11,  1817,  Mary  Aikman,  also  of  Scotch 
descent,  by  whom  he  had  six  children.  The  subject  of  our 
sketch  received  his  preliminary  education  in  Public  School 
No.  15  in  East  Twenty-seventh  .Street,  from  whence  he  en- 
tered Columbia  College  and  graduated  in  1840,  after  com- 
pleting the  literary  and  scientific  course  of  instruction  in 
iliat  institution.  In  1842,  being  then  in  his  twentieth  year, 
he  was  ap|)ointed  Clerk  of  the  Board  of  Education,  and 
continued  in  that  position  until  1850,  when  he  became 
.Actual y  of  the  United  States  Life  Insurance  Company, 
which  position  he  resigned  in  1853  to  accept  the  office  cf 
Secretary  of  the  United  States  Trust  Company  of  New 
\  ork,  then  just  chartered  by  th^  State  Legislature,  mainly 
through  the  efforts  of  Mr.  Stewart.  He  continued  in  the 
discharge  of  the  duties  of  that  jiosition  until  pressingly  in- 
vited by  President  Lincoln  and  the  Hon.  Wm.  Pitt  Pessen- 
den.  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  to  become  .Assistant 
Treasurer  of  the  United  States  at  New  York  in  June,  1864. 
Mr.  Stewart  had  previously  declined  the  office  when  ten- 
dered to  him  by  Secretary  Chase,  but  now  that  the  rebellion 
was  at  its  height,  pu])lic  confidence  wavering,  the  national 
credit  jeopardized  and  the  Union  in  i)eril,  he,  at  much  i)er- 
sonal  sacrifice,  accepted  the  office.     He  continued  in  the 


Nnw  YOBK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


discharge  of  its  then  onerous  and  always  exacting  and 
responsible  duties  with  great  acceptance  to  the  National 
Oovernnient  until  the  close  of  the  war,  when,  u])on  the 
resignation  of  Mr.  Joseph  Lawrence,  President  of  the 
United  States  Trust  Com])any,  Mr.  Stewart  was  unani- 
mously elected  to  succeed  him,  and  resigned  the  Assistant 
Treasurership.  For  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century,  Mr. 
Stewart  has  continued  to  discharge  the  duties  pertaining  to 
that  responsible  office  most  ac(e])tably  to  the  Bojird  of 
Trustees  and  jjrofitably  to  the  stockholders.  Under  his 
management  the  comijany  has  developed  into  the  largest 
trust  comj^any  on  the  American  Continent,  having  by  far 
the  greatest  amount  of  assets.  It  is  in  the  front  rank  of  all 
American  fiduciary  institutions.  Its  capital  of  $2,000,000, 
surplus  of  |!S,ooo,ooo,  deposits  of  $40,000,000  and  gross 
assets  of  !$5o,ooo,ooo  render  it  one  of  the  most  important 
moneyed  cor])orations  in  the  world.  It  has  erected  at  Nos. 
45  and  47  Wall  Street  one  of  the  grandest  and  most  elegant 
buildings  of  massive  granite  in  the  Romanesque  style  in  this 


career  be  has  never  failed  or  even  faltered  in  his  obligations, 
has  gained  and  retained  the  resi)ect  of  his  fellow  men  and 
has  l)een  able  to  do  something  towards  the  im])rovement  of 
their  condition.  He  is  prominently  identified  with  many  of 
our  leading  institutions,  being  a  Director  in  the  Merchants' 
National  B:ink,  the  Bank  of  New  Amsterdam,  the  Green- 
wich Savings  Bank,  the  Equitable  Life  Assurance  Society 
and  the  Liverj)ool  and  London  and  Globe  Insurance  Co. 
He  is  a  Director  of  the  New  York  Eye  and  Ear  Infirmary, 
a  Trustee  of  the  John  F.  Slater  P'und,  and  has  been  for 
many  years  an  active  Trustee  of  Princeton  College.  He  is 
a  member  of  the  IJrick  Presbyterian  Church  and  one  of  its 
Hoard  of  Trustees.  He  belongs  to  the  Union  League  Club 
and  the  Metropolitan  Club.  In  early  life  Mr.  Stewart  was 
a  Democrat  in  politics,  but  on  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil 
War  he  became  a  warm  supporter  of  President  Lincoln's 
administration,  and  has  ever  since  advocated  and  sustained 
the  leading  measures  of  the  Republican  party,  though  not 
an  extreme  high  tariff  man.    In  May,  1845,  he  married  Miss 


JOHN  A. 

country.  The  Board  of  'I'rustees  is  a  body  which  rejire- 
sents  to  the  fullest  extent  the  wealth  and  stability  of  the 
Metropolis.  It  comjjrises  :  Daniel  D.  Lord.  Samuel  Sloan, 
James  Low,  William  Walter  Pheljjs,  1).  Willis  James,  John 
A.  Stewart,  Erastus  Corning  (Albany).  John  Harsen 
Rhoades,  Anson  Phelps  Stokes,  C'harles  S.  Smith,  George 
Bliss,  William  Libbey,  John  Crosby  Brown,  Edward 
Cooper,  W.  Baj^ard  Cutting,  William  Rockefeller,  U'illiani 
Waldorf  Astor,  Alexander  E.  Orr  ( Brooklyn),  William  H. 
Macy,  Jr.,  William  D.  Sloane,  (histav  H.  Schwab,  Frank 
Lyman,  George  F.  Victor,  James  Stillman. 

Mr.  Stewart's  business  career  has  been  no  less  remark- 
able for  his  activity  than  for  its  unvarying  success,  and  his 
record  for  promptness,  frankness  and  spotless  integrity  is 
unquestioned  and  widesi)read.  His  has  been  the  success 
which  always  attends  ])ersistent  effort  guided  by  tact  and 
ability,  but  that  of  which  he  is  prouder  than  of  all  other 
achievements  is  the  fact  that  during  all  his  distinguished 


.STEWART. 

Sarah  Youle  Johnson,  of  New  York  City,  who  died  in  1886, 
by  whom  he  had  five  children,  two  of  whom  are  living.  In 
1890  he  married  Mary  Olivia,  daughter  of  Francis  B. 
Capron,  of  Baltimore. 

CHARLES  W.  SCHUMANN. 
There  are  few  men  in  New  York  City  with  a  iiistory  as  in- 
teresting and  replete  with  reminiscence  as  that  of  Charles  W. 
Schumann,  who  is  at  once  a  jeweller,  a  poet,  and,  in  a  certain 
sense,  an  artist.  His  career  would  fill  a  good-sized  volume. 
Mr.  Schumann  was  born  in  a  village  near  Waldorf,  the  birth 
place  of  John  Jacob  Astor,  in  the  Duchy  of  Baden,  Germany. 
At  that  time  there  was  a  law — trade  law — that  in  order  to 
obtain  in  future  a  license  to  carry  on  a  business  a  young 
man  had  to  be  engaged  in  such  business  away  from  home 
for  not  less  than  three  years.  Mr.  Schumann  came  to  this 
country  in  1845.  After  the  Revolution  of  184S  his  jiarents 
(his  father  having  been  born  in  Baden  in  1772)  came  to  New 


I20 


NEIV  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


York,  and  both  his  parents  found  their  resting  place  in 
Greenwood  Cemetery.  C.  Schumann's  first  business  en- 
gagement in  this  city  was  with  E.  D.  Eggert,  manufacturer 
of  marine  chronometers,  and  one  of  the  first  to  make  and 
sell  the  marine  chronometers  then  so  well  known,  whose 
store  was  located  on  John  and  Pearl  streets.  After  a  few 
years  with  Mr.  P^ggert  he  was  with  Mr.  Samuel  Hammond, 
the  well-known  dealer  in  fine  watches,  who  for  years  fur- 
nished the  city  with  the  best  time-keepers.  Mr.  Hammond 
carried  on  business  in  the  old  Merciiants'  Exchange,  the 
site  of  the  present  Custom  House.  In  1852  he  sailed 
for  California  in  the  clipper  ship  Ino,  which  went  around 
Cape  Horn  in  a  116  days'  voyage;  across  the  Sierras 
Nevadas  he  engaged  in  the  jewelry  and  watchmaking  trade 
in  Nevada  City.  It  is  also  on  record  that  the  first  Christ- 
mas tree  ever  seen  in  Nevada  County,  if  not  the  first  in 


to  Mr.  Schumann  while  in  the  far  West,  one  in  the  moun- 
tains, the  other  in  San  Francisco,  a  third  son  in  the  East, 
and  in  1886  he  started  two  of  his  sons  in  business  in  this 
city  as  "  Schumann's  Sons,"  being  one  of  the  most  extensive 
and  splendidly  equipped  jewelry  stores  to  be  seen  any- 
where, at  home  or  abroad,  conducted  on  the  same  principles  ' 
as  tho.se  governing  the  senior  house,  making  it  a  specialty 
of  keeping  the  best.  His  reliability,  and  consequently  his 
reputation  for  integrity  in  all  his  dealings  stands  the  high- 
est, and  to  that  he  attributes  his  great  success.  He  is 
wealthy  and  owns  considerable  parcels  of  real  estate  in 
various  parts  of  the  city,  and  he  is  a  man  of  public  spirit  who 
knows  how  to  distribute  money  judiciously.  A  third  son  is 
with  his  father  at  the  old  establishment.  Mr.  Schumann  is 
still  ])roud  to  be  a  member  and  Trustee  of  the  Society  of  (Cal- 
ifornia Pioneers,  residing  now  in  this  city.     He  and  Hon. 


CH.\KI.F,S    \V.  SCHr.MANN. 


California,  was  raised  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schumann,  and,  as 
there  were  but  few  children  in  Nevada  City,  they  had 
every  one  of  them  old  enough  to  sit  u]),  at  their  house  to 
enjoy  the  Christmas  festivities.  During  his  sojourning  in  Cal- 
ifornia Mr.  Schumann  formed  a  friendship  and  close  social 
relationship  with  such  distinguished  men  as  Hon.  Aaron  A. 
Sargent,  subsetpiently  .American  minister  to  Berlin  ;  Judge 
Nyles  Searles,  and  the  celebrated  John  k.  Sutter.  Mr. 
Schumann  returned  to  New  York  in  i<S56  and  established 
himself  on  Nassau  Street,  but  after  a  time  moved  to  his 
jiresent  locality  on  John  vStrtet,  where  lie  has  created  for 
himself  a  national  reputation,  not  only  as  a  jeweller  and 
diamond  ex|)ert,  but  as  one  who  has  done  much  for  high 
art  in  the  United  States.  He  was  one  of  the  first  in  the 
trade  to  ship  goods  to  California.  He  is  one  of  the  eldest 
depositors  in  the  Hank  of  New  York.    Two  sons  were  born 


Henry  Wilson  were  delegates  on  the  fortieth  anniversary  in 
1890  of  Admission  Day  (of  California  as  a  State),  and  both 
gentlemen,  said  the  San  Francisco  ])apers  of  the  time,  were 
received  with  marked  attention  and  courtesy.  Mr.  Schu- 
mann extended  his  visit  for  several  months,  and,  for  the  time, 
was  made  an  honorary  member  of  the  Press  Club,  an  excep- 
tional distinction.  Were  Mr.  Schumann  not  a  successful 
business  man  he  could  easily  make  a  re])utation  in  litera- 
ture, even  in  English  literature,  though  he  is  of  German 
birth  and  education.  His  beautiful  poem,  "  The  Charm  of 
Gifts,"  proves  that  he  can  combine  sentiment  with  business. 
.And  sjjcaking  of  his  German  birth,  this  may  be  the  proj)er 
jjlace  to  tell  a  short  story  and  al.so  furnish  a  few  lines  from 
his  ])atriotic  book,  "  The  Emigrant,"  whi(  h  has  been  pub 
lished  in  t'Jitioii  Jc  Iti.\e  form.  When,  during  the  time  of 
the  controversy  between  the  .American  and  German  Gov- 


121 


ernmcnts  regarding  Samoa,  Mr.  Schumann  was  asked  hy 
Europeans  what  position  the  German  element  in  the  United 
States  would  be  likely  to  assume  in  the  case  of  hostilities, 
he  quoted  this  patriotic  excerpt  from  his  own  book  of  "  The 
Emigrant  " : 

"  When  we  became  Americans 
By  our  sole  choice,  our  own  free  will. 
When  we  renounced  all  potentates, 
We  had  to  take  the  legal  oath 
Forswearing  home  allegiance: 
We  swore  a  holy,  serious  oath. 
Without  reserve ;  decided  that 
As  long  as  we  can  raise  an  arm, 
As  long  as  in  our  beating  heart 
A  grain  of  self-respect  remains. 
We  shall  defend  our  liberty — 
We  shall  defend  the  land  that  has 
Restored  our  birthright  '  to  be  free.'  " 

Mr.  Schumann  is  in  possession  of  many  ])aintings  by  great 
artists  ;  in  fact,  quite  a  gallery  of  almost  inestimable  value, 
one  of  the  finest,  most  famous  and  well  known  being  "A 
Russian  Wedding  Feast,"  "Choosing  the  Bride,"  "  Judg- 
ment of  Paris,"  by  Constantin  Makowsky,  of  St.  Peters- 
burg; "True  at  Heart,"  by  Professor  J.  Weiser;  these 
four  are  each  very  large;  the  latter  covers  a  canvas  of  i8 
feet  6  inches  by  ii  feet  6  inches;  "  Interruj)ted  Serenade," 
byLuigi  Monteverde,  and  numerous  others  in  his  stores  and 
at  home.  Mr.  Schumann  had  a  few  of  those  pictures  ex- 
hibited in  some  of  our  principal  cities,  charging  an  admis- 
sion fee  and  dedicating  the  proceeds  to  charitable  institutions. 
The  first-named  picture  alone  brought  in  $7,000,  and  Mr. 
Schumann  has  given  over  the  sum  of  $iio,ooo  to  charities  in 
New  York,  Brooklyn,  Newark  and  other  cities.  We  may 
add,  in  conclusion,  that  his  disposition  is  sunny,  and  by 
his  affable,  accommodating  ways  to  his  companions — in  fact, 
toward  everybody — he  makes  friends  at  pleasure,  and  is 
singularly  popular  and  welcomed  wherever  he  goes. 


THOMAS  DIMOND. 

One  of  the  leading  iron  firms  of  New  York  is  that  of  J. 
G.  &  T.  Dimond,  of  West  Thirty-third  Street.  The 
business  was  founded  in  1852  by  J.  (i.  Dimond  and 
William  Dimond,  uncle  and  father  of  the  present  head 
of  the  firm,  iron  railings  and  verandas  being  their  chief  pro- 
ducts. Thomas  Dimond  entered  the  firm  in  1880.  He  had 
served  a  clerkship  of  eight  years  with  the  firm  before  this, 
and  being  a  young  man  of  ability  the  result  of  his  incoming 
was  soon  made  manifest.  In  1886  the  uncle  retired,  leaving 
his  son  with  an  interest,  and  the  nephew  assumed  control, 
retaining,  however,  the  name  by  which  the  firm  had  now 
gained  a  reputation.  Among  many  other  buildings  the  firm 
has  supplied  with  iron  for  architectural  purposes  are  the 
Alpine  apartment  house,  the  Stock  Exchange,  Theological 
Seminary,  most  of  Trinity  Church,  various  warehouses  and 
churches  and  the  Union,  Manhattan  and  Calumet  Clubs. 

Mr.  Thomas  Dimond  was  born  in  Putnam  County,  N.  Y., 
in  SeiJtember,  1854,  and  educated  in  the  i)ublic  schools  ai:d 
Packard's  famous  business  college.  He  spent  two  years 
studying  in  the  office  of  James  Renwick,  New  York's 
foremost  architect.  At  the  age  of  eighteen  he  entered  his 
present  business.  He  takes  an  active  interest  in  all  iron 
architectural  organizations  and  has  been  instrumental  in 
promoting  a  community  of  interests  and  good  fellowship  in 
the  trade.  He  took  a  very  active  part  two  years  ago  in 
organizing  the  Iron  League  of  New  York,  Brooklyn  and 
Jersey  City  to  resist  a  strike,  and  is  its  treasurer. 


CHARLES  WELDE. 

Hon.  Charles  Wclde,  Chief  of  the  Board  of  Police 
Justices,  was  born  in  Stuttgart,  (iermany,  on  March  22, 
1843,  and  attended  school  there  until  eleven  years  old,  when 
he  came  with  his  father  to  tliis  country  (1854)  and  settled 


in  this  city.  (Mr.  Welde,  senior,  was  a  brewer  in  Stuttgart, 
and  was  a  brewer  on  Thirty-eighth  Street  after  his  arrival 
here.)  At  an  early  age  he  was  apprenticed  to  the  sash  and 
blind  branch  of  the  carpentering  trade,  and  learned  it  just 
as  rapidly  as  he  would  any  other  trade  or  profession  because 
of  his  natural  receptive  powers  and  aptitude.  While  learn- 
ing his  trade  he  was  also  educating  himself,  and  there  was 
in  New  York  no  boy  more  faithful  or  constant  in  attending 
the  night  schools  of  the  city  than  yoimg  Charles  Welde. 
He  devoured  literature,  and  when  eighteen  years  old  was 
iust  as  qualified  for  a  university  course  as  if  he  had  been 
trained  for  it  by  private  tutors.  In  1865,  being  then 
twenty-two,  Mr.  Welde  went  into  business  for  himself  as 
a  manufacturer  of  sash,  blinds  and  house  trimmings,  and 
almost  at  once  established  himself  in  a  prosperous  trade. 
Prom  that  time  until  he  retired  from  business  (1888)  it  is 
probable  that  he  furnished  more  material  in  his  line  toward 
building  up  Harlem  than  any  other  living  man.  All  the 
fine  up-town  houses  were  supplied  from  his  factory.  But 


CHARLKS  \vi:i.iii:. 


he  did  not  confine  himself  to  furnishing  materials;  he 
built  also,  and  that  very  extensively.  It  was  Judge  Welde 
who  built  up  Fifth  Avenue  from  124th  to  125th  Street; 
the  corner  of  129th  Street  and  Fifth  Avenue;  Lexington 
Avenue,  from  129th  to  130th  Street;  and  Park  Avenue 
and  124th  Street  to  the  middle  of  the  block  each  way. 
He  sold  out  his  business  four  years  ago,  and  since  then 
devotes  the  time  he  can  spare  from  his  public  duties  in 
looking  after  his  private  property,  of  which  he  ])Os-esses 
considerable  in  real  estate,  chietly  in  Harlem.  In  1879 
[udge  Welde  first  took  a  hand  in  i)olitics  and  threw  his 
"fortunes  in  with  Tammany  Hall.  In  1880  we  find  him 
John  Kelly's  trusted  lieutenant  in  the  Twenty-third  Assem- 
bly District.  Mayor  Edison  appointed  him  Police  Justice  in 
1884,  and  in  1890  he  was  elected  to  the  position  he  occu- 
])ies  at  present  —  Chief  Justice  of  the  Board  of  Police 
ludges.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Sagamore  Club,  the  Demo- 
i  ratic  Club,  and  member  of  the  Tammany  Hall  Executive 
Committee. 


122 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


ANDREW  L.  SOULARD. 

Andrew  L.  Soulard,  President  of  the  (".erman  American 
Real  Estate  Title  and  Guarantee  Comi)any,  was  born  in 
Roslyn,  L.  I.,  in  1841.  He  received  his  education  in  the 
Public  Schools  of  New  York  City.  He  graduated  from 
Public  School  No.  34,  Broome  Street  in  1854,  and  entered 
the  office  of  the  Mechanics  and  Traders  Insurance  Com- 
pany, and  commenced  the  career  which  he  has  followed 
step  by  step  to  his  present  position.  In  1864  he  became 
connected  with  the  Sterling  Fire  Insurance  Company,  and 
was  elected  its  Secretary  in  the  following  year.  In  1869  he 
was  elected  Vice-President,  and  in  1871  President  of  the 
Company,  which  office  he  held  until  1886,  when  he  resigned 
for  the  purpose  of  entering  and  reorganizing  the  German 
American  Real  Estate  Title  Guarantee  Company.  He  is  a 
director  of  the  Madison  Square  Bank  of  New  York,  and  of 


$500,000,  with  a  board  of  officers  composed  of  prominent 
business  men  of  the  city.  The  objects  of  the  company  are 
to  afford  absolute  protection  to  purchasers  and  mortgagees 
of  real  estate.  The  transfer  of  land  has  always  been  a  com- 
plicated matter  compared  to  the  transfer  of  personal  property :» 
in  the  latter  the  posse  sor  may  transfer  title  by  delivery;  in 
the  former,  where  possession  is  not  sufficient  evidence  of 
title,  and  as  the  seller  can  only  convey  such  title  as  he  may 
have,  every  intelligent  buyer  demands  proof  of  a  good  title 
in  the  seller.  This  involves  proof  of  the  title  in  each  prior 
owner  to  the  original  source  of  title.  During  the  course  of 
years  the  number  of  transfers  by  various  causes  largely 
increases,  searching  titles  becomes  more  and  more  difficult, 
and  under  the  old  system  of  searching  one  record  of  title 
through  the  recorded  indexes,  numerous  errors  would  creep 
in,  and  the  skill  and  accuracy  of  the  conveyancer,  and  the 


ANDKKW  I..  SOUL.^RD. 


the  First  National  of  Bridgci)ort,  Alabama.  F"or  many  years 
he  has  been  School  Trustee  in  the  Twelfth  Ward,  and  for 
eight  years  Chairman  of  the  Board.  In  1881  he  was  candi- 
date for  Comptroller  of  the  city.  Of  large  experience  in 
business  affairs  and  of  excellent  judgment,  conservative,  yet 
liberal  in  all  matters  insuring  progress,  he  has  ac<]uired  a 
reputation  that  marks  him  essentially  as  one  of  the  leading 
rei)resentative  business  men  of  the  city,  lender  his  man- 
agement the  affairs  of  the  comi)any  have  made  rapid 
jjrogress,  its  importance  to  the  real  estate  interests  of  the 
city  thoroughly  established,  its  record  of  titles  made  more 
and  more  complete,  until  now  it  is  but  the  labor  of  a  few 
hours  to  su])])ly  ( ()ni])lete  al)stracts  of  titles,  where  formerly 
days  were  consumed  in  the  same  work.  The  company  was 
organized  under  the  laws  of  1885,  with  a  ])aid  in  ca])ital  of 


correctness  of  the  legal  ojjinion  based  on  the  abstract  as 
well,  might  be  unsound.  The  methods  of  this  company 
surjiass  the  old  system.  In  order  to  obtain  a  perfect  abstract 
of  title  any  page  of  any  book  of  public  records,  from  the 
earliest  settlements  of  the  city  to  the  present  date,  must  be 
examined  and  abstracted.  Such  abstracts  are  of  great  value, 
and  for  the  purpose  of  procuring  the  same.the  most  competent 
real  estate  lawyers  are  employed,  and  no  guarantee  jiolicy  is 
issued  by  the  company  until  after  verification  and  approval 
of  title  certified  by  counsel.  Having  eliminated  all  sources 
of  error  in  the  examination,  the  company  backs  \\\>  the 
ac(  iira(  v  of  its  examination,  and  takes  all  chances  of  defect 
of  title,  by  insuring  the  same  against  defect  from  any  cause, 
and  will  defend  at  its  own  expense  all  actions  brought  against 
the  title.    .\n  owner  or  mortgagee  of  land  who  holds  the 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS.  123 


company's  policy  insuring  the  title  can  rest  traiKpiil,  andean 
reconvey  his  title  or  mortgage  without  delay.  'I'he  value  of 
this  method  of  business  can  be  readily  seen,  and  trust  com- 
panies as  well  as  individual  ])urchasers  refer  to  this  institution 
before  completing  investments.  The  company  also  loans 
money  on  bond  and  mortgage  at  current  rates  of  interest, 
which  feature  of  the  business  is  of  steady  increase.  The 
ofificers  of  the  company  are  Andrew  L.  Soulard,  President  ; 
S.  \\.  Livings' on,  Secretary  ;  William  Wagner,  Treasurer  ; 
W.  R.  Thomi)son,  (General  Manager;  diaries  Unangst, 
Counsel  ;  Hon.  Noah  Davis,  Advisory  Counsel.  The 
Directors  are  Ceorge  W.  Quintard,  William  Steinway,  John 
Straiton,  Jere  Johnson,  Jr.,  Felix  Camjibell,  Silas  B.  Dutcher, 
Geo.  C.  Claussen,  John  A.  lieyer,  R.  Carman  Combes,  James 
Fellows,  Charles  Unangst,  William  Wagner,  F.  H.  Living- 
ston, W'.  R.  Thompson,  Jose])h  F.  lilaut,  Andrew  L.  Soulard. 

JOHN  M.  CARRERE,  JR. 

Mr.  John  M.  Carrere,  the  senior  partner  in  (lie  architec- 
tural firm  of  Carrere  &  Hastings,  was  born  in  Rio  de 
Janeiro,  Brazil,  on  November  9,  1858.  His  father,  a  native 
of  J5altimore,  and  of  French  descent,  was  exclusively 
engaged  in  business  in  Rio  for  thirty  years  ;  his  mother  is  of 
Scottish  ancestry,  connected  with  the  distinguished  Maxwell 
family.  When  fourteen  years  of  age  young  Carrere  was 
sent  to  Europe  to  be  educated  and  trained  to  the  profession 
of  an  architect.  He  spent  four  years  at  school  in  Switzer- 
land, and  then  went  to  Paris,  where  he  remained  six  years. 
He  took  full  advantage  of  those  years  in  the  French 
Capital,  and,  as  a  consequence,  has  to-day  no  superior  and 
very  few  equals  in  America  in  the  line  of  decorative  archi- 
tecture. Mr.  Carrere  spent  four  years  of  his  Parisian  life 
in  r Ecole  des  Beaux  Arts,  from  which  he  graduated  in  1882. 
On  his  arrival  in  Paris  he  had  entered  the  studio  of  M. 
Ruprich  Robert,  Inspector  General  of  Historical  Monu- 
ments for  the  French  Government,  and  studied  under  him 
for  two  years.  Acting  upon  Mr.  Robert's  advice,  he  entered 
the  studio  of  M.  Laisue,  remained  with  him  two  months, 
and  was  then  transferred  to  the  office  of  M.  Leon  Gimain. 
M.  (iimain  is  a  member  of  the  French  Institute,  and  all  three 
of  the  professors  mentioned  are  among  the  famous  French 
architects  of  the  present  day.  Coming  to  New  York  in 
1882,  master  of  a  noble  profession  and  speaking  many 
languages,  he  entered  the  offices  of  McKim,  Meads  & 
White,  with  whom  he  remained  three  years,  and  then  formed 
a  partnership  with  Mr.  Hastings,  a  fellow  student  of  his  in 
the  School  of  Fine  Arts  in  Paris.  They  began  business  in 
57  Broadway,  and  soon  after  starting  received  an  order  to 
build  the  Ponce  de  Leon  Hotel.  This  was  a  great  enter- 
prise for  such  young  men,  but  they  were  etpial  to  the 
occasion,  and  when  it  was  com])leted  their  rejiutation  was 
established.  It  is  doubtful  if  ever  before  such  an  oppor- 
t  inity  was  presented  to  such  young  architects  or  availed  of 
to  more  brilliant  advantage.  The  firm  are  the  architects  of 
the  Mail  and  Express  building  on  Broadway,  among  many 
other  structures  of  prominence  in  the  city.  Mr.  Carrere  is 
a  member  of  the  American  Institute  of  Architects  and  of 
the  Players'  Club.  He  married,  six  years  ago.  Miss  Marion 
Dell,  daughter  of  Colonel  Charles  L.  Dell,  of  Houston, 
Texas,  and  resides  in  Richmond  'I'errace,  New  Brighton, 
Staten  Island.   

JOHN  HENRY  FLAGG. 

John  Henry  Flagg,  son  of  Gen  Stephen  P.  and  Lucinda 
(Brown)  Flagg,  was  born  at  Wilmington,  Windham  County, 
Vt.,  in  1843.  He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  his 
native  town,  at  the  Wesleyan  Academy,  Wilbraham,  Mass., 
and  by  private  tutor.  His  law  studies  were  prosecuted  at 
the  Albany  Law  School  and  in  the  office  of  Flagg  &  Tyler, 
that  firm  being  composed  of  (ien.  Stephen  P.  Flagg,  the 
father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  who  himself  was  one 


of  the  leading  lawyers  of  Vermont,  and  Hon.  James  M. 
Tyler,  now  one  of  the  Judges  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Ver- 
mont. He  was  admitted  to  the  Vermont  bar  in  Windham 
County  at  the  September  term  in  1864  and  began  practice 
at  Wilmington,  subsequently  removing  to  Bennington, 
where  he  practiced  for  a  period  of  four  years.  At  the 
session  of  the  Legislature  of  Vermont  in  1864  he  was 
elected  ("lerk  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  being 
the  youngest  ])erson  who  ever  held  that  office,  and  was 
unanimously  re-elei  ted  for  the  succeeding  four  years. 
At  the  first  session  of  the  P"orty-first  Congress,  con- 
vening in  1869,  he  was  appointed  ])rinci])al  clerk  of  the 
United  States  Senate,  which  office  he  held  through  succeed- 
ing Congresses  until  the  spring  of  1878,  when  he  resigned. 
He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the 
United  States  in  1870,  and  on  terminating  his  connection 
with  the  United  States  Senate  resumed  his  law  practice  in 
Washington  and  New  York,  giving  special  attention  to 
international  ([ucstions  arising  under  treaties  between  the 


JOHN  11.  FLAGG. 

United  States  and  foreign  powers  and  kindred  subjects. 
Mr.  Flagg  was  jjrominent  in  formulating  the  earlier  legisla- 
tion of  Congress  defining  the  relation  of  our  Government 
to  the  Geneva  Award  fund,  and  subseipiently  prosecuted  to 
a  successful  termination  a  large  number  of  claims  arising 
under  said  treaty.  Removing  to  New  York  in  the  year 
1880,  he  has  not  only  continued  his  ])ractice  before  the 
Federal  courts  and  the  departments  at  Washington,  but  has 
given  much  attention  to  corporate  law,  receiving  a  lucrative 
income  therefrom,  being  steadily  employed  by  various  cor- 
porations prominent  throughout  the  country.  He  is  an 
accepted  authority  on  the  law  of  parliamentary  procedure 
as  well  as  international  law,  and  has  had  important  foreign 
as  well  as  domestic  clients  in  this  latter  branch  of  practice, 
to  which  so  few  lawyers  seem  to  have  given  any  special 
attention.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Union  Le.igue  Club  of 
New  York  City,  the  Metrojjolitan  Club  of  Washington,  a 
life  member  of  the  New  England  Society  of  New  York, 


124 


and  was  one  of  the  promoters  of  the  lirookl)  n  Society  of 
Vermonters,  of  which  he  is  a  pi  eminent  member  and  one 
of  the  Executive  Committee.  Mr.  Flagg  was  married  in 
June,  1889,  to  L.  Peachy,  daughter  of  Frank  F.  and  Marion 
Jones,  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 


PAUL  PRYIBIL, 

Paul  Pryibil,  head  of  a  wood-working  machinery  manu- 
facturing establishment  situated  at  Nos.  512  to  524  West 
Forty-first  Street,  in  the  city  of  New  York,  was  born  in  the 
German  Duchy  of  Nassau,  now  belonging  to  the  German 
Empire,  and  is  one  of  our  busy  pioneers  of  progress  and 
was  a  welcome  immigrant  to  this  country. 

His  father  was  a  schoolmaster  and  he  received  a  fair 
education.  From  an  early  age,  however,  he  showed 
great  mechanical  talent,  and  it  was  remarked  that 
all  his  little  savings  went  for  tools.  He  was  a  ready 
customer  of  the  peddlers  who  visited  the  villages 
selling  saws,  hammers,  planes,  chisels,  farming  im- 
plements, etc.,  and  many  were  the  queer  and  ingenious 
things  he  contrived  for  the  gratification  and  amusement 
of  his  friends.  He  made  sleighs,  ladders,  walking  sticks 
and  garden  benches,  repaired  clocks,  etc.  His  father,  see- 
ing the  bent  of  his  mind,  apprenticed  him  to  a  manufacturer 
of  small  machinery,  and  the  boy  very  soon  o])tained  a 
knowledge  of  the  business.  As  he  was  very  ambitious,  he 
determined  to  work  in  a  larger  shop  and  selected  one  of  the 
better  class,  but  farther  away  from  home.  In  a  short  time 
he  had  so  mastered  the  trade  and  gained  the  confidence 
and  esteem  of  his  employer  to  such  an  extent  that  he  was 
appointed  assistant  foreman  ;  but  this  first  promotion,  while 
it  greatly  pleased  and  encouraged  him,  did  not  lessen  his 
ardor.  At  that  time,  about  1855,  all  Europe  was  filled 
with  wonderful  tales  of  America  and  American  progress  in 
machinery.  'I'he  California  gold  fever  brought  out  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  country  and  its  resources,  which  now  rivals 
the  East  in  wealth  and  empire.  Like  many  others, 
young  Pryibil  was  filled  with  admiration  for  the  new  coun- 
try, and  longed  to  share  in  the  remarkable  advancement 
that  everybody  was  talking  about.  He  accordingly  con- 
cluded to  emigrate,  so,  getting  his  little  resources  together,  he 
took  leave  of  his  family  and  friends  and  set  out  for  the  New 
World.  Arriving  in  New  York,  his  start  in  life  was  certainly 
not  auspicious.  There  were  comparatively  few  Germans  here 
at  that  time,  and  the  chances  of  a  young  emigrant  not  able 
to  .speak  English  were  not  encouraging,  no  matter  what  his 
abilities  might  be.  He  readily  saw  that  the  first  and  most 
important  thing  to  do  was  to  learn  English  in  order  to  get 
along,  and  to  do  this  he  obtained  work  in  a  small  machine 
shop,  attended  evening  school  and  took  private  lessons. 
He  went  to  larger  shops  outside  of  New  York  City,  and 
losing  no  chance  of  improving  his  mind  or  acquiring  a 
further  mastery  of  his  trade,  he  was  soon  looked  upon  as  a 
skilled  mechanic,  and  in  the  natural  course  of  events  he 
became  ambitious  to  do  something  on  his  own  account. 
He  returned  to  New  York  and  began  work  again  in  a  down- 
town machine  shop.  Here  he  was  occasionally  called  on  to 
get  up  machines  to  order,  as  it  was  largely  a  jobbing  busi- 
ness. On  more  than  one  occasion  he  distinguished  himself 
by  designing  and  building  certain  machines  for  producing 
articles  that  were  imported.  The  manufacturers  of  these 
articles  in  many  cases  made  small  fortunes  and  imi)ortati()ns 
greatly  declined  or  totally  ceased.  The  esteem  of  the  cus- 
tomers that  he  then  earned  was  of  value  to  him  later. 
After  starting  a  small  business  he  found  that  i)eople  for 
whom  he  had  invented  or  imjjroved  machinery  were  anxious 
to  have  him  d(j  more  work  for  them.  He  made  a  few 
friends,  but  they  were  connected  entirely  with  his  business, 
for  he  was  not,  in  the  ordinary  sense  of  the  term,  much 
given  to  Sociability.    .As  his  customers  increased  in  number, 


and  it  became  evident  that  he  had  an  excellent  chance  of 
building  up  a  good  business,  he  looked  around  for  a  part- 
ner, and  made  an  alliance  with  Mr.  John  First,  who  was 
also  a  practical  machinist.  As  both  were  diligent,  earnest 
men  they  got  along  well  together,  and  the  business  pros- 
pered. It  was  Mr.  Pryibil's  constant  ambition  that  the  firm 
should  be  something  more  than  mere  jobbing  machinists. 
He  sought  something  for  which  there  was  apt  to  be  a  steady 
demand,  and  resolved  to  make  it  so  well  that  it  would 
bring  to  them  a  good  reputation,  with  all  which  that  implies. 

The  furniture  business  in  New  York  City  at  that  time  was 
becoming  an  important  industry,  and  to  a  very  great  extent 
it  was  in  the  hands  of  (Germans.  There  was  not,  however, 
a  manufacturer  of  wood-working  machinery  in  the  city,  all 
of  the  machines  coming  from  Connecticut,  Massachusetts, 
Ohio,  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania,  and  on  most  all  of 
them  room  was  left  to  make  improvements.  He  took  im- 
mediate adxantage  of  the  opening,  and  began  to  build 
moulding  machines  and  band  saw  machines,  which  gave 
fair  results.  The  best  band  saw  machines  were  imported 
from  France,  but  they  were  by  no  means  perfect,  as  the 
saw  blades  were  constantly  breaking.  Mr.  Pryibil  made 
valuable  improvements  which  prevented  this  breakage.  He 
devised  an  automatic  arrangement  for  regulating  the  tension 
on  the  saw  blade,  which  placed  his  machine  far  in  advance 
of  any  other,  and  this  device,  by  the  way,  remains  to  this 
day  the  basis  or  fundamental  principle  for  the  purpose  in 
all  band  saw  machines.  He  decided  not  to  depend  solely 
on  business  in  the  immediate  neighborhood,  but  rather  to 
go  out  and  enlarge  his  field  of  oijerations.  He  therefore 
made  frecjuent  trips  to  the  West,  and  alwavs  came  back 
loaded  with  orders.  At  the  Centennial  Exposition,  1876,  and 
other  State  exjiositions  the  firm  made  a  remarkable  display 
and  carried  off  most  of  the  highest  awards  in  their  class. 
This  success  gave  them  a  national  reputation,  and  benefited 
their  business  very  materially.  In  1878  the  partnership  was 
dissolved,  Mr.  First  retiring.  The  firm  then  had  thirty 
employes  and  rented  a  comparatively  small  shop.  The 
growth  of  the  business  since  tells  its  own  story  of  Mr. 
Pryibil's  subsecpient  management.  He  now  employs  one 
hundred  and  fitty  men,  without  the  foundry  employes, 
and  his  floor  space  has  increased  tenfold.  Continual 
additions  to  his  ecpiipment  have  made  his  facilities  as 
complete  as  those  of  any  manufacturer  in  his  business. 
Many  of  the  most  useful  of  his  api)liances  are  of 
his  own  invention,  however,  and  the  value  of  his 
improvements  is  attested  by  the  fact  that  in  several  cases 
they  have  been  adopted  by  builders  of  machinists'  tools. 

Mr.  Pryibil  has  ex])orted  considerable  machinery  to 
Europe,  and  in  some  instances  his  goods  have  been  j)ur 
chased  by  Eurojjean  manufacturers  with  the  express  pur])ose 
of  substituting  ti.em  for  their  own  designs.  In  most  all 
l)rincipal  cities  in  this  country  his  machines  may  be  found 
in  successful  operation.  While  his  business  is  to  manu- 
facture machinery  to  order,  he  still  maintains  his  interest  in 
specialties,  his  favorites  being  wood-vvorking  and  brass- 
working  machinery,  and  appliances  for  the  transmission  of 
power.  He  manufactures  a  very  large  variety  of  machines 
in  his  line — perhaps  more  than  any  other  house  in  this 
country.  He  has  made  machinery  for  every  branch  of  the 
piano  industry,  and  lately  brought  out  a  machine  for  drill- 
ing the  i)lates,  which  is  exjjected  to  i)ractically  revolution- 
ize the  business.  With  this  machine  a  boy  can  produce  as 
much  but  better  work  as  two  skilled  mechanics  are  able  to 
do  on  the  best  machine  now  in  use.  Many  others  of  his 
wood-working  machines  have  increased  the  production  and 
improved  the  cpiality  of  certain  kinds  of  ornamental  wood 
work  to  such  an  extent,  that  what  was  formerly  within  the 
reach  of  only  those  who  were  well  able  to  jiay  a  high  price  can 
now  be  obtained  by  people  of  very  moderate  means.  He 


NEW  YORK,   THE  METROPOLIS. 


125 


126 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


takes  a  lively  interest  in  i)assing  events  and  kee])s  well 
informed  on  current  progress  in  many  branches,  but  the 
constant  progress  in  modern  machine-shop  practice  recjuires 
that  he  who  would  keep  up  with  it  must  give  to  it  his 
undivided  attention,  and  Mr.  Pryibil  not  only  aims  to  move 
along  with  the  procession,  but  to  keep  his  place  in  the  front 
ranks.  What  he  loses  in  social  circles  he  more  than  gains 
in  popularity  among  the  scientific  and  business  classes,  by 
whom  the  e.xtent  and  solid  worth  of  his  attainments  are 
greatly  ai)preciated.  He  is  a  frequent  contributor  to  the 
mechanical  jjapers.  As  he  is  only  in  his  fifty-eighth  year, 
and  in  possession  of  a  rugged  constitution,  it  would  seem 
that  there  is  still  a  great  future  before  liim. 


ORLANDO   P.  DORMAN. 

There  is  no  truer  type  of  the  deservedly  successful  New 
Englander  than  Orlando  P.  Dorman,  President  of  the  Gil- 
bert Manufacturing  Company.  Mr.  Dorman's  ancestors 
we-e  of  two  famous  New  England  families.    His  mother 


corporated  in  1881,  was  organized  for  the  purpose  of  intro 
ducing  throughout  the  United  .States  and  the  world  the 
'i  hree  Leaf  'i'will  dress  linings.  'I'he  concern,  as  its  capital 
increased,  introduced  other  articles,  fancy  dress  linings  and 
dress  goods,  among  which  the  "Fast-Black  Dress  Goods'^ 
are  perhajis  the  most  famous.  Before  its  sixth  year,  pur- 
suing Mr.  Dorman's  rule  of  giving  to  the  jjublic  goods  which 
they  did  not  have,  but  had  really  long  needed,  the  corpora- 
tion, before  its  sixth  year,  ranked  as  the  largest  o|)erators  in 
the  business.  It  is  now  twelve  years  old  and  has  a  surplus 
of  $475,000.  Mr.  Dorman's  great  experience  as  a  salesman 
led  him  to  personally  undertake  the  introduction  of  his  new- 
fabric.  An  anecdote  of  a  transaction  in  West  \'irginia 
illustrates  at  once  his  method  and  his  success.  .\  Wheeling 
merchant,  to  whom  Mr.  Dorman  jjroposed  to  sell  American 
goods  instead  of  English  standard  articles,  declared  that  it 
was  impossible  that  there  could  be  anything  in  the  line  as 
good  as  "  Ferguson  Cloth."  Mr.  Dorman  gave  the  gentle- 
man five  samples  and  asked  him  to  pick  the  best.  He 


OKI..\NUO  p.  DORMAN. 


was  of  the  stock  of  the  Doanes  who  came  in  the  second 
vessel  after  the  Mayflower,  while  the  head  of  the  Dorman 
family  in  America  disembarked  in  Boston  in  1636.  Orlando 
P.  Dorman  was  born  in  C'onnecticut  in  1828.  After  receiv- 
ing an  academic  education,  he  began  business  at  Chittentlen's 
store  in  Hartford,  when  nineteen  years  old.  Mr.  Hotchkiss 
at  that  time  became  ])roprietor  of  the  establishment.  Dor- 
man's position  was  that  of  office  boy.  He  commenced  at 
the  foot  of  the  commercial  ladder, 
position  he  climbed  up  the  ladder 
he  was  invited  by  William  H.  Lee 
in  New  York,  which  he  accepted  and  became  a  partner 
in  the  firm  of  Lee,  Case  &  Co.  and  WiIlian#Hj  Lee  &  Co., 
and  was  the  foreign  buyer  until  he  retired  from  the  business. 
While  on  one  of  his  semi-annual  business  tri])s,  he  conceived 
the  idea  of  the  "  I'hree  Leaf  Twills,"  which  in  si)ite  of  the 
sad  prophecies  of  even  experienced  business  men  proved  a 
great  success.     The  Gilbert  Manufacturing  Company,  in- 


From  this  humble 
step  by  ste])  until 
to  take  a  i)osition 


selected  one,  saying,  "'i"hat's  Ferguson."  But  it  was  not, 
and  the  goods  of  the  famous  English  maker  i)roved  to  be 
those  the  Wiieeling  buyer  picked  out  as  the  poorest  of  the 
lot.  Tiiis  incident  and  similar  ones  firmly  establish  the 
superiority  of  the  new  American  product  over  all  others, 
and  in  this  way  Mr.  Dorman  contributed  in  no  small  degree 
to  the  promotion  of  American  manufacturing  industry, 
independent  of  and  superior  to  that  of  the  Old  World.  Mr. 
O.  P.  Dorman  has  never  held  ])ublic  office,  finding  no  time 
to  spare  from  ever-pressing  business  cares.  He  is  noted  for 
works  of  charity  and  benevolence.  In  1873,  he,  Mrs.  Dorman 
and  a  friend  originated  and  donated  about  $2,000  to  the  enter- 
tainment given  at  the  Academy  of  Music  for  the  benefit  of 
the  Shei)herd's  Fold,  which  Mrs.  Vanderbilt  pronounced  the 
most  successful  of  its  kind  ever  given  in  New  York.  Many  of 
his  charities  have  been  undertaken  as  an  officer  of  the  Church 
of  the  Heavenly  Rest  and  the  Church  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  In 
1850  Mr.  Dorman  married  Miss  Taylor,  of  Hartford,  Con- 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS.  127 


necticiit.  They  kave  t\v(i  <  hiltlren,  a  son  and  a  daughter, 
the  son,  who  graduated  at  St.  Paul's  School  at  the  age  of 
seventeen,  being  now  in  business  for  himself.  His  home  is 
the  mansion  at  Seventy-sixth  Street  and  West  End  Avenue, 
one  of  the  finest  in  that  great  residential  locality,  and  there 
he  enjoys  the  comfort  and  pleasure  well  merited  by  so  busy 
and  useful  a  life. 

FRANK  K.  STURGIS. 
Since  1824,  when  the  office  of  President  of  the  "New 
York  Stock  Exchange  first  became  elective,  there  have 
been  thirty-three  incumbents,  including  Edward  Lyde,  the 
first,  and  Erank  K.  Sturgis,  who  holds  the  office  at  the 
present  time.  This  position,  though  carrying  with  it  no 
salary,  is  looked  upon  as  a  high  honor  and  the  crowning 
of  a  life  of  succe.ssful  financial  endeavor.    The  dutv  of 


ing  and  ability  as  a  banker  and  broker,  Mr.  Sturgis  enjoys 
immense  popularity  on  the  street.  He  is  a  remarkably  hand- 
some man,  genial,  accessible,  and  at  all  times  ready  to  help, 
not  only  his  fellow  members,  but  newspapermen  and  seekers 
after  information  generally,  and  this  no  matter  how  busy 
he  may  be  in  his  office.  That  Mr.  Sturgis  is  a  very  busy 
man,  too,  goes  without  the  saying,  for  his  house  does  an 
international  business  and  is  one  of  the  city's  financial 
institutions.  He  is  (needless  to  state)  thoroughly  conversant 
with  the  monetary  affairs  of  the  country,  and  has  the  his- 
tory of  Wall  Street,  its  jianics,  crises  and  general  history  at 
his  fingers'  ends.  Since  his  advent  to  meml)ership  many 
l)eneficent  revolutions  have  laken  place,  and  he  is  one  of 
those  who  have  been  instrumental  in  the  introduction  of  the 
Clearing  House,  which  has  simplified  business  in  so  marvel- 
ous a  manner  and  tended  to  the  public  security.  He 


FRANK  K.  s  1 


the  President  is  to  preside  over  the  deliberations  of  1,100 
of  the  most  astute  financiers  in  the  country,  the  majority 
of  them  wealthy,  and  all  of  them  representing  capital. 
To  do  this  successfully,  the  President  must  possess  tact, 
energy,  character  and  ability.  Mr.  Sturgis  was  born  in 
New  York  City  in  1847.  He  re])resents  the  highest  type 
of  a  New  York  financier,  and  during  a  (juarter  of  a  century 
of  active  membership  in  the  Exchange  he  has  passed  un- 
scathed and  untarnished  through  its  stormy  scenes.  His 
first  experience  in  the  world  of  finance  was  gained  as  a 
clerk  in  the  banking  house  of  Capron,  Strong  &  Co.,  in 
which  he  became  a  partner.  This  firm  was  succeeded  by 
that  of  Work,  Strong  &  Co.  He  is  still  a  partner  in  that 
concern,  and  has  been  since  he  entered  the  Stock  Exchange 
as  a  member,  on  January  12,  1869.    Apart  from  his  stand- 


believes  in  the  Stgck  Exchange  as  an  institution  that  is 
indispensable,  and  under  all  conditions  must  form  a  leading 
factor  in  the  business  of  this  great  city.  This  gives  Wall 
Street  a  long  lease  of  life.  Mr.  Sturgis  is  connected  with 
many  clubs  and  societies,  social,  benevolent  and  political. 


EDWARD  P.  FOWLER,  M  D. 

Dr.  Edward  Payson  Fowler,  youngest  child  of  Judge 
Horace  and  Mary  Fowler,  was  born  in  the  town  of  Conhoc- 
ton,  Steuben  Cotmty,  New  York,  on  the  30th  of  November, 
1834.  His  grandfather,  Eliphalet,  entered  the  army  for 
American  Independence  as  a  private  soldier  and  left  it 
with  the  rank  of  Major.  The  family  is  an  old  New  Eng- 
land one,  in  which  Dr.  Fowler  is  the  eighth  lineal  descend- 
ant of  Wm.  Fowler,  who  came  from  Lincoln,  England,  that 


128 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


ancestral  home  since  the  twelfth  century,  and  who  landed 
in  Massachusetts  about  the  year  1830.  After  literary  stud- 
ies Dr.  Fowler  entered  the  New  York  Medical  College, 
from  which  he  graduated,  taking  the  first  prize  in  1855.  In 
addition  to  his  studies  in  and  graduation  from  the  "  Old 
School  "  of  medicine,  Dr.  Fowler  studied  the  branch  known 
jfs  Homoeopathy,  which  served  to  convince  him  that 
"Schools"  were  really  only  fractions  of  a  unit,  and  that 
"School"  rancors  should  be  forever  wiped  out  and  replaced 
by  freedom  of  investigation  and  opinion  and  friendly  rivalry. 
To  this  end  he  has  given  unstinted  influence  and  energy, 
and  he  views  with  great  satisfaction  the  successful  nsult  in 
his  native  State.  The  "  New  Code  "  of  1878  virtually  gave 
freedom  to  all  medical  investigation  and  opinion — Medi- 
cine emerged  from  a  body  of  creed  into  a  body  of  science. 
Dr.  Fowler,  having  rendered  substantial  assistance  to  this 
end,  feels  it  more  honor  than  any  personal  aggrandizement 
could  be..  The  Doctor  is  a  member  of  various  Medical 
Societies,  amongst  others  the  New  York  Academy  of  Medi- 
cine; the  Medical  Society  of  the  County  of  New  York; 


KDVVARU  1'.  I'OWLKK,  M.D. 

the  New  York  Neurological  Society,  etc.  He  was  one  of 
the  founders  and  at  one  time  President  of  the  New  York 
Medico-Chirurgical  Society.  He  served  for  many  years 
on  the  staff  of  the  Ward's  Island  and  Hahnemann  Hospi- 
tals, and  was  connected  with  various  dispensaries.  In  1887 
he  received  from  the  I5oard  of  Regents  of  the  State  of  New 
York  an  Honorary  Degree  of  Doctor  of  Medicine,  and  was 
also  appointed  by  it  as  Fxaniiner  on  Anatomy  in  the  first 
Board  of  the  New  York  State  Medical  E.xaminers  for  Con- 
ferring Medical  Degrees.  He  has  been  a  generous  con- 
tributor to  medical  periodicals  ;  is  the  author  of  several 
medical  works,  and  the  translator  of  several  French  and 
(ierman  medical  works  ;  the  first  work  of  Charcot's  i)ul)- 
lished  in  English  was  translated  by  iiim.  In  politics.  Dr. 
Fowler,  with  a  Whig  inheritance,  has  been  a  life-long  Re- 
publican, and  is  a  member  of  the  Union  League  Club  of 
New  York.  He  has  been  many  times  abroad,  spent  both 
in  travel  and  study,  and  has,  ])erha])s,  as  large  a  circle  of 
acquaintance  in  I'Uirojje  as  in  his  own  country,  and  his  ex- 
perience in  this  wise  has  served  to  enhance  his  love  and  deep 
appreciation  for  and  of  his  own  native  land. 


PETER  J.  LAURITZEN. 

Peter  J.  Lauritzen  was  born  in  Denmark  and  educated 
at  the  Academy  and  Polytechnic  Institute  at  Copenhagen. 
He  came  to  this  country  in  May,  1869,  and  at  once  received 
an  a])pointment  in  the  office  of  the  supervising  architect  of » 
the  United  States  at  Washington  City.  He  remained  there 
two  years,  during  which  time  he  worked  on  the  New  York 
and  Boston  post-offices  and  became  familiar  with  the  re- 
(piirements  of  the  public  buildings  of  his  adopted  country. 
He  commenced  jjractice  for  himself  in  Washington  in  187  i, 
and  in  1875  was  appointed  city  architect.  During  his  term 
of  office  he  built  most  of  the  police  and  fire  department 
buildings  and  several  modern  school-houses.  Among  the 
successes  of  his  private  practice  in  the  Capitol  City  are  the 
once  celebrated  mansion  of  ex-Attorney  General  Williams, 
the  William  Gait  mansion,  Admiral  Stanley's  residence, 
the  Fire  Insurance  building  and  the  Simpson  building. 
From  1875  to  1883  when  he  removed  to  New  York,  Mr. 
Lauritzen  was  Consul  at  Washington  for  the  Danish  gov- 
ernment, and  only  resigned  his  position  to  enter  a  wider 
field.  Recognizing  the  growing  iinjjortance  of  fireproof 
construction  he  took  charge  of  the  Jackson  Architectural 
Iron  Works  in  .\'ew  York  and  managed  that  extensive  estal  - 
lishment  successfully  for  two  years,  during  which  period  he 
executed  a  number  of  important  contracts  for  structural  iron 
work,  among  them  being  the  Cohnfeld  building,  the  Mercan- 
tile Exchange,  the  Eagle  Insurance  C'o.'s  building  and  Smith, 
Gray  Co 's  iron  front  store  in  Broadway,  Brooklyn.  The 
successful  completion  of  the  latter  building  led  to  liis 
resumption  of  his  practice,  and  he  built  the  handsome  man- 
sion of  Mr.  M.  F.  Smiih  on  Bedford  avenue  and  the  impos- 
ing and  substantial  edifice  owned  and  i)artiy  occupied  by 
Smith,  Gray  Co.,  in  Fulton  street,  Brooklyn,  since  burned 
down.  Since  then  he  planned  and  erected  the  Manhattan 
Athletic  Club  house  on  Madison  avenue  and  Forty-fifth 
street,  New  York,  and  tlie  Union  League  Club  house. 


WILLIAM  L.  STRONG. 

("olonel  William  L.  Strong,  President  of  the  Central  Na- 
tional Bank,  and  a  man  of  wide  reputation  for  financial 
ability,  was  born  in  Ohio,  and  came  to  New  York,  when 
cpiite  a*  young  man.  His  first  business  connection  in  this 
city  was  with  ihe  drygoods  house  of  L.  O.  Wilson  ^:  Com- 
pany, which  like  thousands  of  others  throughout  the  country 
was  wrecked  in  the  financial  panic  of  1857.  Remaining  with 
the  house  while  it  was  being  wound  up,  Mr.  Strong,  in  1858. 
entered  the  drygoods  commission  house  of  Farnham,  Dale 
&:  Co.,  with  which  he  continued  until  December  31,  1869. 
when  the  firm  dissolved. 

January  i,  1870,  the  subject  of  this  sketch  organized  the 
firm  of  W.  L.  Strong  &  Co.,  and  succeeded  in  the  business 
ot  the  retiring  firm.  His  business  history  henceforth  is  a 
record  of  continued  prosperity.  During  all  the  financial 
storms  that  have  swept  the  drygoods  district  since  then,  the 
firm  has  stood  like  a  rock,  gaining  strength  year  by  year, 
until  to-day  none  has  a  higher  standing  in  the  commercial 
world,  and  no  one  a  more  honorable  character  than  William 
L.  Strong,  its  founder  and  chief.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to 
state  that  it  recjuires  a  good  deal  of  intelligence,  power  of 
organization  and  executive  ability  of  a  high  order  to  found 
and  render  permanent  a  great  institution  such  as  that  of  W. 
L.  Strong  &  Co.,  but  fortunately  Mr.  Strong  possesses  those 
attributes  in  an  eminent  degree  and  hence  his  success. 

He  is  more  widely  known,  naturally,  as  President  of  the 
Ontral  National  Bank  than  in  any  other  connection,  his 
management  of  which  is  energetic  and  at  the  same  time  con- 
servative. It  has  a  cajjital  of  $2,000,000,  and  according  to  its 
last  financial  rei)()rt  shows  suri)his  funds  and  i)rofits  bordering 
ujjon  $000,000.    Its  line  of  deposits  are  over  $9,000,000, 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


and  its  resources  amount  to  a!)Out  2,000,000,  in- 
(iuding  a  sum  of  $3,000,000  cash  in  hand.  Personally 
Mr.  Strong  is  a  gentleman  of  fine  appearance,  dig- 
nified, urbane,  courteous  to  all  with  whom  he  comes  in 
contact,  and  with  his  family  moved  in  New  York's  very 
highest  social  circles.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Union  League 
Club,  and  also  of  the  Ohio  Society  as  well  as  of  many  kin- 
dred associations,  and  is  connected  in  a  ])rominent  manner 
with  several  financial  institutions.  He  is  a  Republican  in 
politics, but  such  a  fair  and  impartial  one  as  to  have  close, 
warm  friends  in  ail  the  |)olitical  iiarties,  and  is  above  every- 
thing else  an  American  in  feeling  and  sentiment  And  he 
carries  his  impartiality  and  honorable  dealing  outside  of  com- 
mercial circles  and  tlie  world  of  finance,  and  outside  of  poli- 
tics, as  the  history  of  transactions  in  which  he  has  on  vari- 
ous occasions  been  called  to  arbitrate  between  labor  and 


became  a  mcmijL-r  i.t  the  firm  of  Morrison,  I.autcrbach 
S])ingarn.  Upon  the  death  of  Mr.  Si)ingarn  the  partner- 
shij)  was  dissolved  and  subsequently  the  new  one  of 
Hoadly,  Lauterbach  &  Johnson  was  organized.  'I'his  firm, 
composed  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  Ex-CIovernor 
Hoadly  of  Ohio  and  Edgar  M.  Johnson  of  Cincinnati,  Wil- 
liam N.  Cohen  and  Louis  Adier,  is  one  of  the  most  success- 
ful in  the  <  ity  and  has  charge  of  many  most  important 
cases.  Mr.  l.auterbach  is  essentially  a  civil  practice  lawyer 
and  railway  litigation  is  his  forte.  He  has  proven  as  suc- 
cessful as  a  railroad  organizer  as  a  lawyer,  having  been 
instrumental  in  reorganizing  the  Philadelphia  and  Reading 
Railroad  and  consolidating  the  Union  and  Prooklyn  ele- 
vated roads  of  Brooklyn  into  one  pros])erous  concern,  bring- 
ing order  and  harmony  out  of  what  hitherto  had  been 
chaos   ami   discord.      A  creation   pure   and   simple  of 


ED\V.\R1)  LAUTEKISACH. 


capital  may  be  brought  in  evidence,  occasions  in  which  he 
has  accomplished  the  difficult  task  of  giving  satisfaction  all 
round.  In  all  such  cases  his  arbitration,  as  understood 
before  he  undertook  it,  had  to  be  considered  final.  In  fine 
Mr.  William  L.  Strung  is  of  the  timber  that  builds  up  great 
cities  and  gives  reputation  and  stability  to  great  institutions. 


EDWARD  LAUTERBACH. 

Edward  Lauterbach,  one  of  the  prominent  corporation 
lawyers  of  New  York,  was  born  in  this  city  on  August  12, 
1844.  Educated  in  the  College  of  the  City  of  New  York, 
he  was  graduated  in  the  class  of  1864  from  this  institution, 
with  honors.  He  is  now  Vice-President  of  his  Alma 
Mater  and  a  member  of  its  Phi  Ikta  Kappa  Society. 
After  leaving  college  he  studied  law  in  the  office  of  Town- 
send,  Dyelt  &  Morrison,  was  called  to  the  bar,  and  in  1S64 


his  is  the  Consolidated  Telegraph  and  Electric  Sub- 
way Company,  in  which  as  president  and  counsel  he 
has  achieved  many  legal  triumjjhs.  He  is  also  counsel 
for  the  Third  .Vvenue  Railroad  Company,  which  he  has 
converted  from  a  horse-power  to  a  cable  road.  He  is 
director  and  attorney  of  the  Pacific  Mail  Steamship  Com- 
pany, in  whose  behalf  he  obtained  a  recognition  by  the 
Government  of  the  beneficial  effects  obtained  by  the  grant- 
ing of  subsidies.  He  is  also  connected  with,  and  is  counsel 
for,  the  proposed  elevated  railroad  in  Philadelphia  as  well 
as  many  Southern  railroad  systems  and  transportation  com- 
panies. Mr.  Lauterbach  has  been  the  drafter  of  numerous 
general  legislative  acts,  among  them  being  the  general  law  for 
regulating  and  governing  the  operations  and  liabilities  of  all 
the  surface  car  lines  throughout  the  State,  by  which  former 
unequal  laws  were  abolished.      Another  successful  work 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


of  his  was  the  incorporation  of  the  East  River  ]]ritlge  Com- 
pany, which  proposes  to  construct  two  more  bridges  trom 
Brooklyn  to  a  single  point  in  New  York  and  |)roceed 
thence  across  the  city  by  a  connecting  crossto«  n  elevated 
railway  to  the  Hudson  River. 

Among  the  other  qualities  besides  rare  intelligence 
and  a  faculty  for  hard  work  that  have  conduced  to  Mr. 
Lauterbach's  success  are  oratorical  gifts  and  fine  conversa- 
tional ]K)wers,  combined  with  a  most  sunny  disposition  and 
a  never-failing  desire  to  oblige.  He  has  a  beautiful, 
accomplished  wife  and  four  children,  the  eldest,  Alfred, 
having  lately  taken  the  degree  of  K.A.  in  Columbia  College 
and  EL.]),  in  the  New  York  Law  School. 


JARED  GROVER  BALDWIN,  M.D. 

Jared  G.  Baldwin,  M.l).,  was  born  in  Montrose,  Pa.,  in 
1827,  but  came  to  New  York  with  his  father,  Nehemiah, 
afterwards  a  well-known  manufacturer,  in  1836.  The  lad 
received  as  thorough  an  education  as  the  jniblic  schools 
could  afford,  and  he  graduated  from  the  Mechanics'  School 
on  Broadway  in  1841.  His  intention  at  first  was  to  ado])t 
teaching  as  a  vocation,  and  for  a  number  of  years  he  taught 
school  in  this  city.  Whilst  doing  so  his  readings  upon  medicine 
determined  him  to  adopt  that  as  his  life  work,  and  with  this  end 
in  view  he  entered  the  medical  departm.ent  of  the  University 
of  New  York  in  1850.  After  a  three  years' course  he  graduated 
in  1853,  and  immediately  went  into  active  practice,  joining 
that  celebrated  and  successful  ])hysician,  the  late  Dr.  Alfred 


JARED  GROVER  BALDWIN,  M.D. 

Freeman,  one  of  the  pioneer  homoco])athists  of  New  \'ork, 
and  remaining  with  him  ten  years.  Thus  thoroughly  e(piipi)ed 
by  education  and  experience.  Dr.  Baldwin  started  out  for 
himself.  His  history  since  then  is  part  of  the  medical  his- 
tory of  New  York.  Devoting  himself  assiduously  to  the 
welfare  of  his  patients,  studying  continuously  the  best  and 
surest  methods  as  laid  down  by  Hahnemann  and  always  (|uick 
to  avail  himself  of  every  new  discovery  or  development  in 
mcdi(  ine,  he  soon  gathered  about  him  a  clientele  that  is 
fairly  representative  of  the  wealth  and  refinement  of  New 
York.  Dr.  Baldwin  married  in  1S54  Susan,  the  daughter  of 
Jacol)  (1.  Theall,  of  this  (  ity.  i'hey  have  two  sons  (twins), 
Jared  G.,  Jr.,  and  Alfred  I'reeman  Baldwin.     Dr.  Baldwin  is 


at  present  one  of  the  censors  of  the  New  York  Medical  Col- 
lege and  Hospital,  a  member  of  the  American  Institute  of 
HonKx'opathy,  also  a  member  of  the  State  and  County 
Homieopathic  societies,  and  one  of  the  original  members  of 
the  New  York  Medical  Club.  He  has  written  a  number  o^ 
articles  for  the  different  medical  journals  and  is  still  a  close 
student.  His  ]jractice  is  one  of  the  largest  and  best  in  the  city. 

HENRY  MAURER 

Was  born  in  Hornbach,  Rheinslalz,  Germany,  on  March 
19,  1830,  and  attended  school  until  the  age  of  thirteen,  when 
he  went  to  Paris,  France,  to  learn  the  trade  of  cabinet- 
making  with  a  relative.  At  the  age  of  eighteen  he  came  to 
New  York,  where,  finding  trade  in  his  line  dull,  he  obtained 
employment  with  his  uncle,  Balthasar  Kreischer,  a  manu- 
facturer of  fire  bricks.  It  need  not  be  inferred  from  this 
that  he  had  anything  like  easy  times.  On  the  contrary,  he 
worked  very  hard  for  sixty  cents  a  day,  but  as  hard  work 
came  natural  to  Henry  Maurer  he  did  not  complain,  but 
made  himself  a  thorough  master  of  all  the  details  of  the 
business.  By  sheer  force  of  merit  he  was  advanced  to  the 
position  as  foreman,  a  few  years  later  a])pointed  bookkee])er, 
and  in  1856,  the  name  of  the  concern  having  been  changed 
to  Bilthasar  Kreischer  and  Nephew,  Henry  Maurer  was 
taken  in  as  partner.  In  1858  Adam  Weber,  Mr.  Kreischer's 
son-in-law,  was  admitted  to  partnership,  and  the  firm  name 
was  changed  to  Kreischer  tS:  Co.  In  1863  he  sold  his  interest 
to  the  senior  member  of  the  firm,  and  with  Adam  Weber,  who 
did  likewise,  started  the  Manhattan  Fire  Brick  Works,  in 
this  city,  under  the  firm  name  of  Maurer  &  Weber.  All  this 
time  ideas  were  germinating  in  Mr.  Maurer's  mind  which, 
had  they  not  taken  practical  shajje  subsequently,  might  easily 
be  considered  Utopian  by  the  Gradgrins.  He  had  been 
looking  around  him  for  ex])ansion  and  improvement,  and 
one  fine  day  went  to  his  partner  and  sold  him  his  interest  in 
the  business.  Next  morning  we  find  this  man  of  ideas  in 
i'erth  Amboy,  N.  J.  Adjacent  to  this  town  lay  the  Forbes 
Estate,  a  barren  piece  of  land  to  the  ordinary  observer,  but 
to  the  trained  eye  of  Henry  Maurer  teeming  with  wealth.  It 
possessed  an  excellent  water  front  on  Woodbridge  Creek 
and  the  Kill  von  Kull,  and  was  also  in  close  proximity  to 
both  the  New  Jersey  Central  and  Pennsylvania  Railroads, 
which,  without  the  railroad  and  water  transport  facilities, 
would  have  been  worthless  ;  the  Forbes  Estate  was  a  bed 
of  the  kind  of  clay  Mr.  Maurer  wanted  for  the  manufacture 
of  fire  brick  and  fireproofing  building  materials  ;  he  ])ur- 
chased  the  estate,  paying  cash  down,  and  then,  untrammelled 
by  partners  or  obsolete  trade  prejudices,  he  at  once  began 
to  put  this  into  practical  shape.  He  introduced  the  newest 
and  most  perfect  machinery,  all  of  his  own  make  and  inven- 
tion, and  made  on  the  premises,  worked  ceaselessly,  and 
before  many  years  had  rolled  over  possessed  the  proud 
consciousness  of  owning  the  largest  manufactory  of  its  kind 
in  the  United  States.  He  was  the  first  to  turn  out  hollow 
brick,  and  still  takes  the  lead  in  its  manufacture,  though  he 
has  many  followers  and  imitators.  He  was  also  the  first  to 
engage  in  the  manufacture  of  Clay  Roofing  tile,  which  has 
become  a  large  department  of  his  business,  and  which  are 
fast  superseding  all  other  forms  of  roof  covering,  both  on 
account  of  their  durability  and  firejiroof  qualities.  His 
princi|)al  business  is  the  manufacture  of  fire  brick,  which  are 
considered  the  best  in  the  world  ;  clay  gas  retorts,  which  he 
sup])lies  to  the  principal  gas  works  of  this  country  and  are 
recommended  as  the  very  best  by  our  most  comjietent  gas 
engineers,  and  of  which  he  makes  some  600  to  800  annually, 
of  all  sizes  and  forms;  tiles  and  blocks  for  use  in  blast  fur- 
naces, rolling  mills,  steel  works,  glass  works,  chemical  works, 
brass  and  iron  foundries  ;  and  other  articles  made  from  fire 
brick  matuial.  .\s  regards  the  |)r()ducts  of  his  manufacture, 
he  claims  that  ihey  are  beyond  (  (jmijetition  in  quality,  and 


NEW  YORK,   THE  METROPOLIS. 


131 


his  claims  arc  generally  allowed.  Some  idea  of  the  volume 
as  well  as  the  growth  of  his  business  may  be  conceived 
when  it  is  stated  that  in  1881  he  turned  out  about  5,oco 
tons  of  fire  brick,  hollow  brick,  porous  terra  cotta,  clay  gas 
retorts,  French  roofing  tiles  and  red  or  common  building 
brick,  and  employing  in  their  manufacture  some 30  men.  In 
1891,  only  ten  years  later,  over  50,000  tons  of  the  same 
material  was  manufactured  and  350  men  employed,  forty- 
two  kilns  used  to  burn  it,  and  two  engines  of  200  horse  power 
each  engaged  constantly  to  drive  the  heavy  machinery,  and 
his  factories  lighted  throughout  with  electric  light,  the 
electricity  being  generated  on  the  premises  by  a  powerful 
dynamo. 

The  leading  architects  of  New  York,  Philadelphia, 
Boston  and  other  great  cities  use  Mr.  Maurer's  hollow  brick, 
and  among  the  prominent  buildings  in  which  they  are  a 
component  part  are  the  Produce  Exchange,  Metropolitan 
Opera  House,  Potter  and  Mills  Buildings,  Western  Union, 
Equitable  and  Times  Buildings,  New  Delmonico,  Gallatin 
National  Bank,  and  Isabella  Home  of  this  city,  Dre.xel, 
Hazeltine,  Betz  and  Keystone  Buildings  in  Philadelphia, 
and  numerous  others  throughout  the  United  States.  In 
I)rivate  buildings  in  which  the  hollow  brick  were  used  are 
Cornelius  Vanderbilt's  house  on  Fifth  Avenue,  Henry  Vil- 
lard's  house  on  Madison  Avenue,  Whitelaw  Reid's  mansion 
in  White  Plains,  etc.  His  products  are  exported  to  the 
most  distant  parts  of  the  world,  including  China  and  South 
America.  Previous  to  this  time  the  place  was  a  desolate 
wilderness.  He  first  built  factories,  enlarged  his  works  from 
time  to  time,  and  as  a  consequence  imported  labor,  skilled 
and  unskilled.  The  operatives  had  to  live  on  the  premises 
and  in  order  to  make  them  comfortable  Mr.  Maurer  spent  a 
great  deal  of  money.  He  constructed  good  roads,  sidewalks 
and  sewers,  laid  drains  in  various  places  and  filled  in  the 
salt  meadows.  He  erected  a  large  hotel,  of  which  Captain 
(ieorge  Loeser  of  New  York  was  placed  in  charge,  a  large 
school  house  followed,  then  a  church  and  a  beautiful  grove, 
(  The  "  P2xcelsior  Grove"),  followed  in  succession  by  a  water 
tower  of  24,000  gallons  capacity,  water  mains  for  supplying 
the  dwelling  houses  and  for  fire  service  ])urposes,  and  so  on 
until  gradually  from  a  place  with  a  frame  house  and  two 
small  kilns  the  beautiful  village  of  Maurer  has  been  envolved, 
with  its  Post  Office,  its  music  hall,  its  comfortable  working- 
men's  cottages,  its  electric  lights,  and  in  fact  everything  that 
the  name  of  a  prosperous  New  Jersey  village  implies.  All 
this  has  been  accomplished  by  the  genius  of  one  man  in  the 
short  time  of  15  years.  And  though  a  New  Jersey  village, 
Maurer,  if  it  could  be  transjjorted  by  the  Geni  of  Aladdin's 
lamp  to  the  native  Bavaria  of  its  founder,  would  find  itself 
completely  at  home.  It  is  essentially  German  in  every 
particular  except  the  atmosphere,  German  is  spoken  on  the 
streets,  the  German  language  is  taught  in  the  schools, 
German  songs  are  sung  in  the  music  hall,  German  sermons 
are  preached  in  the  church.    It  is,  in  fact,  an  ideal  village. 

Four  years  ago  he  organized  a  sick  benefit  association  for 
his  emi)loyes  under  the  name  of  the  "  Kranken  Unterstut- 
zungs-Yerein  Excelsior,"  and  which  has  in  that  time  paid 
out  over  $53,500  in  sick  and  death  benefits,  thus  showing 
the  kindly  feeling  which  he  ever  entertains  toward  his  em- 
ployes. It  may  be  stated  that  Point  Forbes,  the  original  name 
of  the  place,  was  changed  to  Maurer  by  the  people  without 
at  all  consulting  its  owner,  and  is  also  a  railroad  station  on 
the  Long  Branch  division  of  the  Central  Railroad  of  New 
Jersey.  Personally  Mr.  Maurer  is  a  prepossessing  man,  of 
easy  manner  and  well  cut  features.  He  is  of  medium  size 
and  has  a  constitution  that  does  not  recognize  hardship.  He 
is  to  be  seen  every  morning  in  his  New  York  office,  420 
East  Twenty-third  Street,  and  in  the  afternoon  in  Maurer, 
N.  J.,  superintending  his  works,  planning  improvements, 
ever  having  an  eye  to  his  business  and  giving  to  each  and 


every  department  his  personal  supervision.  He  takes  a 
keen  interest  in  public  affairs  and  especially  in  education, 
and  was  for  seven  years  school  trustee  in  the  Seventeenth 
Ward,  New  N'ork  City. 

JAMES  S.  BARRON. 
The  great  establishment  of  James  S.  Barron  &  Co., 
having  a  reputation  as  one  of  the  most  extensive  manu- 
facturers and  exporters  of  wooden  and  willow  ware  as  well 
as  rope  and  cordage  in  the  country,  was  founded  Ajiril  13, 
1849.  It  was  originally  established  at  the  corner  of  Wash- 
ington and  Fulton  Streets,  but  in  1851  was  removed  to  250 
Washington  Street.  In  1852,  Mr.  Dennis,  the  senior  jjart- 
ner,  Mr.  Barron  being  the  company,  sold  his  interest  in  the 
concern  to  Edwin  Wainright,  and  the  com|)any  became 
Wainright  and  liarron,  so  continuing  until  1856,  when  Mr. 
Barron  sold  his  interest  to  Mr.  \\'ainright  and  entered  as  jjart- 
ncr  the  well-known  house  of  A.  I).  Hopping  \:  Co.,  in  which 
he  had  formerly  been  clerk.  He  remained  as  jjartner  until 
t86o,  when  he  disposed  of  his  interest  in  the  establishment 
and  purchased  the  entire  business  and  stock  of  Bradley 
Brothers,  280  Washington  Street,  and,  taking  in  Frederick 


JAMES  S.  H.XKRON. 


Bradley  as  partner,  did  business  until  1S64  under  the  firm 
name  of  Barron  Bradley.  In  1864  Mr.  Barron  bought  out 
Mr.  Bradley's  interest,  and  the  house  assumed  its  i)resent 
name  of  James  S.  Barron  \:  Co.,  the  "Co."  being  H.  >I.  Mod- 
drell.  Mr.  Moddrell  died  in  i87oandMr.  Barron  tookWilliam 
H.,  his  son,  into  the  firm,  where  he  has  continued  until  the 
present  day.  He  was  in  New  Orleans  in  1862  and  witnessed 
the  famous  Red  River  operations.  He  observed  that  the 
expedition  was  accompanied  by  a  combination  of  cotton 
speculators,  and  concluded  they  were  the  moving  spirits  of 
the  expedition.  He  was  also  in  New  Orleans  when  Patrick 
Sarsfield  Gilmore  gave  his  first  monster  concert,  at  which 
4,000  children  took  part  and  a  hundred  pieces  of  artillery 
were  fired  off  to  swell  the  anvil  chorus.  The  concert  was 
followed  by  a  grand  ball  and  bancpiet,  at  which  Mr.  Barron 
was  present.  In  fact,  Mr.  Barron  is  mellow  with  reminis- 
cences of  those  times.    In  1880  the  establishment  was  moved 


132  NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS 


to  141  Chambers  Street,  which  it  now  occii])ies,  as  well  as 
145,  and  No  2  Hudson  Street  ;  and  so  from  small  begin- 
nings the  business  of  the  firm  has  grown  and  flourished, 
until  at  present  it  reaches  from  $1,500,000  to  $2,000,000 
yearly,  trades  in  all  States  of  the  Union,  and  exports  to 
Europe  and  the  South  American  Republics.  Mr.  Barron 
was  born  in  this  city  in  1825,  and  though  having  traveled 
in  many  lands — all  over  the  world,  in  fact — has  had  his  resi- 
dence always  in  New  York.  Mr.  Barron  is  an  ex-President 
of  the  Excelsior  Savings  Bank  and  was  one  of  its  incor- 
porators. He  is  member  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  of 
the  Board  of  Trade,  and  was  one  of  the  original  starters  of 
the  Cheap  Transportation  Company,  on  which  the  present 
interstate  commerce  law  is  based.  Messrs.  Thurber  and 
Claflin  were  co-laborers  of  Mr.  Barron  in  this  enterprise. 
In  1850  he  was  married  to  Anna  Hopping,  who  bore  him 
three  sons,  all  of  whom  arc  now  associated  in  business  with 


« 


him.  'i'hey  have  inherited  their  father's  business  acumen 
and  energy,  and  bid  fair  to  keep  the  high  standing  of  the 
house  both  for  integrity  of  character,  business  methods  and 
selling  the  best  goods.  Mr.  Barron,  senior,  is  still  in  hand 
as  their  instructor  and  guide. 


HENRY  CLEWS. 

No  man  in  the  world  of  finance  both  here  and  abroad 
is  better  or  more  favorably  known  than  Henry  Clews,  the 
great  banker  and  distinguished  author.  Mr.  Clews  comes 
from  an  old  and  highly  resi)ectal)le  English  familv,  and  was 
born  in  Staffordshire.  .Vt  companying  his  father  on  a  busi- 
ness trij)  to  this  country  when  not  yet  fifteen  years  of  age. 
young  Clews  was  so  fascinated  by  the  eminently  i)raclical 
spirit  of  ' the  American  people  that  he  obtained  his  father's 
consent  to  enter  mercantile  life  in  the  city  of  New  York. 


Accordingly,  a  junior  clerkship  was  procured  for  him  in 
the  well-known  house  of  Wilson  G.  Hunt  &  Co.,  extensive 
importers  of  woollen  goods,  where  he  remained  a  number 
of  years,  rising  to  a  position  of  responsibility.  But  his 
whole  ambition  was  to  become  a  banker.  In  1859  the  » 
opportunity  came,  and  he  entered  Wall  Street  as  a  member 
of  the  firm  of  Stone,  Clews  &  Mason.  Later  a  change 
was  made  in  the  firm,  and  the  style  became  Livetnson, 
Clews  &  Co.  At  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War  the  newly- 
■established  house  was  already  upon  a  firm  basi.i  and  doing 
a  good  business.  Mr.  Clews  had  the  most  unbounded  faith 
in  the  National  (iovernment,  and,  as  the  sequel  jjroved.  had 
the  courage  of  his  convictions.  Secretary  of  the  Treasury 
S.  V.  Chase  appointed  him  agent  for  the  sale  of  the  l)onds 
issued  by  the  Government  to  meet  the  extraordinary  ex- 
penses of  the  war.  At  the  time  these  securities  were  put 
upon  the  market  many  business  men  regarded  them  as  a 


very  risky  investment.  Hut  Mr.  Clews  did  not  for  a 
moment  falter  in  his  confidence  of  the  Eederal  Govern- 
ment. He  knew  the  treasury  was  empty,  but  he  believed 
in  the  strength  and  recu|)erative  ])ower  of  the  loyal  North, 
and  he  put  every  dollar  of  his  means  in  the  bonds  and 
went  largely  into  debt  by  borrowing.  In  1884  Mr.  Clews' 
firm  subscribed  to  the  national  loan  at  the  rate  of  from  five 
to  ten  millions  a  day,  and  Secretary  Chase  said  at  this  time. 
'■  Had  it  not  been  for  Jay  Cook  and  Henry  Clews  I  could 
never  have  succeeded  in  placing  the  5-20  loan."  The  late 
Duke  of  Marll)orough,  on  a  recent  visit  to  this  country. 
])aid  Mr.  Clews  a  handsome  and  well  deserved  tribute, 
when  he  said  to  a  member  of  the  press  that  he  considered 
Mr.  Clews  "the  brightest,  smartest  and  (juickest  man  ''  he 
had  ever  met.  To  Mr.  Clews  is  due  the  credit  for  the 
origination  of.  and  for  putting  vigorously  into  execution, 
the  organization  of  the  famous  Committee  of  Seventy, 


NEIV   YORK,  THE  xMETROPOLIS. 


'33 


whicli  drove  the  entire  l?oss  Tweed  ring  out  of  offn  e  to 
seek  refuge  as  exiles  in  foreign  lands.  After  the  close  of 
the  war  Mr.  Clews  directed  his  attention  to  the  foundation 
of  a  distinctively  hanking  business,  retaining,  of  course, 
his  valuable  commission  business  in  Ciovernment  bonds 
and  stocks.  The  extensive  revival  of  railroad  interests 
which  immediately  followed  the  termination  of  hostilities 
opened  a  new  field  for  investments,  and  Mr.  Clews  for  years 
was  the  most  extensive  negotiator  of  railroad  loans  in  this 
country  or  Europe.  The  present  firm  of  Henry  Clews  i\: 
Co.  was  organized  in  1877,  the  individual  members  pledging 
themselves  never  to  take  any  speculative  risks.  This  con- 
servative feature  of  the  house,  together  with  the  large 
capital  it  possesses,  cannot  but  inspire  the  confidence  of 
the  public.  The  business  of  the  firm  is,  jjrobably,  wider 
and  more  varied  than  that  of  any  other  banking  house  in 
the  United  States,  or  even  in  the  world,  employing,  as  it  does, 
125  clerks  and  having  an  immense  clientage.  Mr.  Clews 
has  always  taken  the  profoundest  interest  in  the  politics  of 
the  country,  especially  during  the  war  period,  only,  how- 
ever, for  the  purpose  of  effecting  gocid  government,  and 
not  from  any  desire  to  obtain  ofifice.  He  has  twice  been 
tendered  the  Treasury  ])ortfolio  and  twice  the  Republican 
nominations  for  Mayor  of  this  city.  Devotion  to  the  inter- 
ests of  his  numerous  clientage  forced  him  to  decline  those 
honors.  His  views  on  public  or  business  affairs  as  ex- 
pressed either  verbally  or  by  his  powerful  pen  are  broad 
and  liberal  and  are  based  upon  careful  study.  His  book 
entitled  "  Twenty-eight  Years  in  Wall  Street  "  is  possessed 
of  great  literary  merit,  and  has  been  favorably  and 
generally  commented  upon.  Mr.  Clews  was  for  many 
years  treasurer  of  the  American  Geographical  Society, 
and  of  the  Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to 
Animals  at  the  period  when  Henry  Bergh,  its  founder, 
was  its  president  ;  was  also  one  of  the  founders  of  the 
Union  League  Club  and  has  long  been  a  member  of  the 
Union  Club,  and  connected  with  many  other  leading  city 
institutions.  Mr.  Greeley,  after  his  nomination,  personally 
proposed  to  Mr.  Clews  to  make  him  his  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury  if  elected.  This  offer  was  declined  by  Mr. 
Clews  on  the  ground  that  he  had  already  commi  ted  him- 
self to  the  campaign  for  General  Grant's  re-election,  which 
he  labored  so  arduously  to  accom]jlish.  By  General  Grant 
he  was  afterward  offered  the  Collectorship  of  the  Port  of 
New  York,  which  appointment  was  subsequently  conferred 
upon  General  Arthur.  Mr.  Clews'  career  has  been  remaik- 
ably  noteworthy.  Many  elements  have  contributed  to  his 
success,  but  it  is  not  ditlficult  to  perceive  that  chief  among 
them  have  been  pluck,  industry,  perseverance  and  unswerv- 
ing integrity.  Throughout  his  entire  career  his  word  has 
been  as  good  as  his  bond.  He  has  not  been  elated  by  pros- 
perity nor  cast  down  by  adversity.  Good  and  ill  fortune 
alike  have  found  him  with  even  mind,  and  in  both  his 
friends  have  clung  to  him  with  the  utmost  tenacity.  His 
character  and  career  are  full  of  instruction  to  the  youth  of 
this  country,  who  are  growing  up  with  so  many  apposite 
examples  before  them  among  the  moneyed  men  of  our  large 
cities. 


PHILIP  RHINELANDER. 

Phili])  Rhintlander,  scion  of  the  distinguished  German 
family  of  that  name,  was  born  in  Greenfield  Hill,  Connecti- 
cut, his  father's  country  place.  He  belongs  to  a  family  fa- 
mous in  the  annals  of  the  State  which  ranks  with  the  first  in 
social  eminence  in  the  country.  The  Rhinelanders  were 
among  the^first  settlers  in  the  State,  Philip  Jacob  Rhine- 
lander  having  come  to  America  in  1685,  and  settled  at  New 
Rochelle.  After  awhile,  however,  he  came  to  New  York 
(then  New  .\msterdam),  since  which  time  his  descendants  in 
every  generation  ha\e  occupied  leading  jiositions  in  busi- 


ness and  s<;(  iai  life.  On  his  mother's  side  Philip  Rhine- 
lander  is  descended  from  the  Crugers,  a  name  e(pially  illus- 
trious in  the  annals  of  New  York.  Mr.  Rhinelander,  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch,  joined  the  Seventh  Regiment,  N.  (i.  S. 
N.  Y.,  when  only  eighteen  years  of  age,  and  served  in  Com- 
pany K  for  seven  years.  He  won  the  Recruiting  diamond 
medal  five  years  in  succession,  an  achievement  which,  up  to 
that  time,  was  never  surpassed  by  any  member  of  the  com- 
|)any.  This  handsome  medal  was  given  annually  by  Com- 
pany K  for  activity  in  recruiting,  and  as  there  was  great 
rivalry  between  the  members,  it  required  ([uite  an  amount 
of  labor  to  win  it.  Mr.  Rhinelander  married,  when  (piite 
young.  Miss  .Adelaide  Kij),  daughter  of  Dr.  Isaac  L.  Kip,  a 
descendant  of  that  old  and  distinguished  Dutch  family  from 
Henry  Kype,  who  came  from  .Amsterdam,  Holland,  to  New 
York  in  1635.  and  whose  family  also  held  high  positions  in 
the  State  and  City  of  New  York,  one  of  whom,  Isaac  Lewis 
Kip,  Mrs.  Philip  Rhinelander's  great-grandfather,  was  a  law 


PHII.Il'  RHINELANDER. 


partner  of  Judge  Brockholdst  Livingston,  and  was  ap- 
pointed by  Chancellor  Livingston  Register  of  the  Court  of 
Chancery,  which  responsible  office  he  held  under  Chancel- 
lors Livingston,  Lansing  and  Kent,  this  marriage  thus 
uniting  two  of  the  oldest  Knickerbocker  families  of  New 
York.  .After  his  marriage  Mr.  Rhinelander  travelled  ex- 
tensively in  Europe,  visiting  the  different  countries  and 
cities,  during  which  time  he  made  a  very  fine  collection  of 
ancient  trophies,  suits  of  old  armor,  pictures  and  various 
anticpiities.  Philip  Rhinelander  and  his  brother,  Oakley, 
are  owners  of  the  famous  Castle  of  Schonberg,  situated 
at  Oberwesel  on  the  Rhine,  and  it  is  here  at  the  old 
chateau  where  they  pass  part  of  their  summers  while  in 
Europe.  Mr.  Rhinelander  is  a  member  of  the  St.  Nicholas 
Society,  Sons  of  the  Revolution,  Society  of  the  Colonial 
Wars,  New  York  Historical  Society  and  the  New  York  Bi- 
ographical ami  Geographical  Society,  the  Union  and  Delta 
Phi  Clubs. 


1.35 


JOHN  JACOB  ASTOR. 
John  Jacob  Astor,  the  cider,  was  born  July  17,  1763,  in  the 
village  of  Waldorf,  near  Heidelberg,  in  the  Grand  Duchy  of 
Baden.  He  was  the  youngest  son  of  Johann  Jacob  Astor,  a 
poor  peasant,  whose  father  had  been  in  better  circumstances. 
The  first  years  of  his  life  were  passed  in  poverty  and  priva- 
tion, and  at  the  age  of  sixteen  he  left  his  father's  occupa- 
tion and  joined  an  elder  brother  who  had  settled  some  years 
before  in  London,  and  who  subsetiuently  became  the, head 
of  the  musical  instrument  warehouse  of  Astor  &  Broadwood. 
He  set  out  on  foot  for  the  Rhine,  and  resting  under  a  tree 
while  still  in  sight  of  his  native  village,  formed  three 
resolves,  to  which  he  adhered  through  life — to  be  honest,  to 
be  industrious,  and  never  to  gamble.  He  worked  his  pas- 
sage down  the  Rhine  on  a  timber  raft,  and  on  arriving  in 
London  received  employment  at  his  brother's  factory.  Here 
he  remained  three  years,  acquiring  the  English  language 


mitting  vigor,  and  at  the  end  of  ten  years  had  diverted  the 
most  profitable  markets  from  his  competitors,  and  was  at  the 
head  of  a  business  branching  to  Albany,  Buffalo,  I'lattsburgh 
and  Detroit.  Finding  that  London  was  abetter  market  for 
furs  than  New  York,  he  chartered  a  vessel,  put  his  brother- 
in-law,  William  Whetten,  a  ship  captain,  in  command,  sold 
the  cargo  to  great  advantage,  and  returned  with  Astor  & 
Hroadwood  instruments,  which  from  their  excellence  were 
held  in  high  reputation.  Taught  by  this  experience,  he 
bought  ships  and  engaged  in  the  lucrative  China  trade, 
sending  vessels  round  the  world  on  each  cruise,  carrying 
furs  to  England,  English  manufactures  to  Canton,  and 
thence  returning  to  New  York  with  tea.  His  business  in- 
creased immensely,  but  he  superintended  all  parts  of  it  i)er- 
sonally  and  gave  attention  to  the  minutest  details.  His  let- 
ters of  instruction  to  his  agents  were  written  with  extraordi- 
nary comprehensiveness  and  accuracy.    It  was  his  maxim  : 


ASTOR  HorSIi. 


and  putting  by  some  scanty  savings  for  the  time  when  he 
should  be  able  to  realize  the  project  upon  which  his 
thoughts  were  fixed,  of  removing  to  America,  where  he  had 
a  presentiment  of  attaining  great  riches.  In  his  later  perio<l 
of  prosperity  he  often  referred  to  these  years  as  having  been 
among  the  happiest  of  his  life.  In  November,  1783,  he  em- 
barked at  Southampton,  taking  a  stock  of  flutes  and  other 
musical  instruments  which  were  to  be  sold  at  a  profit.  Upon 
arriving  in  New  York,  he  found  his  brother,  Henry  Astor, 
in  possession  of  a  considerable  fortune,  acquired  by  sui)ply- 
ing,  at  first  the  British  garrison,  and  afterwards  the  meat 
dealers  of  the  city,  with  cattle  which  he  bought  in  herds  in 
the  interior.  John  Jacob  Astor  soon  busied  himself  in  the 
fur  trade,  to  which  his  attention  had  been  called  by  a  fel- 
low-countryman, and  in  which  large  fortunes  were  being 
amassed.    He  entered  upon  this  new  occupation  with  unre- 


"  If  you  wish  a  thing  done,  get  some  one  to  do  it  for  you  ; 
but  if  you  wish  it  done  well,  do  it  yourself."  He  meditated 
long  before  acting,  but  a  resolve  once  taken  it  was  executed 
without  hesitation.  His  greatest  enterprise  was  the  settle- 
ment of  Astoria,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  River,  which 
is  the  subject  of  Washington  Irving's  volume  of  that  name. 
After  the  famous  journey  of  Lewis  and  Clark  across  the 
continent  he  despatched  traders  and  buyers  to  the  Indian 
tribes  of  Oregon  and  Dakota  and  the  Great  Lakes.  The 
l?ritish  Northwest  Fur  Company  opposed  him  to  the  utmost, 
dri\  ing  away  his  agents  and  \oyageurs  and  claiming  exclu- 
sive rights  to  the  fur  trade  of  the  Pacific.  In  the  face  of 
great  difficulty  the  station  of  Astoria  was  maintained  for 
four  years,  and  a  treaty  was  signed  by  his  agent  and  son-in- 
law  Ikntzon  with  Count  Baranoff  on  behalf  of  the  Russian 
government  in  Kamtchatka  and  .Maska.    In  dealing  with 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


137 


the  Indians  and  in  his  instriu  lions  lo  liis  captains  relative 
to  their  intercourse  with  the  savages,  Mr.  Astor  was  wise, 
humane,  and  liberal.  A  significant  corroboration  of  this 
statement  is  found  in  the  conduct  of  Comcomly,  the  chief 
of  the  native  Chinooks,  who,  upon  the  approach  of  a  lirit- 
ish  sloop  of  war  in  December,  181 4,  offered  to  defend  As- 
toria with  his  warriors,  promising  to  inflict  a  sanguinary  re- 
pulse upon  the  enemy.  But,  unfortunately,  Mr.  Astor  had 
erred  for  once  in  his  judgment  of  human  nature,  and  had 
entrusted  Astoria  with  its  fort,  its  magazines  and  its  accu- 
mulation of  valuable  furs  to  a  renegade  Scotchman  named 
Duncan  McDougal,  who  for  a  bribe  from  the  l'>ritish  North- 
west Company,  bade  Comcomly  dismiss  his  braves,  and 
hoisted  the  Union  Jack  almost  before  he  could  be  sum- 
moned to  surrender.  In  this  remarkable  enterprise  Mr. 
Astor  was  actuated  less  by  considerations  of  pecuniary 
profit  than  by  the  zest  of  a  vast  design  which  had  gradually 
developed  in  his  mind,  and  which  aimed  at  the  exploration 
and  civilization  of  the  Pacific  coast  through  the  medium  of 
commerce  and  colonization.  The  magnitude  of  his  finan- 
cial relations  and  the  vigor  and  breadth  of  his  self-trained 
intellect  brought  him  into  fretjuent  correspondence  upon 
the  establishment  and  maintenance  of  Astoria,  with  the 
leading  .-Xmerican  statesmen  of  the  time,  but  the  govern- 
ment gave  no  further  encouragement  or  protection  than  its 
acquiescence  in  projects  which  were  evidently  to  be  so  greatly 
to  its  advantage. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  present  century  Mr. 
Astor  began  investing  the  profits  of  commercial  ven- 
tures in  real  estate  upon  Manhattan  Island,  whose 
immense  future  value  he  was  one  of  the  first  to  foresee. 
He  bought  meadows  and  farms  in  the  track  which  the 
growth  of  the  city  would  follow,  trusting  to  time  to  multi- 
ply their  worth.  His  rise  to  fortune  was  due  to  none  of  the 
curious  windfalls  and  favoring  chances  which  are  pO|)idarly 
as.sociated  with  his  early  years  ;  the  first  half  of  his  life  was 
an  arduous  struggle,  in  which  adversity  and  disapijointment 
only  stimulated  him  to  further  self-improvement  and  to  a 
broader  and  profounder  study  of  the  world.  'l"he  practical 
cast  of  his  character  and  the  ijrincii)les  of  frugality  and 
labor  which  his  experience  had  instilled  madeliim  imjjatient 
of  indolence  and  sham  and  mendicancy.  But  he  knew  the 
value  of  wise  benefaction,  and  by  his  will  established  the 
library  which  bears  his  name,  and  which  his  son  and  grand- 
son have  augmented  till  their  united  gift  to  the  city  repre- 
sents a  million  and  a  half  of  dollars.  Mr.  Astor  was  a  self 
educated  man,  and  his  desire  for  useful  information  was  a 
constant  habit  of  the  mind  and  marked  every  period  of  life. 

He  delighted  in  the  society  of  men  of  letters  and  accom- 
plishment. One  of  his  most  intimate  friends,  dating  from 
the  days  of  their  service  as  Directors  of  the  Bank  of  the 
United  States,  was  Albert  Gallatin,  and  his  frequent  com- 
panion, and  one  who  at  a  later  period  lived  with  him  for 
several  years,  was  Washington  Irving,  'i  hrough  business 
relations  he  was  interested  in  the  chief  banking  institutions 
of  the  city,  and  in  1834,  when  the  New  York  Life  Insurance 
and  Trust  Company  was  robbed  by  its  cashier  of  its  entire 
surplus,  amounting  to  a  (juarter  of  a  million,  Mr.  Astor 
saved  the  company  from  an  inevitable  suspension,  which  in 
those  days  meant  disgrace,  by  the  gratuitous  loan  of  an 
amount  sufficient  to  meet  its  immediate  needs.  After  his 
retirement  from  active  business  in  1822,  he  made  several 
visits  to  Europe,  residing  on  the  continent  in  all  nearly  ten 
years.  He  acquired  the  French  language,  which  he  learned 
to  speak  and  write  fluently,  was  presented  at  Court  of 
Charles  the  Tenth,  and  devoted  parts  of  two  winters  to  the 
galleries  and  museums  of  Italy.  The  summers  abroad  were 
passed  at  a  villa  he  owned  on  the  lake  of  (leneva,  which  he 
afterwards  gave  to  his  son-in-law,  Vincent  Rumpff,  then 
Minister  of  the  Hanseatic  League  at  Paris.    Mr.  Astor's 


last  years  were  s])ent  in  re])Ose  and  retirement,  in  the  su])er- 
\  ision  of  landed  interests  and  in  the  society  of  a  small  circle 
of  men  of  attainment.  His  strongest  trait  was  integrity; 
iiis  |jrivate  life  was  blameless  ;  his  chief  pleasure  was  in  the 
sim|)le  recreations  of  his  country  home  ;  by  the  force  of  his 
influence  and  example  he  helped  to  give  character  to  the 
society  of  his  time.  In  old  age,  surrounded  by  every  lux- 
ury, and  looking  back  across  an  eventful  career,  his  thoughts 
revertetl  to  the  home  of  his  boyhood  in  the  humble  little 
village  of  Waldorf  :  and  by  his  will  he  made  provision  for 
the  establishment  there  of  an  asylum  for  the  sick  and  infirm, 
which,  since  its  creation  in  1854,  has  alleviated  suflering  and 
stood  as  a  memorial  of  tlie  love  its  founder  retained  to  the 
last  for  his  German  Fatherland. 

WILLIAM  B.  ASTOR. 

William  H.  Astor,  son  of  John  Jacob,  and  the  Astor 
Library's  most  munificent  ])atron  after  his  father,  was  born 
on  September  19,  1792.  He  was  educated  in  the  public 
schools  of  New  York  City  until  he  was  sixteen,  when  he  was 
sent  to  the  University  of  Gottingen,  Germany,  to  complete 
his  studies.  He  was  in  that  university  in  1812-13,  and  saw 
Napoleon  marshalling  his  hosts  for  the  invasion  of  Russia. 
He  also  witnessed  the  uprising  of  the  German  people  upon 
learning  of  his  reverses.  In  1818  he  married  Margaret 
Rebecca,  daughter  of  General  John  Armstrong,  author  of 
the  "  Newburg  Letters,"  who  was  in  his  time  U.  S.  Senator, 
Secretary  of  War  and  United  States  Minister  to  France. 
At  the  age  of  twenty-eight  Mr.  Astor  entered  his  father's 
counting-house,  in  which  at  that  time  was  conducted  a  mer- 
cantile business  that  encircled  the  globe.  From  1820  to 
1825  the  commercial  ventures  were  reduced  and  replaced, 
gradually,  by  simpler  and  less  hazardous  interests.  At  that 
]jerioti  what  there  was  of  New  York  fronted  the  Battery,  and 
Mr.  Astor  lived  there,  si)ending  the  summer  months  with  his 
family  at  his  father's  country  seat,  near  Hell  Gate.  In  those 
comparatively  primitive  days  life  was  without  the  luxuries 
that  wealth,  travel,  and  leisure  have  now  brought  into 
fashion.  It  was  amid  the  simple  habits  of  the  time  that 
Mr.  William  B.  stor's  character  was  formed  in  abstemious, 
methodical,  self-reliant  ways.  His  youth  was  unspoiled  by 
the  world,  and  he  knew  little  of  either  affectation  or  variety. 
For  out-door  exercise  he  devoted  himself  to  riding  on  horse- 
back, and  until  the  age  of  seventy-five  used  to  walk  many 
miles  everyday  in  rain  or  shine.  Those  who  knew  him  only 
in  old  age,  a  man  of  iron  constitution  and  rugged  health, 
could  with  difficulty  have  imagined  him  in  early  manhood 
fond  of  sport,  an  expert  fencer,  taking  pleasure  in  dancing 
and  the  society  of  ladies.  Regarding  politics  with  aversion 
he  held  aloof  from  public  affairs,  but  was  kind  and  courtly 
in  manner  even  to  the  humblest.  Under  his  management 
the  Astor  estate  was  moulded  into  a  precise  and  undeviating 
system.  The  Astors  have  never  speculated.  He  never 
boasted  of  wealth  or  spoke  about  it  ;  his  ruling  passion  was 
to  faithfully  discharge  his  various  duties,  and  this  he  fol- 
lowed with  a  consistency  that  neither  the  weight  of  respon- 
sibility nor  the  burdens  of  age  could  alter.  After  his  wife's 
death,  which  took  place  on  February  15,  1872,  he  continued 
his  devotion  to  business,  but  lived  (juietly  with  his  wife's 
nephew — Mr.  John  S.  Ainslie — at  his  house.  No.  372  Fifth 
.Vvenue,  sjjending  his  leisure  time  reading  French  and 
English  classic  literature.  He  died  on  November  24, 
1875.  When  Mr.  Astor  succeeded  to  his  father's  estate  in 
1848  he  was  already  wealthy.  He  had  been  very  successful 
in  the  fur  trade,  and  was  President  of  the  American  Fur 
Company.  He  had  received  $500,000  from  an  uncle  and 
the  title  to  the  Astor  House  property  from  his  father.  To 
the  Astor  Library  he  gave  $250,000  in  cash  and  $200,000  in 
books,  which,  with  other  bequests,  swelled  his  total  donations 
to  that  institution  to  $550,000.    He  left  five  children,  two 


NE]V  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


139 


sons,  John  Jacob  and  William,  antl  three  daughters,  I'.nuly, 
who  married  Samuel  Ward  and  died  (iiiite  young,  leaving 
a  daughter,  Mattie,  who  was  at  once  adopted  l)y  her  grand- 
father as  his  own  daughter,  and  who  married  John  Win- 
throp  Chanler,  Member  of  C^ongress  from  New  York  City  ; 
Aiida,  the  second  daughter,  who  married  John  Casey  of 
England,  and  Laura,  who  married  Franklin  Delano  of  New 
York. 


JOHN  JACOB  ASTOR  II. 
John  Jacob  Astor,  the  second  of  the  name,  was  born  in 
New  York,  June  10,  1822.  His  parents  were  William  H. 
Astor,  son  of  the  founder  of  the  family,  and  Margaret  Re- 
becca, daughter  and  granddaughter  of  the  Armstrongs  of 
Revolutionary  honor.  After  graduating  from  C"olumi)ia 
College  he  was  sent  to  the  University  of  (lottingen,  where, 
thirty  years  earlier,  his  father  had  studied  and  formed 
friendships  with  the  men  who  were  destined  to  pre])are  the 
mind  of  Cermany  for  national  unity.  When  to  this  had 
been  added  the  diploma  of  Harvard  Law  School  and  a 
year's  practice  with  a  law  firm,  he  passed,  at  the  age  of 


sordid  acfpiisition,  but  in  recognition  of  the  duly  the  heir 
owes  to  the  ancestor  to  maintain  and  enhance  the  fortune 
from  which  all  the  honors  and  advantages  and  i)leasures  of  life 
are  directly  or  indirectly  derived.  Mr.  Astor's  natural 
([ualities  were  such  as  made  him  responsive  to  every  such 
appeal.  An  intuitive  love  of  justice,  an  honest  devotion  to 
the  right,  a  severe  satisfaction  in  the  faithful  discharge  of 
duty,  underlay  all  the  additions  of  reading  and  travel  and 
experience.  His  tastes  were  simple  and  with  rijjer  years 
the  serious  ])leasures  of  his  youth  continued  to  delight  him. 
In  the  ])rime  of  life  he  i)0ssessed  great  vigor,  and  his  favor- 
ite relaxations  were  a  walk  through  the  woods,  or  an  after- 
noon in  his  rowboat,  or  a  long  ride  on  horseback.  'I'his 
zest  for  outdoor  exercise  developed  a  vivid  appreciation  of 
the  beauties  of  rural  scenery.  He  delighted  in  the  blos- 
soming exjjansion  of  Spring  and  in  the  reveries  that  Sum- 
mer fields  and  fleeting  clouds  and  lengthening  shadows 
suggest  ;  the  tints  of  Autumn  and  the  sparkling  vista  of 
the  river  and  the  elotiuent  silence  of  starlight  nights 
spoke  to  him  in  a  language  he  grew  to  understand  and  to 
love.    Few  rich  men  bear  responsibility  so  wisely  or  walk 


twenty-five,  to  the  office  of  the  estate  of  John  Jacob  Astor. 
On  the  9th  of  December,  1846,  he  mariied  Charlotte 
Augusta  C'libbes,  whose  father  had  removed  from  South 
Carolina  at  an  early  age.  Their  actjuaintance  began  as 
children,  and  was  for  both  a  first  and  lifelong  and  unwaver- 
ing attachment.  To  his  wife  he  owed  the  example  of  her 
own  high  ideals  and  the  habitual  practice  of  a  broad  and 
generous  symjjathy  with  all  classes.  Her  influence  sprang 
from  the  daily  self  sacrifice  of  her  life,  which  was  exemj)!!- 
fied  when,  after  the  first  federal  reverses  of  the  Civil  War, 
she  accepted  without  murmur  his  determination  to  serve 
in  the  field  in  the  cause  of  the  nation.  At  the  beginning  of 
this  century  fortunes  were  easily  made  in  New  York,  and  in 
many  cases  were  still  more  (juickly  lost.  A  spendthrift  or 
incompetent  son  wrecked  in  a  year  what  the  skill  of  a 
father  had  achieved  in  a  lifetime.  Hence  the  elder 
Astor  early  associated  his  son  with  him  in  the  care  of  his 
property,  interesting  him  in  its  management  by  a  large 
share  of  reponsibility  and  instructing  him  in  those  wise 
principles  by  which  it  was  to  be  preserved.  And  similarly 
the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  trained  by  his  father,  not  for 


so  far  above  the  common  temptations  of  wealth.  Of  a  sin- 
gularly modest  and  unselfish  character,  he  applied  to  the 
tasks  and  duties  imposed  by  association  with  benevolent  in- 
stitutions the  thoughtful  earnestness  that  men  usually  give 
only  to  their  personal  affairs.  His  greatest  delight — after 
the  services  of  the  church — was  in  personally  assisting  the 
very  poor  and  in  the  satisfaction  of  witnessing  their  instant 
relief.  "  Forasmuch,"  the  Master  says,  "  as  ye  have  done  it 
unto  one  of  the  least  of  these,  ye  have  done  it  unto  Me." 
Much  of  Mr.  Astor's  career  was  passed  in  ways  withdrawn 
from  general  notice,  and  from  his  predisposition  to  retire- 
ment it  might  be  inferred  that  he  sought  rather  the  associa- 
tion of  familiar  places  than  the  companionship  of  men. 
The  routine  of  methodical  industry  and  fiduciary  service 
was  lightened  by  frequent  visits  to  Europe,  by  the  constant 
study  of  books,  and  by  the  social  pleasures  of  a  few  cher- 
ished friendships.  For  forty  years  he  served  as  a  Trustee 
of  the  Astor  Library,  and  witnessed  its  growth  from  the  in- 
ception of  its  founder's  design  to  its  successive  enlarge- 
ments by  his  father  and  by  himself.  Once  only  he  felt 
tempted   to  enter  the   ])ul)lic   service   by  an  offer  from 


I40  NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


141 


President  Hayes,  in  December,  1879.0!"  the  mission  to  Eng- 
land, a  position  for  which  his  practical  judgment  and 
knowledge  of  society  (jualified  him,  but  whic  h  an  hab- 
itual modesty  bade  him  decline.  Of  all  his  memories  of 
a  long  and  active  life,  the  one  to  which  he  reverted  with 
the  greatest  satisfaction  was  his  service  in  the  field  in  1862 
with  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  The  remembrance  of  the 
patriotic  ardor  of  the  troops,  of  their  jubilant  confidence  in 
McClellan,  of  the  privations  of  the  bivouac,  of  the  t?.\])o- 
sures  and  dangers  of  the  seven  days'  battles,  of  the  forlorn 
appearance  and  redoubtable  (jualities  of  the  enemy — all 
these  and  many  more  he  cherished  with  an  interest  akin  to 
the  attachment  with  which  his  thoughts  ever  after  followed 
the  officers  who  iiad  been  his  companions  in  those  stirring  and 
memorable  scenes.    Beyond  the  respect  of  the  community 


WILLIAM  WALDORF  ASTOR. 
William  Waldorf  .Astor.  the  fourth  in  line,  and  at  present 
head  of  the  .\stor  family,  was  born  in  New  York,  March  31, 
1848.  His  i)arents  were  John  Jacob  Astor  II.  and  Charlotte 
Augusta  (libbes.  His  education  was  chiefly  directed  by 
tutors,  and  was  com])leted  at  home  by  a  professor  of  the 
(ierman  University  of  Marburg.  This  early  prefiaration  was, 
however,  the  least  imjiortant  part  of  his  training,  its  more 
valuable  portion  resulting  from  the  companionship  and 
influences  of  his  home  life.  From  his  father  he  acipiired  the 
example  of  integrity  which  has  become  synonymous  with 
the  name,  and  the  conservative  princi]>les  and  industrious 
ways  that  marked  the  earlier  generations.  From  his  mother 
he  received  an  ideal  conveyed  in  many  varied  lessons.  To 
derive  the  iitntost  ^ood  from  life.     He  entered  the  office  at 


UNION   Syi  AkK. 


which  the  example  of  his  pure  and  useful  life  commanded, 
his  kindly  words,  his  cordial  and  unassuming  manner,  his 
keen  sense  of  humor,  his  ready  facility  of  expression  and  his 
wide  information  attached  to  him  a  group  of  friends  who 
knew  him  well  and  loved  him.  But  chiefly  his  loss  fell 
upon  his  son,  to  whom  through  long  years  of  mutual  confi- 
dence he  gave  the  teachings  and  experiences  of  his  life. 
In  his  c]uiet  library,  surrounded  by  the  volumes  which,  as 
years  passed  and  other  friends  were  taken  had  become 
his  favorite  companions.  Death — swift  and  almost  pain- 
less— touched  him;  and  on  the  2 2d  day  of  February,  1890,  in 
the  sixty-eighth  year  of  his  age,  he  left  this  world  without 
regret,  and  with  his  last  conscious  thoughts  fixed  upon  a 
better  world  to  come. 


the  age  of  twenty-three,  earlier  than  either  his  father  or 
grandfather,  and  was  practically  taught  the  duties  of  each 
clerical  department.  Feeling  his  want  of  legal  information, 
a  serious  deficiency,  he  i)assed  two  years  at  Columbia  Col- 
lege Law  School,  and,  upon  being  admitted  to  the  bar, 
served  an  a])prenticeihi]3  of  one  year  with  the  firm  of  Lord, 
Day  &  Lord.  His  grandfather  named  him  one  of  his  Exe- 
cutors, and  one  of  the  'I'rustees  of  a  large  portion  of  his 
property  to  be  held  in  trust  for  his  sons.  L'pon  John  Jacob 
Astor's  succeeding  to  the  estate,  he  gave  his  son  a  power  of 
attorney,  putting  him  in  his  own  place  and  giving  him  abso- 
lute authority  over  all  his  property.  With  the  view  of 
ac(piiring  a  broader  knowledge  of  men  and  affairs  than  the 
routine  of  the  office  promised,  Mr.  Astor  served  three  years  in 


NEIV  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


WILLIAM  ASTOR. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


143 


the  New  York  State  l,ej;islaluie,  wlicre  he  foiiiul  a  valual>le 
oi)porlunity  for  tlie  study  of  human  nature  and  ])ul)li(: 
business.  Appointed  by  President  Arthur  to  tlie  Italian 
Mission,  he  resided  for  three  winters  in  Rome,  a  (  ily  with 
which  early  travel  had  already  made  him  familiar.  His 
official  duties  being  inconsiderable,  he  busied  himself  with 
the  examination  of  obscure  passages  in  Italian  niedi;vval 
annals.  His  stories,  "  Valentino"  and  "  Sforza,"  are  in  part 
the  result  of  these  researches.  Mr.  Astor  is  a  man  of  strong 
physi(iue,  a  great  lover  of  nature  and  devoted  to  out-door 
exercise.  He  rides  much  on  horseback,  fences,  and  in  his 
youth  was  a  good  boxer.  He  is  industrious,  tenacious  of 
purpose  and  methodical  in  his  ways.  In  1878,  he  married 
Mary  Dahlgren  Paul,  a  Philadelphia  beauty,  by  whom  he 
has  three  children:  Waldorf,  born  May  19,  1879;  Pauline, 
born  Septeml)er  24,  1S80,  and  John  Jacob,  born  May  19, 
1886.  As  residuary  legatee  Mr.  Astnr  rccentlv  succeeded  to 


generous  disposition  and  kindness  of  heart.  He  was  a 
stalwart  friend,  and  was  most  beloved  by  those  who  were  so 
fortunate  as  to  gain  his  friendship.  After  leaving  college  he 
travelled  extensively  in  luiroi^e  and  the  Kast,  and  in  1853 
married  Miss  Caroline  Schermerhorn,  daughter  of  the  well- 
known  Mr.  A.  Schermerhorn.  Mrs.  William  Astor's  mother 
was  Miss  Helen  White,  and  her  grandmother  on  the  same 
side  of  the  house  was  Miss  Van  Courtlandt,  who  married 
Mr.  Henry  White.  The  Schermerhorns  came  over  from 
Holland  in  1642,  The  family  belonged  to  the  Town  of 
Schermerhorn,  in  the  Low  Countries,  while  now  several 
streets  in  towns  and  cities  of  this  State  are  named  after 
them.  They  are,  in  fact,  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  dis- 
tinguished families  in  America,  and  during  the  i)ast  two 
centuries  their  names  figure  jjrominently  in  the  jjolitical 
and  social  records  of  the  city  of  New  York.  \\'illiani  .\stor, 
tiu.ugh     possessing  tin-    business  faculties  of  the  family. 


.MADlSdX  siXAKi:. 


his  father's  property,  in  the  management  of  which  he  has 
made  but  few  changes,  and  these  only  with  the  purpose  of 
simplifying  the  administration  of  the  office,  which  he  desig- 
nates the  "Estate  of  John  Jacob  Astor,'"  his  great-grand- 
father. 

WILLIAM  ASTOR. 

William  Astor,  grandson  of  the  founder  of  the  family, 
and  son  of  W^  B.  .\stor.  was  born  on  July  12,  1829,  and 
educated  in  Columbia  College,  from  which  institution  he 
graduated  second  in  the  class  of  '49.  Though  possessing 
literary  tastes  and  a  fondness  for  reading,  he  is  better 
remembered  by  those  of  his  classmates  who  survive  as  an 
athlete,  a  young  man  devoted  to  the  out-of-door  sjjorts  that 
have  distinguished  most  of  the  Astors,  and  for  his  open. 


devoted  a  good  deal  of  his  time  to  yachting,  and  always  kept 
an  excellent  stud  of  horses.  The  "  Nourmahal,"  now  in 
jjossession  of  his  son,  John  Jacob  Astor,  was  built  by  him 
with  the  intention  of  making  a  voyage  round  the  world  in 
her,  which  intention  his  death  prevented.  In  1875  he  went 
to  Florida,  and  invested  largely  there,  indeed  he  did  more 
toward  opening  u])  that  State  than  any  of  his  contempo- 
raries He  built  a  railroad  from  St.  Augustine  to  Palatka, 
which  section  was  then  a  wilderness,  and  erected  some  fine 
blocks  in  Jacksonville.  For  these  services  the  State  Govern- 
ment of  Florida  granted  him  80,000  acres  of  land,  which  is 
now  very  valuable.  He  died  in  Paris,  April  25th,  1892, 
leaving  five  children,  the  present  John  Jacob  Astor,  and 
four  daughters,  who  are  Mrs.  James  Van  Allen,  Mrs.  James 
Roosevelt,  Mrs.  James  Coleman  Drayton,  and  Mrs.  Orme 
Wilson. 


144 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


NEIV   YOA'K,  TJIE  METJWPOLIS. 


145 


JOHN  JACOB  ASTOR, 

(Of  To-day.) 

John  Jacol)  Astor,  scion  of  the  distinguished  American 
family  of  that  name,  was  l)orn  on  July  13th,  1864,  at  Kern- 
cliff,  in  the  to\vnshi|j  of  Rhineheck,  the  Astor  country  seat  on 
the  Hudson.  He  is  the  son  of  William  .\stor,  and  through 
General  Armstrong,  who  was  Minister  to  France  and 
U.  S.  Secretary  of  War,  is  fifth  in  descent  from  Robert 
Livingston,  grandfather  of  the  celebrated  Chancellor 
Livingston.  Robert  Livingston  was  the  possessor  of  a 
royal  patent  of  "Livingston  ALanor,"  a  tra(  t  of  land 
on  the  Hudson,  which  includes  the  present  Dutchess 
and  Columbia  counties.  Mr.  Aster's  mother  is  directly 
descended  from  the  Schermerhorns,  who  came  from  a  town 
of  that  name  in  Holland  in  1642,  and  it  is  from  such  descent, 
as  well  as  being  ninth  in  descent  from  Jacobus  Van  Cort- 
landt,  that  he  is  entitled  to  membershij)  in  the  Society  of  the 
Colonial  Wars.  He  was  educated  in  St.  Paul's  School, 
Concord,  N.  H.,  and  graduated  from  Harvard  College  in 
the  class  of  1888,  taking  a  scientific  degree  instead  of  the 
classical.  Before  going  to  Harvard  Mr.  Astor  set  out  on  a 
traveling  tour  altogether  out  of  the  beaten  track.  It  was 
before  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad  was  completed,  and  he 
enjoyed  the  pleasure  of  staging  on  tlic  mountain  spurs  of 
Idaho  and  Montana,  and  shooting  in  the  intervals.  He 
went  from  Portland  to  San  Francisco  by  steamer.  He  also 
traveled  in  Norway,  whence  he  went  to  Turkey  and  (jreece 
and  sojourned  in  Cuba,  Mexico,  Florida  and  other  regions 
avoided  by  the  ordinary  traveler.  While  in  Florida  Mr. 
Astor  probably  inspected  the  railroad  from  St.  Augustine  to 
Palatka  and  the  Tocoi  Road,  which  had  been  constructed 
by  his  father,  William  Astor,  also  a  fine  block  in  Jackson- 
ville, in  all  of  which  the  tourist  was  directly  interested. 

While  in  'I'urkey  Mr.  Astor,  after  proving  to  the  satis- 
faction of  all  concerned  that  he  did  not  visit  the  Sub- 
lime Porte  with  anything  like  warlike  intent  ;  that  he 
was  emissary  neither  of  England  nor  Russia,  intent  on 
organizing  a  court  intrigue,  was  honored  with  a  personal 
audience  with  the  Sultan,  Abdul  Hamed,  which  is  a 
favor  rarely  accorded  to  foreigners.  In  1891,  soon  after 
returning  from  a])road,  Mr.  Astor  was  married  in  Philadel- 
phia to  Miss  Ava  Willing,  daughter  of  Edward  S.  and  Alice 
B.  Willing  of  that  city.  The  marriage  was  the  great  social 
event  of  the  year,  and  there  was  more  written  about  it  in 
the  newspapers  than  had  been,  probably,  of  any  other 
wedding  of  this  country.  Mrs.  Astor's  family  is  one  of  the 
most  distinguished  in  the  country.  The  Willings,  even 
before  their  arrival  in  America,  occu])ied  high  social  status 
in  England  among  the  landed  gentry,  and  after  their  arrival 
intermarried  with  colonial  families  of  distinction.  Among 
their  colonial  progenitors  were  many  Presidents  of  Council 
of  the  Pennsylvania  Commonwealth,  and  in  after  times 
foreign  ministers  and  generals  of  the  Revolutionary  era. 

'i"he  first  of  the  family  in  which  American  readers  would 
be  interested  is  Joseph  Willing,  of  Hupjjentoss,  Somersett, 
England,  who  died  in  1678  ;  the  next,  Joseph  Will  ng,  of 
Gloucestershire,  son  of  the  former,  who  died  in  1797  leaving 
a  good  estate  brought  to  him  by  marriage  with  Ava  Lowle. 
The  next  in  descent  is  Thoinas  Willing  of  Bristol,  an  emi- 
nent merchant  who  married  a  grand-daughter  of  General 
Harrison,  and  died  in  1760.  Charles  Willing,  son  of  the 
foregoing,  came  to  America  in  1728  and  was  Mayor  of 
Philadelphia  in  1747,  and  again  in  1754,  in  whic  h  latter  year 
he  died.  Thomas  Willing  and  his  son,  last  mentioned, 
established  the  business  house  afterwards  known  as  Willing 
&  Schwarick,  Willing  &  Morris  and  Willing  &  Francis, 
successively.  Thomas  Willing,  son  of  Charles,  born  in 
1731,  studied  law,  was  Mayor  of  Philadelphia  in  1763,  and 
was  subsequently  Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  (1767  to 
1777).    He  was  the  first  President  of  the  Bank  of  North 


.\mcrica,and  also  first  President  of  the  Bank  of  the  United 
Slates,  and  it  was  he  who  designed  the  United  States  coat- 
of-arms.  Thomas  Willing  died  in  1827  at  the  advanced  age 
of  eighty-nine  years.  'J'his  distinguished  man,  of  the  fifth 
generation  of  the  American  Willings,  although  a  jurist  and 
a  brilliant  one,  had  an  interest  in  the  commercial  house  of 
Willing  &  Francis,  from  which,  however,  he  withdrew  in 
1809.  It  was  continued  by  his  son,  Thomas  Wayne  Willing, 
and  his  son-in-law,  Thomas  Willing  Francis.  Richard  Will- 
ing, fourth  son  of  the  last  named,  from  whom  Mrs.  Astor  is 
directly  descended,  was  born  in  1775  and  died  in  1858.  His 
son,  Edward  Ship))en  Willing,  who  in  r86o  married  Alice  C. 
Barton,  was  her  father.  Alice  Barton's  ancestor.  Coloney 
W.  Barton,  was  member  of  the  I'ritish  Parliament  in  1653, 
and  from  him  she  traces  her  lineage  in  unbroken  succession 
through  many  generations  down  to  the  present  day. 

The  issue  of  the  marriage  is  a  son,  William  Vincent 
Astor,  named  in  memory  of  his  great-uncle.  Since  that 
event  Mr.  Astor  has  remained  at  home  attending  to  his 
business  and  performing  the  duties  of  a  husband,  a  father 
and  a  citizen.  Perhaps  the  most  distasteful  duties  im|)osed 
upon  any  citizens  of  any  class  but  especially  of  Mr.  Astor's, 
are  those  involved  in  jury  trials  ;  but  in  January  last  (1893) 
he  sat  day  after  day,  on  a  jury,  on  a  protracted  trial  without 
complaint,  though  like  many  others  he  could,  of  course, 
have  shirked  the  duty  had  he  chosen  to  do  so.  His  wife  is 
a  most  charming  young  woman  who  enjoys  nothing  so  much 
as  accompanying  her  iuisband  on  his  fishing  and  even  shoot- 
ing expeditions.  Indeed,  Mrs.  .Astor  is,  herself,  by  no  means 
a  l)ad  shot,  and  many  a  duck  each  season  succumbs  to  her 
skill  and  the  precision  of  the  fowling  piece  made  especially 
for  her  use.  Mr.  Astor  is  also  fond  of  yachting  and  it  is  his 
intention,  when  he  can  find  the  time,  to  make  a  voyage 
around  the  world  in  the  steel  yacht  "Nourmahal,"  a  vessel 
constructed  by  his  father  for  that  purpose.  But  Mr.  Astor 
does  not  seem  likely  to  find  time,  for  he  is  a  very  busy  man, 
and  the  management  of  his  own  estate  is  by  no  means  a 
sinecure  In  addition  thereto  he  owns  one-half  of  the 
celebrated  Astor  Hou.se,  which  is  held  in  common  with  his 
cousin.  It  is  one  f  the  pieces  of  property  left  by  William 
B.  Astor,  which  his  grandsons  hold  undivided.  He  is  one 
of  the  directors  of  the  National  Park  Bank.  Mercantile 
Trust  Co.,  the  Title  Guarantee  iS:  Trust  Co.,  and  the  Plaza 
15ank,  and  is  manager  of  the  William  Astor  estate.  Among 
the  social  organizations  of  which  he  is  a  member  are  the 
Society  of  Colonial  Wars  ;  Knickerbocker,  Union,  Metro- 
politan and  Tuxedo  Clubs,  the  Patriarch  Society,  New  York 
Yacht  Club,  Country,  Racquet  and  Tennis  and  Riding 
("lubs,  and  the  Delta  Phi  Fraternity.  The  Astors  are  the 
leaders  of  society  in  America  and  have  the  entree  into  all 
the  courts  of  Europe. 

JOHN  JACOB  ASTOR,  Jr. 
One  of  the  Astors  of  whom  little  has  been  heard  was 
the  second  son  of  John  Jacob,  the  American  founder  of  the 
house,  and  this  because  of  a  melancholy  accident  which 
ha))pened  him  in  his  boyhood.  He  was  born  in  New  York, 
and  up  to  the  age  of  sixteen  was  one  of  the  brightest,  most 
active  and  studious  youths  in  the  city,  a  worthy  representa- 
tive of  the  family,  physically  and  intellectually.  Young 
Astor  was  fond  of  outdoor  exercises,  especially  riding  on 
horseback,  and  while  at  his  favorite  recreation  was  one  day 
thrown  from  his  horse,  sustaining  such  injuries  that  he  never 
comi)letely  recovered  from  their  effects,  though  he  lived  to 
be  sixty  eight  years  of  age.  His  brain  was  affected,  and 
though  not  anything  like  insane,  the  bright  intellect  that 
distinguished  him  and  gave  such  promise  in  early  youth 
grew  clouded,  and  toward  middle  age  he  became  eccentric. 
Nevertheless  the  second  of  the  Astors  lived  a  ha])py  and 
contented  life,  though  his  range  of  usefulness  and  energy 
was  narrowed.     His  father  provided  for  him  handsomely, 


JVEir  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


SiitoNu  Son  of  J.  J.  ASTOR,  Tmk  Eli.e 


NEiy  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


147 


and  until  tlic  day  of  liis  tlcath  he  resided  in  llic  old  Astor 
mansion,  occui)ying  a  fidl  block  on  l-'ourtcentli  Street  and 
Ninth  Avenue,  then  far  enough  out  in  the  country  todeserve 
the  name  of  a  suburban  residence.  A  fine  garden  was  at- 
tached to  the  mansion,  and  here  the  second  John  Jacob 
Astor  was  often  to  be  seen  in  semi-clerical  costume,  walking 
up  and  down  with  his  hands  behind  his  back,  like  a  clergy- 
man composing  a  sermon.  Mr.  Astor,  however,  was  not 
composing  a  sermon,  but  verses.  In  his  student  ddys  he 
was  fond  of  poetry  and  had  composed  and  surreptitiously 
published,  like  many  other  youths  of  his  age  and  class, 
scraps  of  poetry  he  delighted  to  see  in  print.  That  he  re- 
tained at  least  a  jiart  of  his  inte  lectuality  is  evident  from 
the  fact  that  up  to  the  last  he  wrote  ])oetry  which  news- 
papers and  periodicals  were  glad  to  take,  though  often  over 
a  nom  de  plume.  He  also  wrote  many  prose  sketches, 
some  of  which  are  still  preserved. 


graduate  of  Clolumbia,  class  of  1826,  and  married  Catherine 
Livingston,  daughter  of  the  Hon.  James  Hooker,  of  Poiigh- 
keei)sie.  The  present  Duchess  of  Marlborough  is  a 
Hamersley,  and  in  marrying  into  one  of  the  great  English 
houses  merely  went  back  to  the  source  from  which  she 
sprang.  On  .April  30,  1888,  J.  Hooker  Hamersley  married 
Margaret  Willing  Chisolm,  daughter  of  William  K.  Chisolm 
and  granddaughter  of  John  Rogers.  The  Chisolms  are 
an  old  South  Carolina  family,  and  the  Rogers  distinguished 
New  Yorkers  and  large  real  estate  owners.  John  Rogers' 
sister  married  William  C.  Rhinelander,  and  it  is  through 
this  alliance  that  the  Rhinelanders  obtained  the  foun- 
dation of  their  fortune.  Mr.  J.  Hooker  Hamersley  has 
two  children,  Catherine  Livingston  Hamersley  and  Louis 
Cordon  Hamersley.  He  is  a  direct  descendant  of 
Robert  Livingston,  member  and  speaker  of  the  New  York 
Provincial  Assembly  from  1718  to  1725.    This  gentleman 


J.  HOOKER  HAMERSLEY. 

One  of  New  York's  distinguished  men  of  the  younger 
generation  is  J.  Hooker  Hamersley,  lawyer,  poet,  and  man 
of  affairs  generally.  Mr.  Hamersley  belongs  to  one  of  New 
York's  historic  families.  He  was  born  in  this  city  on 
January  26,  1844,  and  is  lineally  descended  from  Sir  Hugh 
Hamersley,  who  was  Lord  Mayor  of  London  in  1627.  The 
first  of  the  American  Haniersleys  was  "William,  an  officer 
in  the  English  navy,  and  grandson  of  Sir  Hugh.  William, 
after  his  arrival  in  this  country,  married  Miss  Van  Brugh, 
belonging  to  a  famous  old  Dutch  family,  was  a  vestryman 
of  Trinity  Church  and  was  buried  in  its  cemetery.  Ham- 
ersley Street  (now  West  Houston)  was  named  after  him. 
His  grandson,  Louis  Carre,  and  great-grandson,  John  W., 
were  prominent  New  York  citizens  of  their  time,  and,  in 
fact,  the  Hamersleys  have  been  always  i)rominently  iden- 
tified with  the  best  interests  of  the  city.    John  W.  was  a 


was  the  founderof  Livingston  Manor.  He  is  also  a  descen- 
dant of  Henry  Beekman,  Patentee  from  Queen  Anne  of 
lands  in  Dutchess  County,  N.  Y.,  a  portion  of  which  lands 
have  never  been  out  of  the  possession  of  the  family,  and 
are  now  owned  by  Mr.  Hamersley.  The  patent  for  those 
lands  is  dated  June  25,  1703.  Mr.  Hamersley  is  fifth  in 
descent  from  Josejjh  Reade,  who  was  member  of  the 
Provincial  Council  of  New  York  in  1764,  and  sixth  in 
descent  from  Judge  Thomas  Gordon,  son  of  Sir  George 
Ciordon,  one  of  His  Majesty's  Council  of  the  Province 
of  East  Jersey,  Deputy  Secretary  in  1692,  Attorney- 
General  in  the  same  year,  Provincial  Treasurer  from 
1710  to  1719,  and  one  of  the  lords  proprietors  of  East 
Jersey,  ^ir.  Hamersley  still  has  an  interest  in  these  lands. 
Through  his  mother's  family  he  is  connected  with  the 
Reades,  Livingstons,  Stuyvesants,  Beekmans,  Van  Court- 
landts,  de  Peysters,  and,  in  fine,  with  nearly  all  the  dis- 


NEW   YORK,  TIIK  M E  TROPOLIS. 


tinguished  families  of  the  State.  Mr.  Haniersley  is  the  son 
of  John  W.,  and,  like  his  father,  is  a  graduate  of  Columbia 
College.  He  was  prepared  for  his  collegiate  course  in 
Poughkeepsie,  and  entering  Columbia  graduated  with 
honors  in  1865  His  college  career  was  a  distinguished 
•one.  He  was  awarded  an  ovation  at  the  commencement 
exercises  in  the  Academy  of  Music  in  1865.  He  received 
the  degree  of  A.M.,  A.B.,  and  subseiiuently  of  LL.B. 
from  the  Columbia  I-aw  School.  He  was  called  to  the  bar 
and  ])ractised  his  profession  for  ten  years,  but  withdrew  to' 
take  charge  of  his  own  and  his  father's  large  estates. 
.\lthough  rather  a  busy  man  he  takes  some  time  to  devote 
himself  to  politics,  and  in  1877  was  elected  delegate  to  the 
State  convention  held  in  Rochester  by  the  Independent 


Fog  Curtain,"  "  Masconomo,"  and  the  "  Midnight  Sun." 
He  is  Director  of  the  Knickerbocker  Fire  Insurance  Co, 
one  of  the  first  institutions  of  that  nature  in  America,  and 
is  member  of  the  St.  Nicholas  Society,  Society  of  Colonial 
Wars,  University  Club,  Metropolitan  and  City  Clubs,  and 
other  leading  social,  athletic  and  literary  clubs  of  New 
York  City,  and  of  the  New  York  Geographical  Society. 


HENRY  BISCHOFF. 

Among  the  youngest  and  perhaps  the  brightest  of  New 
York's  judges  is  the  Hon.  Henry  Bi.schoff,  on  the  Ijench  of 
the  ("ourt  of  Common  Pleas.  He  was  born  in  New  York 
City  on  August  16,  1852,  and  is  the  son  of  Henry  Bischoff, 
the  well-known  banker.     He  was  educated  in  the  public 


Republicans.  He  was  nominated  later  on  for  the  Assembly 
by  the  Republicans  of  the  Eleventh  Disirict,  but  withdrew 
in  favor  of  William  Waldorf  Astor,  whom  he  aided  materi 
ally  in  obtaining  a  handsome  majority.  Mr.  Hamersley 
belongs  to  that  class  of  American  gentlemen  who,  while 
possessing  wealth  and  social  position,  do  not  think  them- 
selves too  good  to  take  off  their  coats  and,  entering  the 
])olitical  arena,  fight  for  the  princi|)les  they  believe  in.  Of 
such  are  Perry  Belmont.  Theodore  Roosevelt,  I-ispenard 
Stewart,  and  of  such  also  was  the  late  Allen  Thorndike 
Rice.  It  would  be  well  were  tl  ere  more  of  them  in  tliis 
city,  and,  in  fact,  their  number  is  increasing.  He  is  well 
known  in  literary  circles  as  the  author  of  such  poems  as 
"  Yellow   Roses,"  "  The  Countersign,"    "  Ronzonkoma," 


schools  primarily,  after  which  he  was  sent  to  the  .\cademy  in 
Bloomfield,  N.  J.,  and  subseipiently  received  instructions 
from  a  private  tutor.  Hegraduated  in  187 1  from  the  Colum- 
bia Law  School  with  the  degree  of  I.L.  B.  and  honorable 
mention  in  the  IVpartment  of  Political  Science.  After  study- 
ing in  the  law  offices  of  J.  H.  .S:  S.  Riker  for  two  years,  he  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  (1873),  and  at  once  associated  himself  as 
partner  with  Mr.  F.  Leary,  with  whom  he  remained  until 
1878,  when  he  i)ractised  alone.  From  the  start  his  business 
was  confined  ex(  lusively  to  civil  cases,  connected  princi])ally 
witii  real  estate  litigation  and  Surrogate  Court  affairs.  He  has 
never  touched  a  i  riminal  case.  In  1879  Mr.  P>isclu)lf  took  a 
hand  in  politics  on  the  Democratic  side,  and  so  distinguished 
himself  as  to  attract  the  attention  of  the  party  leaders.  He 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


149 


was  for  seven  months  the  city's  attorney  for  the  colleclion 
of  ]iersonal  taxes,  which  position  he  retained  until  1889, 
when  he  was  elected  to  his  ])resent  ])osition  as  Judge  of  the 
Court  of  Common  Pleas.  After  leaving  college  he  was  with 
his  father  in  the  hanking  business,  and  during  the  absence 
in  Europe  of  the  head  of  the  house  was  in  charge  altogetlier. 
The  practical  experience  gained  there  has  been  extremely 
useful  to  him  both  during  his  legal  and  judicial  career,  and 
it  is  remarked  of  him  on  the  bench  that  he  handles  cases 
connected  with  banking  and  finance  in  a  manner  that  shows 
his  deep  knowledge  of  what  is  before  him  for  decision. 
Judge  Bischoff  has  been  chairman  since  ICS76  of  the  Four- 
teenth Assembly  District  Committee,  is  a  member  of  the 
Democratic  Club,  of  the  Tammany  Society,  the  Lieder- 
kranz,  Arion  and  Beethoven  and  many  other  German 
societies,  musical   and  otherwise.    His  family  are  [much 


still  a  young  man  ;  his  grandfather  was  born  in  that  State,  as 
was  also  his  father,  so  that  he  can  claim  New  Jersey  descent 
of  three  generations.  He  received  the  rudiments  of  his 
education  in  the  Cayuga  Lake  Academy,  Aurora,  N.  Y.,  and 
in  1862,  being  then  sixteen  years  of  age,  he  entered  into 
business  with  his  father,  in  the  Bushwick  Glass  Works, 
Williamsburg,  and  is  now  the  sole  projjrietor.  His  business 
office  is  at  83  Fulton  Street,  this  city.  When  it  is  stated 
that  he  is  a  member  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  of  the 
Nevv  York  Produce  Exchange,  Consolidated  Stock  and 
Petroleum  Exchange,  the  Board  of  Trade  and  Transporta- 
tion, President  of  the  Sheldon  Axle  Comjiany,  a  Trustee  of 
Wells  College,  Vice-President  of  St.  John's  Guild,  besides 
being  connected  with  other  business  and  social  organiza- 
tions, one  IS  tempted  to  encpiire  how  can  he  de\ote  so 
much  of  his  time  to  the  political  interests  of  the  party, 


WILLIAM  BROOKKIELD. 


devoted  to  music,  and  the  Judge  himself,  while  master  of 
many  instruments,  excels  on  the  piano.  He  is  of  German 
descent,  and  takes  pride  and  pleasure  in  keeping  himself  an 
courant  as  to  events  in  the  Fatherland  from  day  to  day.  He 
is  also  well  ])osted  in  German  literature,  and  speaks  the  lan- 
guage with  grammatical  accuracy  and  purity  of  accent.  He 
was  married  in  1873  to  Miss  Annie  Moshier,  daughter  of 
Fredeiick  and  Louise  Moshier,  of  Connecticut,  and  has  one 
daughter,  Loula,  born  May  13,  1876. 

WILLIAM  BROOKFIELD. 

Mr.  William  Brookfield,  (Chairman  ol  the  Republican 
State  Committee,  was  born  in  Greenbank,  N.  J.,  on  May  24th, 
1844,  so  that  he  is  now  in  the  full  vigor  of  his  physical  and 
intellectual  powers.  His  great-grandfather  was  born  in 
Norway,  of  Irish  parents,  but  came  to  New  Jersey  while 


and  yet,  if  you  ask  any  intelligent  Republican  to  name  one 
of  its  hardest  workers,  he  will  surely  mention  that  of  William 
Brookfield  among  the  first.  Mr.  Brookfield  is  a  member  of 
the  L'uion  League  Club,  a  director  of  several  financial  cor- 
l^orations  and  is  largely  interested  in  Pennsyhania  Iron 
Works. 

E.  B.  HINSDALE. 

E.  B.  Hinsdale,  one  of  the  ablest  lawyers  of  the  Metro- 
l^olitan  bar,  was  born  in  Genesee  County,  N.  Y.,  on 
December  4,  1831.  His  ancestors  came  to  this  country 
from  England  in  1632,  and  settled  in  New  F.ngland,  the 
father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch  removing  to  Western 
New  York  in  181 2.  Mr.  Hinsdale  received  a  common 
school  education,  and  then  took  a  short  academic  course 
preparatory  to  entering  u|>on  the  study  of  law.    In  1856  he 


150  New  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


was  admitted  to  the  bar  at  Buffalo,  and  began  the  ])ractice 
of  law  immediately  at  Leroy,  Genesee  County,  where  he 
remained  five  years  and  became  an  active  and  prominent 
figure  in  politics.  In  the  first  Lincoln  camjjaign  he  was 
selected  Chairman  of  the  Genesee  County  Republican 
Central  Committee,  and  performed  the  duties  of  his  position 
in  an  honorable  and  highly  satisfactory  manner.  In  1861 
he  came  to  New  York  and  at  once  established  a  firm  footing 
as  a  lawyer  of  more  than  ordinary  ability.  In  1870  he 
organized  the  law  firm  of  Hinsdale  (.\:  Sprague,  which  be- 
came celebrated.  Mr.  Hinsdale  has  taken  a  deep  interest 
in  the  State  and  National  camjjaigns,  and  established  a 
reputation  as  a  legal  writer  through  his  treatises  entitled 
"Abolition  of  Taxes  on  Internal  Revenue,''  which  raised  the 
cry  of  "  free  whiskey"  in  the  Presidential  fight  of  1888.  His 
work  \yas  endorsed  and  adopted  by  the  Union  League  Club 
and  became  one  of  the  most  generally  discussed  subjects  of 
the  city.  He  is  also  the  author  of  an  excellent  treatise  on 
land  transfer  reform  and  has  contributed  many  valuable 


E.   15.  HINSDALE. 

works  on  other  subjects  to  the  literature  of  the  laws.  His 
opinion  as  to  the  ])o\ver  of  the  city  to  issue  bonds  for  new 
parks  became  a  settled  law  by  decision  of  the  Court  of 
Appeals,  and  secured  the  city  many  of  those  jjublic  resorts. 
Vox  the  |)ast  seven  years  he  has  been  a  member  of  the 
'■('ommittee  on  Political  Reform,"  of  the  l^nion  League 
Club,  and,  u])on  the  ap])ointment  of  Whitelaw  Reid  as 
Minister  to  France,  he  was  elected  to  succeed  him  as  Chair- 
man of  the  Committee,  a  position  which  he  has  since  filled 
with  much  ability.  His  rejiort  on  the  inadequacy  of  the 
existing  naturalization  laws  to  prevent  such  occurrences  as 
the  New  Orleans  Riot,  brought  about  by  the  corrui)t  power 
of  State  C!ourts,  and  his  petition  to  Congress  pointing  out 
the  evils  and  demanding  proper  remedies  for  the  same, 
created  wide  and  favorable  comment  throughout  this 
country  and  luirope.  The  press  on  all  sides  copied  it,  and 
editorially  endorsed  the  jjrinciples  theiein  enunc  iated.  Mr. 
Hinsdale  devotes  his  attention  to  a  general  civil  practice, 


and  makes  a  specialty  of  corj)oration  and  railroad  matters, 
in  wiiich  conne<:tion  he  has  figured  in  many  celebrated  cases. 
He  is  a  po])ular  and  well  known  member  of  the  Union 
l-eague  Club.  He  is  Secretary  and  Counsel  of  the  Long 
Island  Railroad. 

ALFRED  J.  BAKER 
Alfred  J.  Baker,  the  well  and  favorably  known  attorney, 
was  born  in  New  York  City,  was  privately  tutored  by  the 
R(?v.  Dr.  Morris,  First  Principal  of  Trinity  S(  hool,  N.  Y., 
and  graduated  in  1874  from  Columbia  Law  School.  He 
at  once  began  the  practice  of  law  and  devoted  his  atten- 
tion to  civil  cases,  paying  special  attention  to  insurance 
matters,  in  which  he  is  regarded  as  an  authority.  His 
first  legal  victory  in  this  connection  was  won  in  1876 
when  he  established  the  validity  of  a  verbal  contract  in  a 
case  against  the  German  American  Insurance  Co.,  where 
no  policy  was  issued  and  no  premium  paid.  Mr.  Baker  is 
not  only  regarded  as  a  bright  lawyer,  but  is  a  popular  and 
prominent  figure  in  municipal  politics,  being  an  active 
member  of  the  Tammany  Hall  General  Committee  of 
the  Twenty-third  Assembly  District,  the  Demo- 
cratic Club  of  Fifth  Avenue,  the  Sagamore  Club  of 
Harlem,  the  D.  B.  Hill  Club  and  the  Massassoit  Club. 
He  is  a  faithful  and  hard  worker  and  an  excellent  cam- 
])aign  speaker,  and  it  is  rumored  that  his  party  has  political 
honors  in  store  for  him.  Socially,  he  is  much  esteemed 
for  his  general  manners,  which  have  made  him  a  popular 
member  in  the  Dwight  Alumni  of  Columbia  College, 
Sagamore  Lodge,  No.  371,  Masonic  Order  F.  <S:  A.  M. 
Alfred  E.  Baker,  the  father  of  Alfred  J.,  was  born  in 
England,  came  to  this  country  when  a  young  man,  and 
was  engaged  on  the  reportorial  staff  of  the  A^m'  York 
Herald.  From  the  effects  of  the  "  Jennings  Fire,"  in  1853, 
he  conceived  the  idea  that  somebody  should  be  appointed 
with  authority  to  investigate  fires,  etc.  In  connection  with 
his  views  the  office  of  Fire  Marshal  was  created,  and  Mr. 
Baker  was  appointed  first  fire  marshal  of  the  city,  a  position 
which  he  held  for  fourteen  years,  performing  its  duties  in 
an  efficient  and  creditable  manner,  sending  many  offenders 
to  State's  prison,  and  saving  insurance  companies  many 
thousands  of  dollars.  Mr.  Baker,  senior,  after  a  long  and 
successful  career,  died  on  l<"ebruary  26,  1891,  and  was 
much  regretted  by  a  wide  circle  of  friends. 

WM.    TODD    HELMUTH,    M  D. 

One  of  the  most  successful  practitioners  and  surgeons 
in  this  city,  of  the  homoeopathic  faith,  is  Wm.  Todd  Hel- 
muth,  M.D.,  LL.D.  He  has  been  in  active  practice 
since  he  graduated  from  the  Homoeo|iathic  Medical 
College  of  Pennsylvania  in  1853.  He  also  received  his 
degree  of  M.D.  from  the  Hahnemann  Medical  College.  San 
Francisco,  California.  Dr.  Helmuth  has  occupied  and  still 
fills  many  important  ])Ositions  in  the  medical  world.  Aside 
from  his  large  family  ])ractice  he  has  organized  and  success- 
fully carries  on  one  of  the  most  etticient  private  hospitals  in 
this  city.  He  occui)ies  a  very  important  position  on  the 
staff  of  the  New  York  HonKcopathic  College  and  Hospital, 
that  of  Professor  of  Surgery.  He  is  also  consulting  surgeon 
to  the  Hahnemann  Hospital,  the  Laura  Franklin  Hospital, 
the  New  York  Medical  College  and  Hos|)ital  for  Women, 
the  New  York  Homoeopathic  Medical  College  Dispensary, 
and  is  the  Medical  Superintendent  of  the  Flower  Hospital. 
He  is  an  ex-president  of  the  New  York  State  Homa^opathic 
Society,  senior  member  of  the  American  Ins  itute  of 
Homce  )pathv,  honorary  member  of  the  Societe  Medicale 
Homctopatiiiipie  de  France,  honorary  member  of  the 
HouKepathic  Societies  of  .Massachusetts,  Rhode  Island  and 
Connecticut.  His  son,  Wm.  Todd  Hchnuth.  Jr..  is  a 
practicising  physician  and  assists  his  father  in  the  manage 
ment  of  his  private  hospital. 


NEIV  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS.  151 


DONALD  McLean. 

Donald  McT-ean,  one  of  New  York's  most  prominent 
lawyers,  was  born  in  Rahway,  N.  J.,  on  September  19,  1X52. 
He  removed  to  New  York  at  an  early  age.  He  is  a  graduate 
of  the  Columbia  College  Law  School,  having  received  the 
degree  of  Bachelor  of  Laws  in  1873  and  the  same  year 
passed  the  bar  of  New  York,  where  he  has  since  been  in  ac- 
tive practice.  Mr.  McLean  comes  of  illustrious  ancestry. 
His  grandfather,  General  John  McLean,  occupied  a  promi- 
nent position  in  the  State  in  his  time  ;  one  of  the  earliest 
Commissary  Generals  of  the  State  of  New  York,  built  the 
Old  Block  Fort,  the  remains  of  which  may  be  seen  to-day 
in  the  northern  part  of  Central  Park.  He  took  part  in  the 
Rrvolutionary  war,  being  closely  associated  with  Governor 
George  Clinton,  and  also  in  the  war  of  181 2-14  against  the 
British.  Donald  McLean's  father.  Colonel  (jeo.  W.  McLean, 
was  a  West  Pointer,  and  served  throughout  the  Florida 
Indian  war,  and  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  was  Colonel  of 
the  Second  New  Jersey  Volunteers.  Mr.  McLean,  although 
having  made  his  mark  as  a  lawyer  and  achieved  brilliant 
success,  is  best  known  as  a  Republican  politician.  In  1878 
he  represented  his  district  (Twenty-third)  in  the  Republican 
State  Convention,  and  in  1888  was  delegate  to  the  National 
Convention  which  nominated  Harrison  and  Morton.  He 
took  a  leading  part  in  this  convention.  In  1880,  by  advice 
of  Mr.  Morton,  then  a  candidate  for  Congress,  he  ran  for 
the  Assembly  on  a  very  close  vote,  reducing  the  Demo- 
cratic majority  from  2,100  the  year  before  to  115.  In  1881 
he  was  elected  member  of  the  Board  of  Aldermen,  and  since 
then  has  been  prominently  before  the  public.  In  i88<)  he 
was  appointed  by  President  Harrison  United  States  Gen- 
eral .Appraiser  and  held  the  position  until  the  ofifice  was 
abolished  by  the  passage  of  the  McKinley  Administration 
Bill.  Mr.  McLean  is  member  and  Past  Master  of  Bunting 
Lodge,  F.  &:  A.  M.,  member  of  the  Harlem  Club  and  Re- 
publican Club  of  New  York  City,  and  is  connected  with 
many  other  organizations,  social,  political  and  benevolent. 
He  was  married  in  Maryland  ten  years  ago  to  Emily  Nelson, 
eldest  daughter  of  the  late  Judge  John  Ritchie,  of  the  Mary- 
land Court  of  A])peals.  Mrs.  McLean  is  Secretary  of  the 
New  York  Chapter  of  the  Daughters  of  the  American  Revo- 
lution. Her  great-grandfather  was  General  Roger  Nelsfon 
of  the  Revolutionary  Army,  whose  brother  was  at  one  time 
Minister  to  Italy  and  at  another  time  United  States  Attor- 
ney-General. Her  grandfather.  Colonel  W.  P.  Maulsby, 
late  Judge  of  the  Court  of  Appeals  of  Maryland,  raised  a 
regiment  for  the  Union  Army  on  the  outbreak  of  the  Rebel- 
lion and  commanded  it  during  the  war.  He  was  present  in 
most  of  the  great  battles,  including  the  ever  famous  Get- 
tysburg. 


DAVID  HIRSCH. 

Mr  David  Hirsch,  the  well-known  cigar  manufacturer, 
was  born  in  1828  in  Rastatt,  Grand  Duchy  of  Baden,  and 
at  a  very  early  age  served  with  the  French  army  in  Afric?. 
When  the  revolution  in  Baden  broke  out,  in  1849,  he  had 
returned  to  his  home  and  was  in  the  Germany  army 
stationed  in  his  native  city,  and  joined  the  forces  of  the 
Revolutionists  ;  but  the  King's  ultimately  triumphed,  and 
Hirsch  was  sentenced  to  death.  He  fled  the  country, 
married,  and  in  1851,  thinking  all  was  over,  returned  to  his 
native  city  with  his  wife  and  child,  was  arrested  once 
more,  condemned  to  death,  and  immured  in  a  dungeon  in 
irons  for  ten  months  while  on  trial  for  high  treason,  after 
which  his  sentence  was  commuted  to  sixteen  years'  im- 
prisonment with  hard  labor  on  the  fortifications.  He 
escaped,  however,  and  with  his  family  embarked  for  Havre 
in  a  sailing  vessel.  Cholera  broke  out  among  the  passen- 
gers, and  many  of  them  died  and  were  buried  at  sea. 
Arriving  in  New  Orleans  during  the  summer  of  1852  he 


worked  his  way  to  Cincinnati,  where  he  was  emjjloyed  by 
the  Volksblait  to  go  to  New  York  and  send  that  paper  notes 
from  the  Crystal  Palace  Exposition.  Returning  to  Cincin- 
nati after  the  exposition  he  was  employed  by  A.  Fatman  & 
Co.,  tobacconists  and  cigar  manufacturers,  as  travelling 
salesman.  This  was  in  1853,  and  two  years  later  he  started 
a  commission  business  in  St.  Louis  on  his  own  account  in 
the  line  of  liquors,  wine  and  cigars,  with  agencies  for  many 
good  houses.  When  the  War  of  the  Rebellion  broke  out 
he  raised  the  first  Missouri  regiment  at  Memphis  for  the 
Confederacy  and  turned  it  over  to  Col.  John  S.  Bowen. 
Mr.  Hirsch  was  appointed  by  Gen.  Albert  Sydney  Johnson 
Drillmaster  and  Inspector  to  his  army  corps,  and  he  is  now 
in  possession  of  letters  from  General  Johnson,  Jefferson 
Davis,  and  also  from  (ien.  W.  T.  Sherman,  as  to  his  military 
ability  and  standing.  He  resigned  his  commission  in  the 
Confederate  army  in  1863  and  came  to  New  York.  Mr. 
Hirsch  commenced  business  in  this  city,  and  after  sur- 
mounting enormous  difficulties  he  became  very  successful, 


and  to-day  stands  in  the  front  rank  of  New  Y'ork  business 
men  and  America's  great  cigar  manufacturers.  His  unique 
sign  of  "  Mephisto  "  over  his  factory  in  the  Bowery  is  one 
of  the  sights  of  tlie  Metropolis.  Integrity  is  his  watchword 
and  guiding  star,  and  he  is  cordially  recognized  and  acknowl- 
edged the  Nestor  of  the  tobacco  trade.  Mr.  Hirsch's  wife 
was  born  in  Germany.  He  has  two  sons  and  five  daughters. 
One  of  his  sons  is  Ferdinand,  President  of  the  Ferdinand 
Hirsch  Company,  a  gentleman  well  known  and  esteemed, 
and  so  is  his  other  son,  Julius,  who  is  also  engaged  in  the 
cigar  business.  Mr.  Hirsch's  father  was  a  furniture  manu- 
facturer, and  died  at  the  age  of  eighty-six.  Mr.  Hirsch 
relincjuished  all  the  numerous  offices  he  held  some  years 
ago,  and  now  holds  none  but  the  Presidency  of  D.  Hirsch 
&  Co.,  also  known  as  the  Defiance  Cigar  Manufactory. 
The  word  "  Defiance,"  and  the  trademark — a  lion  conquer- 
ing a  boa  constrictor — is  known  all  over  this  continent  and 
abroad. 


152 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


EPHRAIM  CUTTER,  M.D. 

Ephraim  Cutter,  MA.  Yale,  M.l).  Harvard  and  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania,  LL.I).  Iowa  College,  Honorary 
Fellow  Society  Science,  Letters  and  Art  of  London, 
Corresponding  Slember  of  the  Belgium  and  Italian  Micro- 
scopical Societies  and  of  the  Gynaecological  Society  of  Boston, 
Member  Massachusetts  Medical  Society,  American  Medical 
Association  and  many  other  medical  and  scientific  organiza- 
tions. Life  Member  of  the  Delta  Kajjpa  Epsilon  Club  of 
New  Vork,  and  of  the  Deaf  and  Dumb  Institution  Washington 
Heights,  etc.,  is  one  of  those  extraordinary  men  evolved  by 
science  to  benefit  the  age  they  live  in.  He  is  a  great  inventor 
of  medical  and  surgical  instruments,  has  a  profound  knowl- 
edge of  the  practice  of  medicine,  and  as  a  microscopist  is 
known  as  one  that  owns,  uses  and  has  photographed  with  the 
famous  objectives  of  Tolles,  to  the  highest  power,  namely, 
the  one-seventy-fifth  inch — a  lens  whose  face  glass  is  one- 
sixtieth  of  an  inch   in  diameter.    Dr.  Cutter  was  born  in 


EPHKAI.M  CI  TTICR,  M.I). 

Woburn,  Mass.,  September  ist,  1832,  educated  in  Warren 
.-\cademy,  and  graduated  from  Yale  University  in  the 
Collegiate  De])artment  in  1852;  he  taught  in  Warren 
Academy  for  one  year,  and  the  four  years  following  studied 
in  Harvard's  Medical  Department  and  that  of  University  of 
I'ennsylvanin,  and  was  graduated  from  these  institutions  in 
1856  and  1857  respectively.  .\  great-grandfather,  Amos 
Whitteniore,  was  the  inventor  of  the  card  machine.  His 
father.  Dr.  Benjamin  Cutter,  M.A.  and  M.D.  Harvard,  hon- 
ored medicine  for  forty  years  by  able  ])raclice  ;  Dr.  Cutter 
studied  with  him  and  also  Oliver  Wendell  Holmes,  Henry  I. 
Bowditch  and  J.  V.  (!ooke.  Dr.  Cutler  wished  at  his  father's 
request  to  study  the  causes  of  (i)  consumption,  (2) 
diseases  of  women  and  (3)  diseases  of  the  nervous  system. 
.At  this  day  we  can  say  that  he  performed  his  work  well,  for 
from  a  simple  study  of  causes  he  got  into  the  actual  treat- 
ment of  the  cases,  and  the  progress  that  this  one  life  has 
made,  is  because  of  his  thorough  training  and  the  having  to 


actually  solve  the  problems  of  patients  ])resented  to  him  ; 
his  contributions  to  medical  literature  number  four  hundred. 
He  ])ractised  in  Woburn  and  Boston,  and  finally  came  to 
New  York  in  1881,  and  has  since  practised  here  ;  1 891,  in 
conjunction  with  his  son.  Dr.  John  A.  Cutter,  he  established 
the  Heartiest  Sanatory  in  New  York  City,  an  institution  to 
give  the  best  advantages  to  treat  chronic  disease  ;  cases 
admitted  are  of  consumption,  tumor,  cancer,  Bright's 
disease,  diabetes  and  other  chronic  diseases,  for  the  life 
work  of  the  subject  of  our  sketch  has  shown  that  these  so- 
called  incurable  diseases  are  curable,  for  to  the  Tenth  Inter- 
national Medical  Congress  at  Berlin,  1890,  he  reported  one 
hundred  cases  of  consumption,  in  whom  forty  were  restored 
to  health  by  systematic  treatment  at  home  ;  some  of  these 
cases  had  been  well  for  twenty  years.  The  Boylston  Prize 
from  Harvard  in  1857  was  granted  him  on  the  subject, 
"  Under  what  circumstances  do  the  usual  signs  furnished  by 
Auscultation  and  Percussion  prove  fallacious?"  The 
Society  of  Science,  Letters  and  Art  of  London,  in  1889,  gave 
him  the  Gold  Medal  for  his  essay  on  the  "  Relations  of 
Medicine  and  Music."  In  conclusion  we  must  state  that 
the  lesson  of  Dr.  Cutter's  arduous  labors  in  his  profession,  is, 
that  the  very  common,  every-day  things  of  life,  what  we  eat 
and  drink,  how,  when  and  where,  how  we  live,  think  and  do 
our  daily  work,  have  everything  to  do  with  the  causation  of 
disease.    Dr.  Cutter's  offices  are  in  the  Ecpiitable  Building. 

ROBERT  HOE. 
The  history  of  the  firm  of  R.  Hoe  &  Co.,  manufacturers 
of  printing  presses,  printers'  materials  and  cast  steel  saws, 
would  form  an  admira!)le  object  lesson  in  the  progress  of 
mechanical  invention  during  the  last  half  of  the  nineteenth 
century.  Their  printing  machinery  has  a  world-wide 
reputation.  No  newspaper  can  now  be  jirinted  fast  enough 
without  one  of  Hoe's  perfecting  jirinting  presses,  and  the 
thousands  of  copies  of  the  Recorder  as  well  as  the 
many  millions  of  other  great  newspapers  of  the  world,  are 
daily  produced  by  the  machines  constructed  by  this  firm. 
It  was  in  1803  that  Robert  Hoe,  the  founder  of  what  is  at 
present  one  of  the  most  marvellous  organizations  of  its  kind, 
came  to  .America.  He  was  an  Knglish  yeoman  ;  born  in 
Leicestershire,  October  29,  1784  He  had  been  appren- 
ticed as  a  joiner  to  his  father,  and  the  young  immigrant  on 
his  arrival  in  New  \'ork  worked  at  that  trade  until  he  be- 
came interested  in  jjrinting  presses  and  established  himself 
as  a  manufacturer  of  them  in  connection  with  his  brother- 
in  law,  Peter  Smith,  the  firm  name  being  then,  as  now,  R. 
Hoe  &  Co.  Robert  Hoe  took  out  one  of  the  earl  est 
American  patents  for  improvements  in  the  iron  hand  pr  nt- 
ing  press.  Peter  Smith  also  invented  the  machine  called 
after  his  name,  which  was  almost  exclusively  used  in  this 
country  for  a  number  of  years.  When  Matthew  Smith,  a 
relative  of  Peter  Smith,  became  a  partner  of  the  firm,  the 
business  rapidly  increased.  They  manufactured  the  first 
cylinder  jjrinting  presses  used  in  this  country.  'I'hose 
presses  were  modelled  in  a  measure  upon  English  designs, 
i)ut  were  a  great  imjjrovement,  both  in  efficiency  and  con- 
struction, over  their  Knglish  originals.  Tliis  firm  was  also 
the  first  in  New  York  to  em|)loy  steam  as  a  motor  in  their 
works,  located  first  in  Maiden  Lane  and  then  in  Gold  Street, 
near  Fulton  Street.  In  1832  the  founder  of  the  firm  retired 
from  the  business  on  account  of  ill  health,  and  died  in 
Westchester  County  on  the  4th  of  January,  1833.  His  son, 
Richard  ^L^rch  Hoe,  born  in  New  York  in  1812,  succeeded 
him  in  business,  in  connection  with  Matthew  Smith,  his 
father's  partner.  In  1833  his  brother,  Robert  Hoe,  became 
a  member  of  the  firm.  Matthew  Smith  died  soon  after, 
leaving  the  business  the  ])roperty  of  the  two  brothers,  who 
in  1847  produced  the  rotary  machine  known  as  the  "  Hoe 
Lightning  Type  Revolving  Printing  .Machine."    In  their 


ATJill^  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


153 


work  they  were  greatly  assisted  by  Stt-plicn  I).  'I'licker,  who 
afterwards  became  a  partner.  Later  on  Peter  Smith  Hoe, 
a  younger  brother,  was  admitted  as  a  member  of  the  firm. 
To  such  a  state  cf  perfection  have  the  Hoe  presses  recently 
been  brought  that  a  roll  of  paper  five  miles  long  can  be  put 
through  the  machine  at  the  rate  of  one  thousand  feet  per 
minute,  the  same  being  printed  on  both  sides,  cut,  pasted 
and  delivered  folded.  Perfect  newspapers  can  thus  be 
produced  faster  than  the  eye  can  follow  the  movements  of 
the  paper.  Richard  M.  Hoe  died  in  Florence,  Italy,  June 
7th,  1886.  His  brother  Robert,  before  referred  to,  died  at 
his  country  seat  at  Tarrytovvn,  in  Westchester  County,  the 
13th  of  September,  1884.  The  latter  was  a  patron  and 
friend  of  art,  and  especially  of  young  artists,  and  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  National  Academy  of  Design.  The  present 
head  of  the  firm  is  Robert  Hoe,  his  son,  born  in  New  York 
in  1839.  In  connection  with  his  partners  (Stephen  D. 
Tucker,  Theodore  H.  Mead  and  Charles  W.  Carpenter)  he 
has  greatly  extended  the  business  of  the  firm.  Some  of  the 
greatest  triumphs  in  the  construction  and  manufacture  of 
fast  printing  machinery  have  been  achieved  during  the  last 
five  or  six  years.  Mr.  Hoe  is  a  hard  worker  and  a  student. 
He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Metro])olitan  Museum  of 
Art,  and  President  of  the  Grolier  Club  for  promoting  the 
arts  pertaining  to  the  production  of  books.  He  is  also  in- 
terested in  all  movements  for  the  advancement  of  literature 
and  art,  and  possesses  one  of  the  largest  and  most  valuable 
private  libraries  in  America. 


SAMSON  LACHMAN, 

Samson  Lachman,  Justice  of  the  Sixth  District  Court, 
recognized  as  one  of  the  brightest  lawyers  of  the  city  and  one 
,  of  the  most  learned  and  impartial  of  its  judges,  was  born  in 
New  York,  on  the  second  of  May,  1855,  and  is  consequently 
a  young  man  for  such  a  position.  He  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  in  the  first  place,  and  subsequently  was  sent 
to  study  in  New  York  College,  from  which  he  graduated  in 
1876.  He  carried  off  the  highest  honors  in  both  institu 
tions,  and  obtained  first  prize  in  the  Columbian  Law  School 
for  an  essay  on  municip.il  law.  After  leaving  college,  with 
a  very  high  reputation  for  learning  and  ability,  he  studied 
law  with  the  leading  firm  of  Brown,  Hall  &:  Vanderpoel. 
He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1876,  when  he  had  reached 
the  statutory  age  of  twenty-one.  In  1879,  chiefly  through 
his  exertions,  the  firm  of  Lachman,  Morgenthan  &  Gold- 
smith was  established,  and  at  once  became  successful  and 
prosperous.  It  is  now  one  of  the  leading  law  concerns  in 
New  York,  and  does  an  immense  amount  of  miscellaneous 
business.  Among  its  clientage  are  many  great  mercantile 
houses,  insurance  companies,  railway  companies  and  manu- 
facturing interests,  and  it  is  noticeable,  as  regards  Mr. 
Lachman's  legal  career,  that  whether  as  referee  or  judge 
very  few  of  his  decisions  have  been  reversed  in  the  higher 
courts.  Like  the  majority  of  the  young  men  of  Gotham  Mr. 
Lachman  early  develoj)ed  a  taste  for  politics,  and  threw  his 
fortunes  in  with  the  County  Democracy.  He  had  previous 
to  1887  been  offered  the  nomination  for  various  offices  and 
refused,  but  in  that  year,  having  been  requested  to  stand 
for  J.u&tice  in  the  Sixth  Judicial  District,  by  the  United 
Democracy,  he  accepted,  and  was  elected  over  his  Republi- 
can opponent  by  the  largest  majority  ever  given  any  judge 
in  the  city.  He  was  Chairman  of  the  County  Democracy 
Committee  for  the  Sixteenth — his  own — District  for  four 
years,  and  held  many  other  offices  of  trust  for  h's  party 
during  his  political  career.  Mr.  Lachman  is  a  bachelor, 
whicli  is  singiflar,  seeing  that  he  is  a  very  handsome  man,  of 
distinguished  manners  and  good  addiess.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  New  York  Law  Institute,  of  the  Reform  Club,  the  City 
College  Club  and  the  Par  .\ssoc;ation. 


WRIGHT  HOLCOMB. 
Hon.  Wright  Holcomb,  the  well-known  New  York 
lawyer,  was  bom  in  Willsboro,  Essex  County,  N.  Y., 
December  8,  1843.  He  was  named  after  Hon.  Silas  Wright, 
his  father's  cousin,  formerly  (Governor  of  New  York  State. 
His  father  was  Mr.  1).  S.  Holcomb,  a  merchant  of  Wills- 
boro. His  mother  was  a  Cole,  of  Puritan  descent,  daughter 
of  Dr.  Steven  Cole,  of  Dartmouth  College,  and  a  lineal 
descendant  of  William  Bradford,  the  second  Governor  of 
Plymouth  Colony.  Wright  Holcomb  was  educated  in  the 
Chaplain  Academy  and  graduated  from  Dartmouth  College 
in  the  class  of  1864.  He  studied  law  in  the  Albany  Law 
School,  was  admitted  to  the  New  York  bar  in  1866  and  to 
practice  in  the  United  States  Courts  in  1868.  He  came  to 
New  York  in  1867,  and  became  managing  clerk  in  the  office 
of  John  E.  Devlin,  who  was  then  corporation  counsel. 
After  this  he  went  to  Plattsburg  and  entered  into  jjartner- 
ship  with  Palmer  &  Weed,  the  new  firm  assuming  the  title 
of  Palmer,  Weed  iK:  Holcomb.  In  1875  he  returned  to 
New  York,  and  with  Mr.  Smith  Weed  entered  the  law  firm 


WRIGHT  HOLCOMB. 


of  Matthew,  Husted  &  Folly.  'I'lic  firm  having  been 
dissolved  in  1878,  Mr.  Holcomb  practised  alone  until  he 
organized  the  firm  of  Holcomb,  Fitzgerald  &  Condon, 
which  was  dissolved  in  1801,  when  Mr.  Holcomb  formed 
his  present  co-partnership  with  Hon.  D.  J.  Martin.  He 
has  always  devoted  himself  exclusively  to  civil  business 
and  United  States  cases,  and  has  reached  a  high  standing 
among  the  legal  lights  of  New  York.  In  1890  he  was 
electetl  member  of  the  State  Legislature  for  the  Ninth 
Assembly  District  on  the  United  hemocratic  ticket,  served 
one  term  with  much  distinction,  and  declined  another 
nomination.  He  said  that  one  term  was  enough  for 
him.  He  is  member  of  the  New  York  Democratic 
Club  and  also  of  the  Tammany  Society.  Mr.  Holcomb  is 
a  man  of  undoubted  capacity  with  an  unimpeachable  public 
and  private  record.  As  a  lawyer  he  is  studious  and 
thorough  in  the  interests  of  his  clients,  as  a  referee  he  is 
partial  and  just,  and  as  a  man  he  is  genial,  whole-souled, 
liberal,  and  highly  respected  by  all  who  know  him. 


154 


JVEIV  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


SHERBURNE  BLAKE  EATON. 

Sherburne  Blake  Eaton,  of  the  New  York  15ar,  was  born 
at  Lowell,  Mass.,  in  1840.  His  ])reparatory  education  was 
gained  in  Phillips  Andover  Academy,  after  which  he  entered 
Yale  College,  and  graduated  in  the  class  of  1862.  He 
was  ..immediately  commissioned  as  Adjutant  in  an  Ohio 
regiment  commanded  by  his  college  chum,  Colonel  Oliver 
H.  Payne,  of  Cleveland,  with  which  he  went  to  the  front. 
After  serving  eighteen  months  with  that  regiment,  he  was 
appointed  a  member  of  the  staff  of  (ieneral  William  B. 
Hazen,  of  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland,  and  for  two  years 
saw  active  and  e.xciting  service,  during  which  time  he  par- 
ticipated in  many  important  engagements,  among  them  the 
battles  of  Chickamauga,  ('hattanooga,  Mission  Ridge  and 
Knoxville.  He  was  in  Sherman's  army  during  its  advance 
through  Northern  Georgia  to  Atlanta,  and  was  in  all  the 
princijjal  battles.  At  the  siege  of  Atlanta  he  was  seriously 
wounded  and  for  a  long  time  his  life  was  desjiaired  of. 
After  this  he  was  compelled  to  retire  with  the  well  earned 


SHERIiL  HNIC  HI..\KE  EATON. 

rank  of  Major,  and  an  excellent  reputation  for  valor  upon 
the  fields  of  action.  In  1870  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in 
Chicago,  but  a  year  later  moved  to  New  York  and  became 
connected  with  the  law  firm  of  Porter,  I.owrey  Soren, 
with  whom  he  remained  until  1874,  when  he  formed  the 
firm  of  Carter  iV  I'^aton,  which  subsequently  was  clianged  to 
(Chamberlain.  Carter  iV  Eaton,  u|)on  the  admission  to  jjarl- 
nership  of  Ex-Governor  1)  H.  Chamberlain,  a  former 
classmate  of  Major  P^aton,  at  Yale,  and  \V.  B.  Hornblower. 
His  present  firm  is  Eaton  <fc  Lewis,  his  partner  being  Eugene 
H.  Lewis,  also  a  Yale  man  of  the  class  of  1873.  Mr.  Eaton's 
legal  abililies  were  first  brought  into  prominence  in  1874  as 
Counsel  of  the  New  York  Chamber  of  Commerce,  when 
that  and  similar  organizations  sought  to  reform  customs 
revenue  laws,  and  to  repeal  the  revenue  law  authorizing 
moieties  and  the  seizure  of  books  and  |)apers.  His  law 
argument  before  the  Congressional  Committee  of  Ways  and 
Means,  at  W'ashington,  was  received  with  fa\orable  com- 
mendation both  here  and  abroad.     His  success  in  lliat 


instance  demonstrated  his  superior  legal  qualifications  and 
in  a  short  time  liis  clientele  became  large  and  lucrative,  his 
practice  being  confined  mainlv  to  corporation,  customs  law 
and  bankruptcy  litigation.  Mr.  Eaton  in  1881  gave  up  his 
general  |)ractice  in  order  to  accept  the  position  of  Presidency 
and  (ieneral  Counsel  of  the  f^dison  F^lectric  Light  Company 
and  of  other  companies  engaged  here  and  abroad  in  the 
development  of  the  Edison  Patent.  His  entire  time  has  of 
late  been  devoted  to  the  service  of  that  company,  of  which 
he  is  the  General  Counsel,  and  he  has  likewise  been  the 
personal  counsel  of  Mr.  Edison.  His  professional  career 
has  been  marked  by  many  legal  achievements,  i)articularly 
in  the  United  States  Courts,  where  he  has  gained  theresj)ect 
and  esteem  of  both  Bench  and  Bar.  Mr.  Eaton  is  ecpially 
popular  in  social  and  club  circles,  where  his  genial  com- 
panionship is  eagerly  sought.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Bar 
Association  and  Law  Institute,  as  well  as  of  the  Union, 
University,  Metropolitan,  Lawyers',  Players'  and  Electric 
Clubs  and  of  several  out  of  town  clubs,  including  the  Raleigh 
Club  of  London. 


LEWIS  HALLOCK,  M.D. 

The  oldest  practising  physician  in  the  city  of  New  York, 
probably  in  America,  is  Dr.  Lewis  Hallock.  He  was  born 
in  this  city  on  June  30,  1803,  where  he  has  resided  without 
interruption  ever  since,  except  during  a  few  years  of  his 
boyhood,  when  he  went  to  school.  His  father,  Jacob  Hallock, 
was  a  lineal  descendant  of  Peter  Hallock,  first  of  the  name 
in  this  country  and  one  of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  who  came  to 
America  in  1640,  and  with  the  Colony  of  thirteen  members 
purchased  from  the  Indians  a  large  tract  of  land,  in  South- 
old,  L.  I.  They  were  the  first  white  settlers  in  that  part 
of  the  island.  Jacob  Hallock,  soon  after  his  marriage  to 
Miss  Sarah  Mather,  moved  to  New  York  City,  and  engaged 
in  mercantile  pursuits  until  his  death  in  18(3.  He  left  two 
sons  behind  him,  one  Horace,  a  younger  sen,  who  became 
a  successful  merchant  in  Detroit,  Michigan,  the  other,  the 
subject  of  this  sketch.  Dr.  Hallock  finished  his  prejjaratory 
studies  at  Clinton  Academy,  East  Hampton,  Long  Island, 
then  the  second  incorporated  academy  in  the  State.  He 
commenced  the  study  of  medicine  with  a  relative.  Dr. 
Elisha  Hallock,  of  Southold.  In  the  following  year  he 
returned  to  New  York,  and  entered  the  office  of  Dr.  John 
W.  Francis,  Professor  of  Obstetrics,  in  the  College  of 
Physicians  and  Surgeons,  in  the  city,  from  which  he  gradu- 
ated in  1826.  .After  practising  allopathy  with  average  success 
for  fifteen  years,  Dr.  Hallock  was  induced  to  try  the  efficacy 
of  homoeopathic  remedies  in  some  sjiecial  cases.  The  result 
was  so  gratifying  that  after  a  careful  trial  and  comparison 
of  a  year  he  became  an  avowed  convert,  and  joined  the 
homoeopathic  ranks,  being  about  the  twelfth  member  of  the 
small  association.  He  is  now  the  sole  survivor  of  the  six 
members  of  his  graduating  class  who  had  embraced  the 
system  before  him.  In  1846  he  joined  the  American  Insti- 
tute of  HomcEopathy,  and  subsecpiently  became  a  member 
of  the  County,  State  and  National  Societies,  and  one  year 
held  the  office  of  President  of  the  City  and  County  Society. 
He  has  twice  declined  the  office  of  a  jjrofessor  in  the 
Homoeopathic  College,  but  has  acted  as  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Censors  since  the  o  ganization  of  that  body  for 
examining  each  graduating  class  of  students,  (^n  the  fiftieth 
anniversary  of  his  graduation,  Dr.  Hallock  was  much  sur- 
prised by  the  reception  of  the  honorary  degree  of  Doctor  of 
.Medicine  from  the  Faculty  and  Trustees  of  the  Homoeo- 
patiiic  College  of  this  city.  The  di|)loma  was  presented  at 
a  dinner  given  to  his  honor,  by  his  early  friend  and  class- 
mate. Dr.  Gray,  at  the  Fifth  .\venue  Hotel.  Dr.  Hallock  is 
in  the  enjoyment  of  excellent  health,  does  not  look  to  be 
more  than  fifty,  and,  judging  from  appearances,  is  likely  to 
be  a  centenarian. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


CHARLES    WILLIAM  CLINTON. 

Charles  William  Clinton,  who  may  be  considered  one  of 
New  York's  prominent  architects,  is  a  member  of  the  well- 
known  family  bearing  that  famous  name.  The  first  of  his 
ancestors  who  settled  in  this  country  was  Charles  Clinton,  a 
direct  descendant  of  Henry,  second  Earl  of  Lincoln. 
Charles  settled  in  Little  Britain,  N.  Y.,  in  1729,  and  had 
four  sons.  One  died  without  issue,  one  died  unmarried  and 
the  other  two,  James  and  George,  were  Generals  in  the 
Revolutionary  Army.  George  was  the  first  (iovernorof  the 
State  of  New  York,  and  was  twice  Vice-President  of  the 
LInited  .States.  Those  Clinton  brothers — the  American 
Clinton — were  friends  and  cousins  of  Sir  George  Clinton, 
the  English  Governor  of  the  colony,  who  arrived  in  1743, 
and  they  afterwards  fought  against  his  son.  Sir  Henry  Clin- 
ton, who  commanded  the  British  at  the  opening  of  hostili- 
ties. The  renowned  De  Witt  Clinton  was  a  son  of  General 
James,  and  it  is  hardly  necessary  to  state  was  New  York's 
greatest  Governor.  De  Witt  Clinton's  brother  Charles  had 
an  only  son  named  Alexander,  a  physician  of  great  ability, 
who  married  Adeline  Arden  Hamilton,  youngest  daughter 
of  Alexander  James  Hamilton,  of  the  British  Army,  scion 
of  a  noble  Scottish  house.  They  were  the  parents  of  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch.  Mr.  Clinton  was  educated  in  a  collegiate 
school  and  after  graduating  entered  the  office  of  the  late 
Richard  Upjohn  to  study  architecture.  Mr.  Upjohn  was 
one  of  the  most  able  architects  of  his  day  and  stood  first  as 
an  ecclesiastical  architect.  After  finishing  his  studies  Mr. 
Clinton  associated  himself  with  the  late  Anthony  Bleecker 
MacDonald,  and,  upon  Mr.  MacDonald's  death,  with  Ed- 
ward T.  Potter.  Later  on  he  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his 
profession  alone,  locating  first  at  56  Wall  Street  and  finally 
in  the  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company's  building  on  Nassau 
Street,  a  magnificent  structure  of  his  own  creation. 

When  the  war  broke  out  he  took  the  field  with  the 
Seventh  Regiment  and  volunteered  with  that  battalion  the 
three  times  in  which  it  was  called  upon  for  active  service. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Veteran  Association  and  also  of  the 
Veteran  Club  of  the  regiment.  Among  other  associations 
to  which  he  belongs  are  the  American  Listitute  of  Archi- 
tects, of  which  he  was  Vice-President  ;  the  Architectuial 
League,  the  American  Fine  Arts  Society  and  the  Century 
Club.  Of  his  architectural  works  the  Mutual  Life  Building 
is  his  masterpiece.  It  is  considered  peerless  of  its  kind. 
Another  of  his  creations  is  the  Seventh  Regiment  Armorv 
on  Sixty-fifth  Street.  Among  his  most  admired  works  are 
the  Bank  of  America,  the  Metropolitan  'i'rust  Comjjany,  the 
Wilkes  liuilding,  Imperial  Insurance  of  London,  and  the 
Central  Trust  Company's  building. 


M.    M.  BELDING. 

No  better  illustration  can  be  found  of  the  progress  made 
in  American  manufactures  within  a  comparatively  recent 
period  than  is  contained  in  a  short  history  of  the  silk  trade, 
as  connected  with  the  great  firm  of  the  Belding  Brothers  <S: 
Co.  In  1866,  Milo  M.  Belding,  Hiram  H.  Belding,  Alva 
M.  Belding,  and  D.  W.  Belding  leased  the  first  floor  of  an 
old  mill  in  Rockville,  Conn.,  in  which  to  start  a  silk  factory 
on  a  small  scale  ;  to-day  the  firm  consumes  more  raw  silk 
than  any  other  in  America,  has  five  mills  in  operation,  and 
are  building  a  sixth,  having  salesrooms  in  New  York, 
Chicago,  Boston,  Philadelphia,  Cincinnati,  St.  Louis,  St. 
Paul,  San  Francisco,  Montreal,  New  Orleans  and  Balti- 
raore.  The  Beldings  brought  character,  experience  and 
ability  into  the  business,  which  so  prospered  in  their 
hands  that  in  1869  Miey  purchased  the  mtire  mill  for  manu- 
facturing purposes.  In  1874,  they  erected  a  mill  in 
Northam])ton,  Mass.,  and  one  subsequently  in  Belding, 
Michigan,  a  town  of  7,500  inhabitants,  founded  and  named 
after  the  family,  also  one  in  Montreal,  Canada,  and  a  fifth 


in  San  I'rancisco.  The  statistics  furnished  from  those 
mills  are  interesting  in  the  highest  degree.  Seven  hundred 
and  fifty  hands  are  employed  in  the  Rockville  establish- 
mt-nt,  seven  hundred  in  Northampton,  five  hundred  in 
Montreal,  six  hundred  and  fifty  in  Belding,  and  in 
San  Francisco  from  three  to  four  hundred.  The  output 
of  the  five  mills  for  1892  was  114500,000,  and  the  daily 
consumption  of  raw  silk  is  over  2,000  pounds.  The 
silk  turned  out  by  the  firm  has  a  world  wide  reputation, 
though  it  is  chiefly  sold  in  the  United  States  and  Canada, 
that  is  to  say,  in  the  countries  in  which  it  is  manufactured. 
M.  M.  Belding,  the  President  of  the  Company,  was  born  in 
Ashfield,  Mass  ,  in  1833.  His  grandfather  and  his  father 
were  merchants  in  their  time,  and  the  old  nomestead  built 
by  grandfather  John,  in  1800,  is  still  in  the  family.  He 
received  an  academic  education,  and  during  his  vacations 
worked  on  a  neighboring  farm  in  consideration  of  from  five 
to  seven  dollars  a  month.    The  lad  possessed  a  good  deal 

I  I 

I 

I 


M.  M.  BELDING. 

of  grit  evidently  and  independence  besides.  He  started  into 
business  for  himself  while  still  very  young.  When  seven- 
teen years  old  he  got  $20  from  his  uncle — it  was  his  first 
capital  —and  invested  it  in  silk,  which  he  bought  from  a 
manufacturer  in  Northampton.  This  stock  he  sold  in  the 
towns  of  Western  Massachusetts.  The  trip  proved  a  financial 
success.  Believing  there  was  money  in  the  silk  business, 
and  resolving  to  master  its  details,  he  went  to  work  with  W. 
M.  Root  &  Co.,  of  Pittsfield,  Mass  ,  with  whom  he  stayed 
until  1856,  when  he  purchased  a  team,  loaded  it  with  silk 
goods,  and  sold  them  through  the  eastern  districts  of  the 
Commonwealth.  In  1856  he  married  Emily  Leonard,  of 
Ashfield,  and  two  years  later  embarked  in  manufacturing  in 
partnership  with  Squire  Waite  Bement.  In  i860  he  furnished 
his  brothers  with  goods,  which  they  sold  in  the  West.  In 
1863,  as  already  ment'oned,  he  opened  a  store  in  Chicago, 
and  in  1865,  leaving  his  brothers  in  charge  of  it,  he  came  to 
New  York,  and  opened  an  office  at  No.  323  Broadway. 
In  1882  he  removed  to  his  present  location  at  No.  455 


156  A'EIV  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


Broadway.  Mr.  Belding  owns  a  fine  residence  on  West 
Seventy-second  Street.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Silk  Asso- 
ciation, the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  and  many  other 
commercial  and  social  organizations.  He  has  one  son,  M. 
M.  Belding,  Jr.,  who  is  associated  with  him  in  business.  He 
is  .President  of  the  Livonia  Salt  Mining  Company,  President 
of  the  Commonwealth  Insurance  Company,  and  is  connected 
with  many  other  large  corporations  in  a  prominent  way. 

JEROME    BYRON  WHEELER. 

Major  Jerome  Byron  Wheeler,  banker  and  cajjitalist,  was 
born  in  Troy,  N.Y.,  on  September  3,  i84i,andis  descended 
from  English  stock  of  the  Norman  branch.  The  family  in 
England  is  at  present  re])resented  by  Sir  Trevor  Wheeler, 
whose  title  dates  from  the  time  of  Charles  II.    The  Major's 


honorably  mustered  out  as  Major  of  United  States  Volun- 
teers. He  had  not  been  long  in  harness  when  he  was 
commissioned  Second  Lieutenant  and  assigned  to  the  staff 
of  the  Regiment,  then  commanded  by  Colonel  Thomas 
Devins  who,  in  the  \  alley  and  subse(|uently  in  the  closing 
campaign  of  the  war,  so  distinguished  himself  as  a  Cavalry 
General  in  command  of  a  division.  Major  Wheeler  was  a 
brave  soldier  and  skilful  officer,  and  carried  the  esteem  of 
both  his  inferiors  and  military  suj^eriors.  It  was  said  of  him 
by  General  Wesley  Merritt  :  "One  of  the  youngest  officers 
of  the  Regiment,  he  was  at  the  same  time  one  of  the  most 
distinguished.  I  know  of  no  important  engagement  in 
which  the  Regiment  took  part  (and  it  was  in  all  the  battlt-s 
of  the  Potomac  and  the  Shenandoah  Valley)  in  which  he  did 
not  bear  a  conspicuous  share  as  a  staff  officer."  General 
Devins  repeatedly  mentions  him  in  his  rei)orts  as  having 


lEROME  HVRON  VVHKKLEK. 


mother  was  a  cousin  of  Raljjh  Waldo  Emerson,  and  traces 
her  jjedigree  back  to  1606,  when  her  ancesler,  Thomas 
Emerson,  obtained  a  grant  of  Bradbury  in  the  County  of  Dur- 
ham. He  was  educated  in  the  Public  Schools  of  Waterford, 
Saratoga  County,  N.  Y  ,  and  at  the  age  of  fifteen,  having  a 
taste  that  way  engaged  in  mechanical  puisuits.  In  1862, 
the  national  cause  being  then  overcast  by  Southern  victories, 
young  Wheeler  celebrated  his  majority  by  enlisting  in 
the  Sixth  New  York  Cavalry,  U.  S.  Volunteers.  He 
accompanied  the  Regiment  to  Washington  and  from  thence 
was  transferred  to  Virginia,  the  seat  of  war.  From  that 
time  until  the  surrender  at  Appomattox  he  remained  in 
the  field,  sharing  all  the  defeats  and  the  victories  of  the 
grand  old  army  of  the  I'otomac,  fighting  witii  the  gallant 
Sheridan  in  the  valley,  and  rising  step  by  step  until  he  was 


distinguished  himself  on  the  field  of  battle  and  in  his  dis- 
})atch  detailing  the  arduous  operations  of  the  Second  Brigade, 
First  Cavalry  Division,  from  May  26,  to  July  2d.  1864,  says  : 
"  Lieutenant  Jerome  B.  Wheeler,  Assistant  Quartermaster 
of  the  Brigade,  has,  as  usual,  rendered  valuable  service,  not 
only  to  the  command  but  to  the  whole  division,  and  I  would 
again  urge  upon  sujjerior  authority  the  claims  of  this  ener- 
getic and  efficient  officer."  "During  his  services  on  the 
Brigade  and  Division  Staff,  he  was  always  at  the  front," 
writes  Colonel  W.  L.  Heermance,  "even  when  his  duties  did 
not  call  him  to  the  i)ost  of  danger,  and  his  zeal  and  good 
judgment  were  second  to  none  of  those  with  whom  he 
served."  The  records  of  the  army  also  show  that  he  was 
frecjuently  referred  to  in  a  special  manner  for  valuable 
services  at  a  time  when  such  mention  was  rare  in  connec  tion 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METRO  TO  LIS. 


witli  officers  of  liis  rank.  L^pon  being  mustered  out  of  tlie 
army,  Major  Wheeler  relumed  to  Troy,  and  entered  the  em- 
ploy of  his  comrade  in  arms,  Major  John  F.  Harkley,  engaged 
in  the  grain  trade.  In  1878  he  became  meml)er  of  the 
extensive  grain  firm  of  Stott  &  Co.,  but  in  the  year  following 
])y  an  arrangement  with  Mr.  Webster,  only  surviving  partner 
of  R.  H.  Macy  iS:  Co.,  entered  that  famous  firm  as  partner, 
and  his  great  executive  and  business  al)iliiy  was  soon  made 
manifest.  In  1882  Major  Wheeler  made  a  trip  to  Colorado, 
and  ])urchased  as  a  matter  of  sympathy  from  a  needy  friend 
a  controlling  interest  in  two  mines,  which  having  turned  out 
liighly  satisfactory  and  remunerative,  he  retired  from  Macy's, 
and  has  since  dedicated  his  entire  attention  to  his  Colorado 
mining  property.  In  1883  he  purchased  the  Asjjen  Smelter 
and  interested  his  former  partners  Mr.  Webster  and  Mr. 
Roberts.  Holt  in  the  enterprise.  In  1885  the  Aspen  Mining 
and  Smelting  C'ompany  was  organized  with  Major  Wheeler 
as  President.  He  now  owns  five-eighths  of  the  stock  and  a 
fourth  of  the  mine  itself,  which  during  1891  had  paid  over 
half  a  million  in  dividends,  and  in  1892  about  a  million.  In 
the  same  year  he  organized  a  bank  in  Aspen  under  the  firm 
name  of  J.  B.  Wheeler  &  Co.,  and  in  1889  a  second  bank  in 
Manitou,  and  on  the  July  following  (1890)  a  third  bank  in 
Colorado  City.  All  three  in  1892  were  changed  to  State 
Hanks,  and  they  are  owned  principally  by  Major  Wheeler. 
Under  the  shadows  of  the  celebrated  Pike's  Peak  he  has 
erected  his  beautiful  country  seat — Windermere.  Notwith- 
standing his  phenomenal  success,  a  success  due  largely  to 
his  own  talents,  Major  Wheeler  is  the  same  typical  Ameri- 
can gentleman  of  education,  courtesy  and  dignity  he  was 
when,  under  Sheridan,  he  charged  the  enemies  of  the  Union 
up  the  valley.  In  1870  he  married  Miss  Harriet  Macy 
Valentine,  of  Nantucket,  Mass.  The  home  of  the  family  is 
in  New  York  City,  but  with  their  surviving  children,  Elsie 
and  Marion,  they  spend  part  of  the  summer  of  each  year  in 
their  Rocky  Mountain  Home  of  Windermere. 

LOUIS  APGAR  QUEEN,  M.D. 

In  the  medical  history  of  the  city  of  New  York,  recogni- 
tion must  be  g  ven  to  that  beautiful  section — Washington 
Heights.  As  one  of  its  residents  l^r.  Louis  Apgar  (^ueen 
has  been  selected  to  represent  that  portion  of  the  city.  As 
physician  and  dentist  he  has  become  ])art  and  parcel  of  the 
Heights,  as  it  is  familiarly  called. 

He  was  born  at  Mount  Pleasant,  N.  J.,  March  13,  i860, 
and  is  one  of  five  sons,  all  professional  men.  His  father  is 
John  W'ahl  Queen,  formerly  a  carriage  manufacturer  at  that 
place.  His  early  education  was  received  in  the  Normal  Col- 
lege in  Trenton,  N.  J.  After  leaving  there  he  began  the 
study  of  dental  surgery,  in  the  Dental  Department  of  the 
University  of  New  York,  graduating  from  there  in  1885  as 
valedictorian  of  his  class.  He  was  during  his  collegiate  career 
a  student  in  the  office  of  Dr.  Frank  Abbott,  the  dean  of  the  col- 
lege. He  began  practice  on  W^ashington  Heights  immediately 
after  graduating,  and  has  continued  there  since.  During  his 
leisure  moments  he  took  up  the  study  of  general  medicine, 
and,  deciding  to  finish  as  an  M  D.,  matriculated  in  the 
Medical  Department  of  the  University  of  New  York,  and 
subsecjuently  in  the  Homtsoj  athic  Medical  College  and 
Hospital,  from  which  he  graduated  in  1888.  A  few  years  ago 
Dr.  Queen  organized  the  Hamilton  Dispensary,  and  is  at 
present  one  of  the  managers  and  consulting  physicians.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  medical  staff  of  the  Laura  Franklin  Hos- 
pital, attending  oral  surgeon  of  the  New  York  Juvenile 
Asylum,  the  New  York  Colored  Asylum  and  the  New  York 
Institute  for  the  Deaf  and  Dumb. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  New  York  State  and  County 
HonifEopathic  Medical  Societies,  the  Meissen  Club,  of  which 
he  is  Vice  President,  and  one  of  the  Board  of  Managers  of 
the  Quill  Club  of  New  York.    In  religion.  Dr.  (^ueen  is  a 


staunch  Presbyterian,  and  is  a  ineudjer  of  the  Washington 
Heights  Presbyterian  Church.  He  confines  himself  almost 
ex(  lusively  to  a  general  family  practice. 

In  June,  1892,  he  placed  his  practice  in  the  hands  of  his 
pirtner,  Dr.  Aldred,  and  left  on  an  extended  European  trij), 
during  which  he  spent  some  time  in  a  post-graduate  and 
clinical  course  in  the  medical  departments  of  the  German 
universities  at  Berlin  and  Leipsic . 

FLORIAN  GROSJEAN, 

President  of  the  Lalance  Crosjean  Manufacturing 
Company,  was  born  in  Switzerland  sixty-nine  years  ago. 
He  began  his  business  career  as  a  bank  clerk  in  France. 
On  his  arrival  in  this  country,  he  engaged  in  the  importation 
and  jobbing  of  house  furnishing  goods  in  this  city,  and 
from  that  to  the  manufacture  of  sheet  metal  goods.  Emi- 
nently practical,  quick  to  note  the  wants  of  the  trade,  and 
to  adopt  every  improvement  in  the  process  of  manufacture, 
of  untiring  energy,  resolute  will,  and  exceptional  executive 
and  financial  capacity,  surrounding  himself  with  men  of 
ability  and  integrity,  and  giving  the  affairs  of  the  company 
his  personal  attention,  he  has,  from  being  the  pioneer  in  this 
country  in  both  Stautped  Sheet  Metal  and  E)ia»ieled  W(xrcs, 
witnessed  the  business  of  his  company  grow,  until  to-day  it 


FLORI.A.N  GROSJEAN. 


has  more  than  a  national  reputation,  being  pre-eminently  the 
largest  of  its  kind  in  the  world.  In  i)olitics,  Mr.  Grosjean, 
while  in  no  sense  a  partisan,  has  always  leaned  towards  the 
Democracy.  The  present  attitude,  however,  and  tendency 
of  that  party  on  the  Tariff  question,  has  convinced  him  that 
his  business  interests,  as  well  as  the  interests  of  the  armv  of 
people  depending  upon  the  operations  of  his  company  for 
support,  together  with  the  prosperity  and  welfare  of  the 
country  in  general,  altogether  lies  in  the  line  of  protection 
for  American  Industries,  and  for  that  reason  he  is  in  full 
accord  with  the  principles  of  the  Republican  party  on  this 
(juestion.  The  origin  of  the  Lalance  tS:  Grosjean  Slanufac-  1 
turing  Com])any  dates  from  1850,  when  Mr.  Grosjean  and 
Mr.  Lalance  began  the  manufacture  of  sheet  metal  spoons  in 


JVEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


New  York  City.  In  1863  they  removed  to  Woodhaven, 
L.  I.,  on  the  outskirts  of  Brooklyn,  where  from  75  to  a 
hundred  hands  were  employed.  Six  years  later  the  business 
had  grown  to  such  proportions  that  the  present  stock  com- 
pany was  formed. 

A.  disastrous  fire  completely  destroyed  the  works  in 
1876,  but  within  a  few  months  new  buildings  were  erected 
on  the  same  site.  Since  that  time  the  jjlant  has  been  im- 
])roved,  until  to-day  it  covers  si.xteen  acres  and  gives 
employment  to  over  1,800  people.  The  latest  addition,  just 
completed,  is  a  building  320  ft.  long  and  40  ft.  wide,  four 
stories  and  basement.  The  company  has  just  erected  at 
Harrisburg,  I'a.,  a  large  rolling  mill,  to  be  devoted  exclu- 
sively to  the  manufacture  of  sheet  iron  and  steel  sheets  for 
consum])tion  in  their  works. 

CHRISTOPHER  YATES  WEMPLE. 

Among  the  prominent  men  not  now  living,  but  who  in 
their  time  had  something  to  do  with  the  progress  and  devel- 
oi)ment  of  this  city,  was  Christopher  Yates  Wemple,  one  of 
the  oldest  and  most  respected  members  of  the  St.  Nicholas 
Society,  and  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Manhattan  Life 
Insurance  Company.  Mr.  Wemple  was  born  in  Johnston, 
N.  Y.,  on  March  17,  1805,  and  was  of  Dutch  descent.  His 
ancesters  came  from  Holland  with  the  early  settlers  of  that 
section  of  the  State,  and  he  was  naturally  very  jiroiid  of 
being  a  Knickerbocker,  and  sprung  from  a  family  that  for 


J 

^^^^ 


J 


(  llKISiOl'llKR  VATRS  VVF.MI'I.K. 

two  centuries  was  esteemed  and  respected,  and  took  iheir 
share,  generation  after  generation,  in  the  affairs  and  respon- 
sibilities of  their  time.  While  slill  a  mere  boy  he  left  school 
and  assuming  the  burdens  of  life  removed  to  Albany.  I5ut 
he  was  a  bright,  intelligent  lad,  industrious  and  |)ersevering, 
])ossessed  of  the  best  <iualitiesof  his  race,  and  firmly  resolved 
to  succeed  in  life  if  ability  and  integrity  deserved  success. 
That  hefdid  succeed  is  beyond  cpiestion.  He  learned  the 
drygoods  business  in  .Albany,  and  coming  to  New  York  in 
1826  just  after  attaining  his  majority,  associated  himself  in 


business  with  Mr.  Christy,  the  new  firm,  a  drygoods  one, 
taking  the  title  of  Wemple  Christy.  The  establishment 
was  burned  down  in  the  great  fire  of  1835,  which  consumed 
such  a  large  portion  of  the  drygoods  district.  Early  in  1850 
the  Manhattan  Life  Insurance  Company  was  founded,  mainly 
through  his  exertions,  and  he  became  its  first  secretary.  He 
was  elected  its  vice-president  in  1866,  and  carried  out  the 
duties  of  the  position  with  ability  until  his  death,  which 
took  place  in  1882.  Indeed,  he  was  considered  and  deserv- 
edly so,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  life  insurance  in  this  city. 
It  must  be  remembered  that  in  those  days — half  a  century 
ago — insurance  was  not  so  familiar  to  the  people  as  it  is  now, 
nor  its  blessings  so  much  appreciated.  It  took  time  and  per- 
severance to  make  it  popular,  and  to  Mr.  ^Vemple  is  due  a 
fair  share  of  credit  for  the  change  in  public  opinion.  He 
was  for  many  years  member  of  the  committee  which  has 
charge  of  the  New  York  Juvenile  Asylum,  and  here  a  noble 
trait  in  the  character  of  Mr.  Wemple  may  be  mentioned. 
He  took  a  keen  interest  in  youth  struggling  against  adver- 
sity, and,  as  is  well  known,  gave  his  time  and  money  to  aid 
deserving  lads  whom  he  found  unfortunate  but  trying  hard 
to  right  themselves.  Hence  his  interest  in  the  Juvenile  Asy- 
lum, of  which,  as  already  stated,  he  was  one  of  the  most 
acti\e  supporters. 


D.  O,  MILLS. 

D.  O.  Mills  was  born  in  U  estchester  County,  September 
5,  1825.  He  is  the  fifth  son  of  James  Mills,  Mho  was  super- 
visor of  the  town  of  North  Salem  in  1835,  and  Hannah 
Ogden,  of  Dutchess  County.  The  family  is  of  Scotch- 
Knglish  origin,  and  settled  originally  in  New  York  and  Con- 
necticut before  the  Revolution.  James  Mills  was  for  many 
years  a  leading  man  in  the  community,  but  was  unfortunate 
during  the  latter  part  of  his  life,  and  in  1841  died,  leaving 
the  subject  of  this  sketch,  at  the  age  of  sixteen,  without  any 
])rospects  in  life  save  what  he  could  make  for  himself.  He 
had,  however,  been  carefully  educated  for  a  business 
career  by  his  father,  being  sent  to  the  best  schools  then  attain- 
able— first  to  the  North  Salem  Academy,  then  to  the  Mount 
Pleasant  .Vcademy  at  Sing  Sing,  which  at  that  time  ranked 
high  among  the  educational  institutions  of  the  State.  At 
seventeen  he  left  school  and  set  about  supporting  himself  and 
making  his  way  in  the  world.  He  secured  a  clerkship  in 
New  York,  and  here  and  in  some  work  connected  with  the 
settlement  of  the  small  estate  left  by  his  father  he  was 
occui)ied  for  the  next  few  )-ears.  In  1847,  at  the  age  of 
twenty-two,  he  removed  to  Buffalo  to  enter  into  partnership 
with  his  cousin.  E.  J.  Townsend,  and  serve  as  cashier  of  the 
Merchants'  Bank  of  Erie  County.  The  bank  was  one  of 
deposit  issue  existing  under  a  special  charter,  and  did  a 
large  business  for  those  days.  In  December,  1848,  Mr.  Mills 
determined  to  go  to  California,  and  on  June  8,  1849,  after  a 
voyage  replete  with  exciting  incident,  arrived  at  San 
Francisco.  For  some  time  after  his  arrival  he  engaged  in 
trading  in  the  various  mining  districts  with  considerable 
success.  He  soon  established  a  regular  business  in  Sacra- 
mento, selling  general  merchandise,  buying  gold  dust  and 
dealing  in  exchange  on  New  York.  In  November,  1S49,  he 
closed  out  his  business  and  returned  to  Buffalo  with  about 
=^40,000  as  the  net  ])roceeds  of  his  season's  work.  He, 
iiowever,  soon  disjjosed  of  his  interests  in  the  East  and 
returned  to  California,  resolved  to  make  it  his  future  home. 
In  1S50  he  established  the  bank  of  D.  O.  Mills  i\:  Co.,  which 
at  once  became  and  to  this  day,  under  the  same  title,  re- 
mains the  leading  bank  in  Sacramento  and  the  interior  of 
California.  He  was  continuously  antl  largely  successful 
and  became  known  as  the  leatling  banker  of  the  State,  hav- 
ing established  a  reputation  for  good  judgment,  rajjid 
decision,  boldness  and  absolute  integrity.  He  would  have 
nothing  to  do  with  (juestionable  schemes,  and  his  word  was 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


159 


universally  known  to  be  as  good  as  his  bond.  In  1864  Mr. 
Mills  was  elected  president  of  the  Bank  of  California, 
which  commenced  business  in  that  year  with  a  capital  of 
$2,000,000.  In  1873  Mr.  Mills  resigned  the  presidency  of 
the  bank  and  retired  from  active  business  with  a  large 
fortune.  Two  years  later  he  was  summoned  back  to  help 
rescue  the  bank  from  the  utter  ruin  with  which  it  was 
threatened  under  the  reckless  management  of  William 
C.  Ralston,  who  had  been  promoted  to  the  presidency  upon 
the  retirement  of  Mr.  Mills.  Mr.  Mills,  with  characteristic 
decision  and  promptitude,  came  to  the  bank's  rescue,  mak- 
ing a  personal  subscription  of  over  $1,000,000,  raising  nearly 
$7,000,000,  and  accepting  the  presidency  again.  The  bank 
resumed  payment  in  six  weeks,  and  at  the  end  of  three 
years,  when  it  was  firmly  re-established,  Mr.  Mills  resigned 
his  connection  with  it.  He  transferred  some  of  his 
interests  to  the  East,  erected  the  great  Mills  Building  in 
Broad  Street,  New  York,  and  established  his  residence  in 
the  Metropolis.  On  leaving  California  he  endowed  the 
Mills  professorship  of  Moral  and  Intellectual  Philosophy  in 
the  University  of  California,  donating  ^75.000  for  that 
purpose,  and  also  donated  to  the  State  Larkin  G.  Meade's 
marble  group  of  statuary  "  Columbus  before  Queen 
Isabella."  He  was  an  active  trustee  of  the  Lick  Estate  and 
the  Lick  Observatory  in  California.  Mr.  Mills  married 
September  5,  1864,  Jane  T.,  daughter  of  James  Cunning- 
ham, of  New  York.  He  has  two  children,  a  son  and 
daughter.    Mr.  Mills'  income  is  upwards  of  $1,000,000  a  year. 

RITA  DUNLEVY,  M.D. 

Rita  Dunlevy,  M.D.,  was  born  in  Cincinnati,  O.,  in 
1863,  and  spent  her  early  life  in  Indiana,  where  she  was 
educated  and  graduated  from  the  public  schools  with  honor. 
On  her  father's  side  her  ancestors  are  the  Buells  and  Dun- 
levys — the  Buells  of  England,  of  whom  the  most  noted 
surviver  is  her  uncle.  Gen.  Don  Carlos  Buell,  now  living  in 
Kentucky.  The  Dunlevys  were  large  landholders  in  Vir- 
ginia, and  her  grandfather  Dunlevy  was  a  lawyer  and  later 
was  in  the  government's  employ.  On  her  mother's  side  comes 
in  the  German  element.  Her  grandfather.  Dr.  Christian 
Ehrman,  together  with  his  two  brothers,  Frederick  and 
Benjamin,  studied  medicine  under  their  father  in  Germany, 
and,  coming  when  quite  young  to  America,  graduated  from 
the  Philadelphia  Medical  College.  Her  uncles,  Frederick 
and  Benjamin  Ehrman,  located  in  Cincinnati,  where  their 
name  and  fame,  associated  with  that  of  Dr.  Pulte,  spread 
throughout  the  country.  Her  grandfather  Ehrman  located 
in  Louisville,  Ky.,  where  he  built  up  a  large  practice.  Each 
of  his  five  sons  followed  the  calling  of  his  father,  two  of 
whom  are  living  and  practising  in  the  West.  Of  his  four 
daughters,  but  one,  Mrs.  S.  E.  Dunlevy,  mother  of  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch,  studied  medicine.  She  practised  for  a 
while  in  Richmond,  Ind.,  but  finally  came  to  Brooklyn, 
through  the  suggestion  of  Dr.  P.  P.  Wells,  who  had  met  her 
and  recognized  her  abdity,  and  thought  Brooklyn  a  larger 
and  better  field.  Her  success  so  enthused  her  daughter, 
that  while  studying  in  the  West  she  quietly  resolved  when 
graduated  there  to  take  up  the  study  and  profession  of 
medicine.  When  this  desire  was  made  known  to  her  mother 
she  advocated  it  at  once,  but  decided  to  first  have  her 
attend  a  private  school  in  Brooklyn,  where  she  spent  three 
years  studying  Latin,  French,  art  and  the  sciences.  Then 
she  entered  the  New  York  Medical  College  and  Hospital 
for  Women,  where  she  graduated  in  1888  after  a  full  three 
years'  course,  and  of  which  she  is  now  one  of  the  visiting 
physicians.  After  graduating  from  the  college  she  competed 
for  and  won  the  position  of  resident  physician  to  the 
hospital  connected  with  the  college.  While  filling  this 
position  she  was  asked  to  take  the  chair  of  Minor  Surgery, 
which  she  accepted.    At  the  end  of  the  college  term  she 


resigned,  as  she  intended  to  leave  the  city.  After  com- 
pleting her  hospital  work  she  took  a  course  at  the  Post- 
Graduate  School  of  Medicine,  and,  deciding  to  remain  in 
New  York,  she  was  offered  the  chair  of  assistant  to  the 
subject  of  Theory  and  Practice  and  Dermatology  at  the 
New  York  Medical  College  and  Hospital  for  Women,  which 
she  accepted  and  still  fills,  and  she  also  gives  her  services 
at  the  dispensary  connected  with  the  hospital,  and  is  visiting 
physician  at  the  Baptist  Home.  Her  family,  consisting  of 
a  mother,  two  brothers  and  herself,  are  all  practising 
medicine.  On  her  mother's  side  she  can  trace  an  unbroken 
line  of  physicians  extending  over  the  countries  of  Germany, 
Austria,  France  and  America  for  a  period  of  300  years. 


HENRY  STOKES. 

Henry  Stokes— born  in  1806,  died  on  Fel)ruary  12,  1887 
— was  the  last  survivor  of  the  children  of  Thomas  Stokes, 
one  of  the  earliest  as  he  was  one  of  the  best  known  citizens 
of  New  York.  Mr.  Stokes  himself,  because  of  his  long  and 
honorable  career,  and  especially  the  active  ])art  he  took  in 
promoting  Life  and  Fire  Insurance  and  popularizing  it  with 
the  masses,  deserves  space  in  any  work  like  this  that  may  be 
written.  The  early  part  of  his  business  career  was  passed 
as  partner  with  one  of  his  brothers  engaged  in  the  metal 
trade,  chiefly  importing,  the  firm  name  being  Stokes  Broth- 
ers.   The  firm  did  a  large  business,  and  Mr.  Henry  Stokes 


HENRY  STORES, 


continued  with  it  until  i860,  when,  having  hitherto  taken  a 
keen  and  intelligent  interest  in  insurance  matters,  he  was 
elected  president  of  the  Manhattan  Life  Insurance  Com- 
[lany.  This  company  was  organized  in  1850,  and  Mr.  Stokes 
had  been  one  of  the  original  and  principal  projectors  and 
had  been  director  from  the  start.  He  also  took  an  active 
interest  in  the  Union  Trust  Company,  the  Citizens'  Bank, 
and  the  Citizens'  Fire  Insurance  Company,  in  connection 
with  which  institutions  his  advice  and  services  were  of  great 
value.  Mr.  Stokes  left  surviving  him  his  widow,  three  sons 
and  a  daughter. 


i6o  NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


GEORGE    H.  BENJAMIN. 

George  H  Benjamin,  tho  eminent  expert  in  patents  and 
patent  causes,  was  born  in  the  Metropolis  in  1852,  and  is  a 
son  of  Park  Benjamin,  who  was  one  of  the  ablest  and  mo  t 
prominent  journalists  of  the  city  from  1825  to  i860,  l)eing 
associated  with  Horace  (iretley  in  the  founding  of  the 
Tri]uine,  and  with  Henry  J.  Raymond  in  the  foundation  of 
the  Times.  He  was  also  editor  of  the  N'ew  Yoi  kei  i  the 
New  Eiii:^la>id  Miif^azine  and  Ameiican  Moii//i/v.  (leorge  H. 
Benjamin  is  a  nephew  of  John  Lathrop  Motley,  the  famous 
historian.  He  was  educated  in  Phillip's  Andover  Academy, 
Union  College,  and  the  Albany  Medical  College,  from  the 
last  of  which  he  graduated  as  an  M.D.  in  the  class  of  '73. 
He  went  to  P.urope  to  further  i)ursue  the  study  of  physics 
and  chemistry,  and  received  the  Ph.D.  degree  from  the 
University  of  Freiburg,  (krmany,  in  1884.  He  first  located 
in  Albany,  and  for  four  years  practised  as  a  physician.  In 
1880  he  began  to  devote  much  time  to  scientific  experiments 
and  researches,  and  subsecjuently  came  to  New  York  as  the 


If  ^-rnVr'fc- 

GEORGE    H.  MEXJA.MIN, 

assistant  editor  of  Appleton's  Cyclopaedia  of  .•\i)plied 
Mechanics.  At  this  period  he  also  gained  distinction  in 
the  courts  as  an  expert  in  chemical  and  mechanical  cjut-s- 
tions.  He  was  admitted  to  the  I)ar  in  18S4,  and  for  the 
past  ten  years  has  fre(|uently  been  emjiloyed  by  the 
National  or  State  (lovernm(fnt  as  expert  in  most  of  the  im- 
portant litigations  before  the  higher  State  and  Federal 
Courts.  He  is  a  recognized  authority  in  his  specialties, 
electricity  and  metallurgy,  and  his  oi)inions  and  services 
are  in  constant  demand.  He  has  an  extensive  foreign 
clientele  and  is  the  American  representative  of  the  Siemens, 
the  largest  engineering  firm  in  the  world,  h  s  duties  in  this 
connection  re(|uiring  his  annual  presence  in  I'-urope.  Mr. 
Benjamin  was  married  in  1875  to  a  daughter  of  Hon.Cieorge 
I).  Seymour,  of  ( )g(lensl)iirg.  this  State,  and  has  a  family  of 
three  daugiiteis  His  assiduous  at'ention  has  been  directed 
to  businesfi  and  no  time  has  been  devoted  to  jiolitics. 
He    is   a    prominent    member   of   the  Manhattan  Club, 


and  belongs  to  most  of  the  scientific  and  engineering 
societies  in  America  and  Europe.  He  inherits  from  his 
father  excellent  literary  taste,  and  has  contributed  to  trade 
journals,  magazines  and  newspapers  many  valuable  articles 
upon  scientific  subjects  and  questions. 

OREN   G.   HUNT,  M  D. 

A  remarkable  ])hase  in  the  medical  history  of  the  City  of 
New  York  is  the  advanced  position  taken  and  maintained 
by  the  younger  men  in  the  medical  profession.  .An  ex- 
am])le  of  this  is  noticed  in  the  career  of  Oren  d.  Hunt, 
M.l).  Born  near  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  on  a  farm  owned  by 
his  father  ¥.  B.  Hunt,  and  still  occupied  by  him, 
he  early  developed  that  strength  of  character  and  body 
which  st')od  him  in  such  need  while  fighting  success- 
fully the  battle  of  life.  His  elementary  education  was 
obtained  in  a  public  school  of  his  native  place,  he 
afterwards  graduated  from  the  high  school,  and  the  two 
years  succeeding  he  spent  in  teaching,  in  the  meanwhile 
he  decided  to  adopt  medicine  as  a  profession,  and  while 
teaching  began  its  study.  He  entered  the  New  York 
Homoeopathic  College  in  1883  and  graduated  in  1886. 
Receiving  honorable  mention  for  his  three  years  of 
college  study  he  was  immediately  appointed  to  the  jiosi- 
tion  of  physician  and  surgeon  to  the  dispensary  attached 
to  his  college.  This  position  he  resigned  in  1888, 
however,  to  accej)!  the  clinic  department  of  heart  and  lung 
diseases  in  the  dispensary,  at  the  same  time  acting  as 
assistant  to  the  chair  of  diseases  of  heart  and  lungs  in  the 
college,  which  office  he  holds  at  jjresent. 

He  is  also  Assistant  Surgeon  to  the  Nose  and  Throat 
De])artment  in  the  New  York  Ophthalmic  Hospital.  In 
1888  Dr.  Hunt  was  made  executive  officer  of  the  dispensary 
attached  to  the  New  York  Hom(Eoi)athic  College.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  State  and  County  Hom(to])athic  Societies 
and  is  one  of  the  censors  of  the  latter.  Secretary  and 
Treasurer  of  the  Medico  Social  Club  and  member  of  other 
organizations.  He  was  as  an  expert  in  heart  and  lung 
diseases  ai)pointed  examiner  for  members  of  the  Ancient 
Order  of  Foresters.  Dr.  Hunt  has  written  a  number  of 
papers  on  these  diseases  as  a  specialist,  and  is  devoting  his 
attention  especially  to  the  diseases  and  abnormal  conditions 
of  the  nose  and  throat  ond  heart  and  lungs. 

,  MEREDITH  L.  JONES. 
Meredith  L  Jones,  one  of  New  York's  eminent  lawyers, 
was  born  in  Carbondale,  then  in  Luzerne,  now  Lackawanna 
County,  Pennsylvania,  on  April  30,  1840,  and  educated  in 
the  Presbyterial  Institute,  in  the  famous  Wyoming  ^'alley. 
In  1885,  his  father,  the  late  Judge  Lewis  Jones,  removed  to 
Srranton,  Pa.,  and  there  young  Meredith  studied  law  in  his 
offif  e,  and  made  himself  prominent  in  connection  with 
literary  association  and  Y.  M.  C.  A.  matters.  When  in 
i86r  the  Civil  War  broke  out  he  busied  himself  in  organ- 
izing a  company  for  drilling  and  ])rei)aration  for  the  service, 
out  of  which  company  of  70  men.  48  became  commissioned 
ofticers  in  the  army,  and  in  1862  he  joined  the  149th  Penn- 
sylvania Regiment,  Pa.  Yols.,  as  Second  Lieutenant.  Ac- 
companying his  regiment  to  the  front  he  was  detailed  as 
personal  aide  on  the  staff  of  General  Abner  Doubleday, 
commanding  the  third  division  of  the  P'irst  Army  Corjjs, 
Army  of  the  Potomac.  In  this  capacity,  he  served  through 
the  camjiaigns  of  Chancellorsville  and  Gettysburg,  and  it 
was  on  the  latter  sanguinary  fiehl  he  brought  up  the  first 
battery  that  o])ened  fire  on  the  first  day  and  virtually 
began  the  battle.  In  the  report  of  the  battle  made  by 
General  Doubleday,  filed  in  Washington,  he  says:  "  Lieu- 
tenant Jones,  .\.  \.  D.  C,  behaved  with  great  ( oolness  and 
braverv.  On  the  third  day.  just  before  Pickett's  famous 
charge,  Lieut.  Jones'  horse  was  shot  under  him  in  several 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS.  i6i 


places,  though  he  passed  unscathed  himself."  In  General 
Doubleday's  history  of  the  three  days'  fight,  Scribner's 
series,  he  speaks  in  high  terms  of  Lieut.  Jones'  gallantry 
and  bravery.  Lieut.  Jones  remained  with  the  Third 
Division  staff,  under  command  of  General  Kenley,  until  the 
fall,  when  returning  to  join  his  regiment  he  was  placed  in 
command  of  a  block  house,  and  later  on  was  assigned  to 
the  command  of  Co.  B,  149th  Regiment.  Soon  after  this 
(October,  1863)  Lieut.  Jones  was  attacked  with  jyphoid 
pneumonia,  which  made  of  him  such  a  wreck  that,  much 
to  his  regret,  he  was  honorably  discharged  from  the  service 
with  the  rank  of  first  Lieutenant.  Soon  after  returning 
home  he  married  a  daughter  of  the  late  Wm.  Minott 
Mitchell,  and  resumed  his  law  studies  in  the  office  of  his 
father  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar,  after  which  he  came  to 
New  York  and  met  with  marked  success.  He  is  prominent 
in  Grand  Army  circles,  and  has  been  Junior  and  Senior 
Vice-Commander  of  Lafayette  Post.  He  is  also  a  promi- 
nent member  of  the  Masonic  order.  He  is  member  of  the 
Society  of  the  Sons  of  the  Revolution,  and  also  of  the 
Colonial  Club.  On  the  father's  side,  Mr.  Jones  is  de- 
scended from  Benedicts,  and  on  his  mother's  side  from  the 
distinguished  Wharton  family  of  England. 

WILLIAM  WHEELER  SMITH. 
William  Wheeler  Smith  was  born  in  New  York  on  June 
12,  1838.  He  received  a  private  school  education  and  then 
entered  the  office  of  Renwick,  Auchmuty  &:  Sands,  study- 
ing under  the  tuition  of  Mr.  James  Renwick  from  1857  to 
1861.  He  then  went  abroad  and  studied  in  London  and 
Paris  for  two  years.  He  began  practice  in  New  York  in 
1864.  His  first  important  work  was  the  Collegiate  Church, 
Forty-eighth  St'eet  and  Fifth  Avenue,  and  among  his  other 
works  may  be  mentioned  W.  J.  Sloane's  building  and  the 
Manhattan  and  Merchants'  Bank  building,  40  and  42  Wall 
Street,  which,  besides  being  one  of  the  best  constructed  edi- 
fices in  the  lower  part  of  the  city,  was  the  first  one  con- 
taining the  modern  improvements  erected  in  the  money  dis 
trict.  He  has  planned  and  built  a  number  of  the  fine  man- 
sions on  Fifth  Avenue  and  other  prominent  streets.  Mr. 
Smith  was  married  in  New  York  to  Miss  Catherine  K. 
Brower,  daughter  of  John  J.  Brower,  hardware  merchant 
of  the  city,  and  resides  on  Madison  Avenue.  He  is  thor- 
oughly American,  and  comes  of  an  ancestry  which  dates 
back  over  200  years  in  this  country.  His  father  was  Mr. 
John  L.  Smith,  of  Orange  County. 


T.  F.  ALLEN.  M.D. 

Dr.  Timothy  Field  Allen,  LL.D.,  for  the  past  eleven 
years  Dean  of  the  New  York  Homoeopathic  College,  was 
born  in  Westminster,  Vt.,  on  the  24th  of  April,  1837. 
His  parents  were  the  late  Dr.  David  Allen  and  Eliza 
GravesAllen.  He  graduated  at  Amherst  College  in  1858, 
and  took  his  Master's  Degree  in  1861.  He  studied  medicine 
at  the  University  of  the  City  of  New  York,  where  he  gradu- 
ated in  1861.  In  1862  he  entered  the  United  States  Army, 
was  acting  assistant  surgeon,  and  was  stationed  at  Point 
Lookout,  under  command  of  Surgeon  Wagner,  U.  S.  A. 
Returning  to  New  York,  he  resumed  the  practice  of  medi- 
cine in  partnership  with  the  late  Dr.  Carroll  Dunham,  at  68 
East  Twelfth  Street.  At  one  time  he  occupied  the  chair  of 
Chemistry  in  the  New  York  Medical  College  for  Women, 
later  the  chair  of  anatomy  in  the  New  York  Homoeopathic 
Medical  College,  from  which  he  was  transferred  to  the  chair 
of  Materia  Medica  and  Therapeutics,  which  professorship  he 
now  holds.  Feeling  the  need  of  a  comprehensive  collection 
of  all  that  was  known  concerning  the  action  of  drugs  upon 
healthy  human  beings,  he  commenced  and  rompletecl  a  com- 
pilation in  ten  large  volumes,  known  as  the  "Encyclopedia 
of  Pure  Materia  Medica."  This  was  followed  by  an  additional 


volume  of  about  1,200  jjages,  which  served  as  an  index  to 
this  great  work  ;  also  by  a  "  Handbook  of  Materia  Medica 
and  Therapeutics,"  of  about  1,200  pages,  by  a  "  Primer  of 
Materia  Medica"  (a  small  work)  and  by  a  new,  revised 
edition  of  "  Bonninghausen's  Therapeutic  Pocketbook." 
Soon  after  his  election  to  the  chair  of  anatomy,  the  Trustees 
of  the  New  York  Ophthalmic  Hospital,  desiring  to  place 
their  institution  under  charge  of  homoeopathic  physicians 
and  surgeons,  applied  to  Dr.  Allen  for  assistance.  His 
previous  reputation  as  a  surgeon  and  oculist  was  the  cause 
of  this  preferment,  and  in  association  with  the  late  Dr. 
Liebold,  Homreopathic  treatment  was  commenced  in  this 
institution.  Dr.  Allen  has  been  largely  instrumental  in 
obtaining  considerable  sums  of  money  for  the  Ophthalmic 
Hospital,  for  the  erection  of  its  new  building,  and  has  been 
closely  identified  with  its  work  to  the  present  time  ;  he  is 
now  one  of  the  directors  of  the  hospital,  as  well  as  consulting 
surgeon.  A  few  years  ago  Mr  Delano,  after  erecting,  equip- 
ping and  endowing  the  Laura  Franklin  Free  Hosjjital  for 


T.  F.  ALLEN,  M.D. 

Children,  applied  to  Dr.  Allen  to  appoint  a  staff  of  homoeo- 
pathic physicians  and  surgeons.  This  hospital  has  for  some 
years  been  successfully  managed  by  this  corps  of  physicians 
and  surgeons,  and  most  eminent  services  have  been  rendered 
to  the  cause  of  medical  science  by  the  results  obtained  under 
their  treatment.  It  is  safe  to  say  that  no  results  in  this 
country  or  Europe  have  approached  those  obtained  in  this 
hospital,  its  mortality  having  been  less  than  one-third  that 
in  similar  institutions,  under  different  treatment.  Dr.  Allen 
has  been  active  not  only  in  medicine  and  surgery,  but  in  the 
natural  sciences.  He  was  one  of  the  personal  friends  of  the 
late  Dr.  John  Torrey,  of  Columbia  College,  and  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  Torrey  Botanical  Club,  of  which  he  is  at  the 
present  time  First  Vice-President.  He  is  a  Fellow  of  the 
New  York  Academy  of  Sciences,  and  of  the  American 
Association  for  the  Advancement  of  Science.  In  1885  he 
received  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Laws  from  Amherst 
College. 


l62 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


ORSON  DESSAIX  MUNN 

Was  born  in  Monson,  Hanii)den  County,  Mass.  His 
ancestors  were  among  the  first  settlers  in  tliat  vicinity,  and 
from  them  the  township  took  its  name.  His  father,  who 
was  a  farmer  in  good  circumstances,  gave  the  boy  the  advan- 
tage of  a  complete  course  of  schooling  at  the  Monson 
Academy,  an  institution  which  then  had  a  high  reputation, 
attracting  students  from  all  sections  of  the  United  States. 
It  was  to  this  academy  that  Mr.  Moses  Y.  Beach,  then  pro- 
prietor of  the  New  York  Sun,  sent  his  son  Alfred  E.,  and 
here  commenced  between  the  two  boys,  more  than  fifty  years 
ago,  an  acquaintance  and  friendshij)  which  was  subsecjuently 
to  develop  into  a  business  association  of  most  remarka])ly 
enduring  character.  Orson  1).  Munn  was  but  sixteen  years 
of  age  when,  havingcomjjleted  his  school  course,  he  obtained 
a  situation  as  clerk  in  a  bookstore  at  Springfield,  about 
fifteen  miles  away  from  home,  and  the  nearest  city  of  con- 
siderable size,  but  the  business  was  disctmtinued  two  years 


out  for  the  paper  suggested,  at  an  early  day.  the  establish- 
ment, as  a  co-ordinate  branch  of  the  business,  of  an  agency 
for  the  securing  of  patents.  It  may  be  noted,  also,  that  the 
Scientific  American,  although  the  leading  publication  of  the 
firm  and  the  oldest  i)aper  of  its  kind,  is  not  the  only  journal 
published  by  Munn  &  Co.  The  Scientific  American  Supple- 
ment,  commenced  at  the  time  of  our  Centennial  Exposition, 
1874,  is  also  an  illustrated  weekly  paper,  containing  a  very 
wide  variety  of  matter  in  the  same  range  of  topics,  while 
the  Architects  and  J^uilc/ers  Edition,  monthly,  is  a  very  hand- 
some magazine  of  architecture,  and  has  a  very  large 
circulation  throughout  the  country.  A  Spanish  edition  of 
the  Scientific  Ametican  is  also  published  monthly,  and  the 
firm  are  likewise  i)ublishers,  importers  and  dealers  in  all 
kinds  of  scientific  books.  Mr.  Alunn  has  been  a  member  of 
the  Union  and  Union  League  Clubs  for  more  than  a  quarter 
of  a  century.  He  possesses  a  valuable  collection  of  choice 
paintings  of  his  own  selection,  by  the  most  celebrated 


ORSON  DESS.\IX  MUNN. 


later,  and  he  returned  to  his  native  place,  to  work  as  sales- 
man and  bookkeeper  in  a  general  country  store.  Here  he 
remained  three  years.  Hut  by  this  time  the  field  in  which 
he  had  started  seemed  (juite  too  limited  to  satisfy  his  enter- 
prising and  energetic  disposition,  and,  when  he  was  just 
twenty-one  years  of  age,  like  a  good  many  New  England 
boys,  he  determined  to  remove  to  New  York  City,  to  find 
larger  scope  for  his  ambition.  His  old  friend  and  school- 
mate suggested  their  joint  jjurchase  of  the  Scientific 
American,  a  paper  founded  by  Rufus  Porter,  which  had 
then  been  in  existence  about  a  )ear,  and  had  a  circulation 
of  only  300  copies  a  week.  'I'he  idea  i)roved  accejjtable, 
and  accordingly,  in  1847,  the  firm  of  Munn  iS:  Co.,  came 
into  existence.  The  paper  was  unicpie  in  its  character,  there 
being  no  other  pul)licalion  of  its  kind,  and  it  soon  became 
an  authority  and  ])ower,  not  only  in  .Xnierica,  but  through- 
out the  world.    'I'he  esjiecial  field  which  had  been  marked 


modern  artists.  He  has  resided  in  the  same  house  in  this 
city  for  thirty-seven  years,  and  for  more  than  twenty  years 
has  possessed  a  handsome  summer  residence  in  Llewellyn 
Park,  on  Orange  Mountain,  New  Jersey.  Mr.  Munn  takes 
a  great  interest  in  his  country  ])lace  and  has  expended  large 
sums  in  beautifying  it  with  rustic  bridges,  summer  houses,  a 
conservatory,  and  in  the  rear  of  his  residence,  up  the  side  of 
the  mountain,  he  has  had  constructed  nine  terraces,  one  rising 
above  another,  with  a  broad,  rustic  stairway,  leading  to  an 
ornamental  summer  house  located  just  under  the  to|)  of  the 
mountain  ridge.  On  Orange  Moimtain,  a  short  distance 
from  Llewellyn  Park,  Mr.  Munn  has  a  well  stocked  farm  of 
160  acres.  It  is  no  wonder  that  Mr.  Munn  should  now 
remember  those  early  days  with  no  small  degree  of  grati- 
fication, and  what  i.-^  very  surprising  and  affords  him  the 
most  gratification  is  that  the  two  boys  who  commenced  the 
publication  of  the  Scientific  American  forty-seven  years  ago 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS.  163 


under  the  firm  name  of  Munn  Co.  rontinue  the  same 
relationshij),  and  both  may  be  found  at  their  desks  daily,  at 
361  F>road\vay,  attending  to  the  routine  of  office  duties, 
substantially  as  tliey  did  almost  half  a  century  ago. 

CHARLES    MATTHIAS  CLANCY. 

Charles  Matthias  Clancy, one  of  New  York's  most  pnj)ular 
judges,  was  born  in  the  County  of  Sligo,  Ireland,  on  March 
24,  1841,  and  as  a  very  young  emigrant  came  to  this  country 
in  June  of  the  same  year,  thus  missing  being  a  native  born 
by  a  few  months.  He  was  educated  in  the  jjublic  schools 
until  eleven  years  of  age  and  then  attended  the  French 
school  on  Canal  Street,  which  afterwards  became  the  now 
celebrated  Manhattan  College,  and  from  which  he  gradu- 
ated in  1855  by  passing  through  all  the  grades  then  exist- 
ing. After  leaving  college  he  went  into  the  Custom  House 
as  a  broker's  clerk,  and  then  with  J.  M.  Ceballos,  the 
sugar  importer.  He  began  the  study  of  law  in  1859,  receiv- 
ing private  instructions,  but  returned  to  the  Custom  House 
as  a  broker  on  his  own  account  till  1866,  when  he  was  ap- 
pointed Superintendent  of  Incumbrances  for  the  City  of 
New  York.  All  this  time,  because  of  his  honorable  busi- 
ness methods  and  his  attractive  personality,  Mr.  Clancy 
was  gaining  hosts  of  friends,  and  hence  no  one  was  sur- 
prised when  in  1872  he  was  elected  to  the  Board  of  Assist- 
ant Aldermen.  In  1874  Judge  Kivelen  died  and  Mr.  M. 
B.  Field  was  appointed  to  fill  the  unexpired  term  as  Judge 
of  the  Second  District  Civil  Court.  In  the  fall  of  the  same 
year  Mr.  Clancy  offered  himself  for  election  and  defeated 
Dennis  Burns  by  a  large  majority.  He  has  held  the  jilace  ever 
since.having  been  re-elected  in  1875,  1881  and  1887, each  time 
for  the  full  term  of  six  years.  These  re-elections  attest  his 
popularity  in  the  district,  as  well  as  the  fact  that  in  his 
capacity  of  Civil  Justice  he  has  given  entire  satisfaction. 
Indeed,  there  is  no  more  upright,  able  and  conscientious 
judge  on  the  New  York  bench,  as  his  colleagues  and  the 
members  of  the  bar,  as  well  as  the  people,  are  ready  to  bear 
witness.  Judge  Clancy  has  been  a  School  Trustee  for  many 
years  in  the  Fourteenth  Ward.  He  was  appointed  term 
after  term,  and  only  resigned  when  his  other  heavy  duties — 
especially  his  law  practice — intrrfered  with  what  he  con- 
sidered a  proper  discharge  of  those  connected  with  his 
trusteeship.  His  resignation  was  accepted  with  extreme 
reluctance  by  those  who  knew  how  zealous  and  efficient  he 
had  been  in  the  office.  The  achievement  during  his  con- 
nection with  the  schools  Judge  Clancy  has  most  reason  to 
be  proud  is  the  consolidation  of  the  four  Holbrooke 
libraries  into  one,  which  is  the  admiration  of  the  city.  In 
May,  189T,  while  several  members  of  Judge  Clancy's  family 
were  ill  he  attended  the  funeral  of  the  late  Judge  Peter 
Mitchell  and  contracted  a  heavy  cold.  On  returning  home 
he  was  stricken  with  paralysis  and  at  one  time  it  was 
thought  he  would  die.  His  naturally  strong  constitution 
pulled  him  through,  however,  and  he  will  live  many  years 
to  render  himself  useful  to  his  fellow  citizens  Mr. 
Clancy  is  a  married  man  and  the  father  of  nine  children, 
only  two  living,  a  son  and  a  daughter.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  famous  VVawayanda  Club,  and  has  always  been  con- 
nected with  Tammany  Hall,  of  which  he  is  one  of  the 
Sachems. 

EMANUEL  M.  FRIEND, 

Few  men  at  the  New  York  bar  are  better  or  more  widely 
known  than  Emanuel  M.  Friend,  who  occupies  an  inter- 
esting ])osition  in  the  courts  of  civil  and  criminal  jurispru- 
dence of  the  Metropolis.  Mr.  Friend  is  a  New  Yorker  by 
birth,  and  is  38  years  old,  is  of  Hebrew  origin,  and  comes  of 
a  distinguished  line  of  ancestry.  His  i)rogenitors  were 
learned  exponents  of  the  Talmud  and  the  future  lawyer  was 
destined  to  be  a  theologian,  but  had  no  predilection  of  this 


character,  and  at  an  early  age  began  the  study  of  law  His 
earliest  training  was  received  from  his  father,  who  is  pro- 
ficient in  the  languages  of  Europe,  after  which  he  was 
sent  to  the  j)ublic  schools,  where  he  distinguished  himself 
and  gave  evidence  of  the  acumen  which  now  character- 
izes him  in  his  profession.  After  his  graduation  from 
the  ])ublic  schools  he  travelled  abroad,  and  on  his  return 
entered  the  law  office  of  Delano  C.  Calvin,  who  was  subse- 
quently Surrogate.  Young  Friend  delved  into  the  subtle 
pages  of  Hlackstone,  Parsons,  Creenleaf  and  Washburn,  and 
availed  himself  of  every  opportunity  for  improvement  He 
displayed  singular  aptitude  as  a  student  of  the  law,  and 
while  yet  a  mere  lad  in  his  preceptor's  office  was  considered 
an  authority  on  the  Codes.  At  the  age  of  nineteen  he 
entered  the  Law  Department  of  the  University  of  the  City 
of  New  York,  and  graduated  two  years  afterwards.  He  was 
admitted  to  practice  immediately  after  he  finished  his  course 
at  the  university.  It  is  said  that,  unlike  many  young  attor- 
neys, Mr.  Friend  never  wanted  for  clients.    He  had  clients 


EMANUEL   M.  FRIEND. 


from  the  day  of  his  admission  to  the  bar.  and  they  continued 
to  increase  until  he  found  that  he  required  a  partner.  About 
this  time,  Frederick  B.  House  was  a  distinguished  young 
member  of  the  New  York  Legislature.  Mr.  Friend  was 
brought  in  contact  with  the  young  legislator  a  good  deal,  and 
the  result  was  the  formation  of  the  firm  of  Friend  &  House. 
Success  followed  the  new  firm  from  the  start.  They  have 
appeared  in  a  great  number  of  important  cases,  and  not 
infrequently  their  services  are  in  demand  in  varous  parts  of 
the  State.  One  of  the  firm's  cases  was  the  defence  of  Ameer 
Ben  Ali,  America's  famous  "  Jack,  the  Ripper,"  which  was 
an  arduous  one  indeed,  and  stamped  Friend  &  House  as 
masters  of  the  criminal  law.  Later  they  were  engaged  in 
the  celebrated  Sliney  case,  which  was  also  a  trial  involving 
many  legal  complexities.  Mr.  Friend  is  a  keen  lawyer.  He 
is  a  man  of  many  exi)edients,  and  his  skill  in  conducting  a 
cause  is  consummate.  He  is  ]iopular  with  the  judges  and  no 
man  more  fully  enjoys  the  confidence  of  the  bench.    He  is 


164 


A^EIV  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


also  a  political  mentor  and  his  affiliations  arc  with  the 
Democratic  i^arty.  He  is  a  potent  factor  in  the  councils  of 
the  Six  h  Assembly  1  )istrict,  and  it  is  said  that  his  i)arty  will 
reward  him  with  a  justiceship.  He  is  a  bountiful  citizen, 
belongs  to  scores  of  charitable  organizations,  is  a  prominent 
Mason,  a  pillar  in  the  order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  a  staunch 
Knight  of  Pythias.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Pavonia 
Yacht  Club,  the  Jefferson  Club  and  an  alumnus  of  the 
University  of  the  city  of  New  York  Mr.  Friend  is  married 
and  is  the  father  of  an  interesting  family. 


GEORGE  CROUCH. 
The  father  of  the  trunk  industry  in  Xew  York  is  (leorge 
Crouch,  and  the  factory  on  Forty-first  Street  with  the  three 
retail  stores,  doing  business  under  the  firm  name  of  Crouch 
Fitzgerald,  have  arisen  from  the  modest  beginning  he 
made  53  years  ago.  Mr.  Crouch  was  born  in  P^ngland  in 
1818,  and  came  to  New  York  in  1834.  After  workingat  his 
craft  as  a  harness  and  trunk  manufacturer  for  five  years,  he 
started  in  business  for  himself,  and  began  by  employing  two 
or  three  hands.  He  employs  200  now.  This  was  in  1839, 
at  which  time  the  demancl  for  trunks  was  very  small.  In  the 
following  year  he  opened  a  branch  store  at  No.  i  Maiden 
Lane,  which  was  so  far  uptown  that  ])eo])le  laughed  at  him. 


But  the  young  Englishman  had  faith  in  New  York's  future. 
The  old  hair  trunk  was  then  in  vogue,  but  Mr.  Crouch 
made  an  innovation  and  began  manufacturing  from  wood 
with  leather  fixtures.  The  idea  was  to  suit  travelers,  drum- 
mers esi)ecially,  and  in  this  he  succeeded  admirably,  making 
his  goods  ])ortable,  light  and  at  the  same  time  capable  of 
resisting  the  assaults  of  the  baggage  fiends.  He  is  a  great 
inventor,  and  holds  (piitc  a  large  number  of  ])atents,  many 
of  which  have  been  stolen  from  him.  It  was  he  who  in- 
vented the  shawl  straj)  and  other  aids  to  traveling  with 
comfort  too  numerous  for  mention  here.  His  "sample" 
trunk  also  shows  inventive  genius  of  a  high  order,  so  does 
the  stru(  k  up  corner  cap  of  one  piece  of  solid  leather.  In 


1842  he  took  Mr.  I'  itzgerald  into  partnershi]).  and  they  acted 
harmnniously  together  until  1879,  when  the  latter  died.  It 
was  Mr.  Fitzgerald  who  gave  the  name  "Saratoga"  to  one 
of  Mr.  Crouch's  most  famous  inventions.  Another  invention 
Mr.  Crouch  takes  much  pride  in  is  the  ingenious  receptacle  ^ 
in  the  trunk  for  a  lady's  hat.  Mr.  Crouch's  name  is  known 
all  over  the  world  and  his  products  are  considered  the  best 
of  their  kind.  His  retail  stores  are  managed  by  his  partners, 
W.  S.  (iilmore  and  his  two  sons,  E.  W.  and  J.  ().  Crouch, 
, resjjectively,  while  he  himself  sujjerintends  the  factory.  Mr. 
Crouch,  although  arrived  at  a  fine  old  age,  is  still  physically 
strong  and  active,  and  as  intellectually  i)right  as  ever.  In 
1842  he  married  Miss  Harriet  E.  Merrall,  sister  to  William 
Y..  Merrall,  of  Acker,  Merrall  &  Condit. 


GEORGE  M.  DILLOW,  M.D. 

George  M.  Dillow,  A.M.,  M.D.,  was  born  August  27th, 
1847,  and  is  the  son  of  the  late  Joseph  A.  Dillow,  of  Clinton, 
N.  Y.  He  prepared  for  college  at  ihe  Clinton  Liberal 
Institute,  and  entered  Hamilton  College  in  1 862,  from  which 
he  received  his  degree  of  A.H.,  accompanied  by  the  first 
Underwood  prize  in  analytical  chemistry,  in  1868.  It  was 
this  college  that  made  him  an  A.M.  During  the  years  1868 
to  1870,  he  taught  the  classics  and  na'ural  sciences.  In 
1875  he  was  made  an  M.D.  by  the  College  of  Physicians 
and  Surgeons  of  this  city,  and  one  year  later  he  served  as 
Resident  Physician  at  the  Hahnem  ann  Hospital.  He  was 
ajjpointed  Professor  of  Chemistry  and  Toxi(  ology  in  the 
New  York  Medical  College  and  Hos])ital  for  Women,  and 
was  for  a  period  of  five  years  Secretary  of  the  Faculty,  in 
1880  he  was  appointed  Assistant  Surgeon,  and  in  1886 
Surgeon  to  the  Throat  Department  of  the  New  York 
Ophthalmic  Hos|)ital.  For  several  years  Dr.  Dillow  was  one 
of  the  attending  staff  at  the  Hahnemann  Hospital.  In  1884 
he  was  appointed  Professor  in  the  New  York  Homoeopathic 
Medical  College,  Department  of  Diseases  of  the  Kidney. 
It  was  mainly  through  the  direction  of  Dr.  Dillow,  who  was 
called  upon  to  reorganize  Nort/i  American  Joiiiiialof 
Homa'opatliy  \x\  1885,  as  editor  in  chief,  that  that  publica- 
tion has  gained  the  weight,  standing  and  influence  which  it 
exerts  in  the  interest  of  homojoijathy  in  the  medical  world 
to-day.  He  is  a  member  of  the  County  Society,  of  which  he 
w\as  Vice-President  in  1882-3,  '^"^  President  in  1884.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  American  Institute  of  Homoeo])athy,  and 
Honorary  Member  of  the  Connecticut  Homoeo])athic  Society. 
In  1890  he  was  elected  President  of  the  New  York  State 
Homoeopathic  Medical  Society,  and  was  largely  instrumental 
in  the  passage  of  the  law  creating  .State  Boards  of  Examiners 
in  Metlicine.  He  has  written  a  number  of  pa])ers  of  value  to 
the  profession,  the  most  imjjortant  of  which  are  :  "A  study 
of  Glycosuria  and  Diabetes  Mellitus  as  interpreted  by 
Experimental  Physiology;"  "  On  the  Diagnosis  of  the  Primniy 
Causes  of  Glycosuria;"  "  The  llrinary  Indications  of  Ne- 
phritis;" "The  Relative  Values  of  Tests  for  Albumen,"  etc. 


JOHN  M.  CORNELL. 

John  M.  Cornell,  the  iron  builder  and  manufacturer, 
was  born  in  New  York  City,  .August  27,  1846.  He  was  ed- 
ucated in  the  New  York  private  schools  until  he  was  fifteen 
years  of  age,  when  he  commenced  to  learn  his  trade  in  his 
father's  iron  works.  So  attentive  and  efficient  was  he  that 
his  father  made  him  a  foreman  at  seventeen,  and  admitted 
him  into  ])artnership  at  twenty-one,  the  firm  name  becoming 
J.  1).  J.  M.  Cornell,  which  for  many  years  has  had  a 
world  wide  rei)utation  Since  the  death  of  his  father  Mr. 
Cornell  has  conducted  the  vast  business  by  himself,  but  re- 
tained the  old  style,  and  in  order  to  get  everything  under 
his  own  per.sonal  sii])ervision,  has  recently  removed  from 
Centre  street  to  the  new  firejiroof  otiit  e  building  adjoining 


NEW  YORK,  rilE  METROPOLIS. 


the  works  in  'I'wcnty-sixth  street.  He  has  made  a  dre]) 
study  of  the  sul)ject  of  iron  and  steel  construction,  whicli 
nowadays  forms  the  basis  of  most  of  our  high  buildings, 
and  has  arrived  at  a  degree  of  perfection  which  seems  im- 
possible to  improve  upon.  He  has  been  famous,  also,  as  a 
rapid  builder,  always  being  far  in  advance  of  the  mason  ;  so 
far  ahead  often  that  the  building  looks  like  a  great  iron 
cage  for  a  considerable  time.  The  new  building  for  the  1)., 
L.  &  W.  R.  R.  excited  the  wonder  and  admiration  of  all  who 
passed  it,  so  rapidly  was  it  erected.  Mr.  Cornell  doing  the 
iron  work  in  the  short  space  of  five  weeks — the  quickest 
construction  yet  attained.  The  great  "  World  "  building, 
the  Times  building,  the  Union  Trust,  the  Famous  Loan  and 
Trust,  the  Bank  of  America,  the  Havemeyer  building.  Wal- 
dorf Hotel,  the  New  Netherlands  Hotel,  the  Mutual  Life, 
the  New  York  Life  and  Ecjuitable  hisurance  buildings,  are 
all  sami)les  of  perfect  and  yet  very  rapid  iron  construction 
work,  superintended  personally  by  Mr.  John  M.  Cornell. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Building  Trades  Club,  but  outside 
of  that  he  is  a  builder  and  manufacturer  of  iron.  He  is  a 
genial  gentleman,  a  steadfast  friend,  a  strict  disciplinarian, 
but  a  respected  and  honored  employer  of  men. 


WARREN  A.  CONOVER. 

Warren  A.  Conover  was  liorn  in  New  York  City,  in  April, 
1848.  He  was  educated  in  New  York  private  schools  and 
graduated  at  Mount  Washington  Collegiate  Institute  in 
1862.  He  learned  the  trade  of  a  mason  in  1866,  went  into 
building  operations  as  superintendent  for  his  father,  the 
well-known  John  'J".  Conover,  with  whom  he  remained  until 
the  latter's  death  in  1879,  and  then  continued  the  business 
as  his  father's  succ  ssor.  In  1880  his  brother,  Frank  E. 
Conover,  was  admitted  into  partnership,  and  the  firm  have 
been  known  since  then  as  W.  A.  <!v:  F.  E.  Conover.  Mr. 
Conover  has  been  personally  identified  with  many  of  New 
York's  prominent  buildings  as  sujjerintendent  for  the  elder 
Conover  and  as  builder  for  himself  since  1879,  the  work 
being  of  a  general  character,  comprising  {)alatial  hotels, 
substantial  business  and  ofifice  buildings,  and  fine  resi- 
dences. Among  the  most  prominent  structures  erected 
under  his  su])ervision  may  be  mentioned  the  Masonic 
Temple,  Sixth  Avenue  and  Twenty-third  Street  ;  the  con- 
version of  Booth's  Theatre  on  the  opposite  corner  to 
stores  ;  the  whole  block  of  stores  in  Broadway  between 
Eighteenth  and  Nineteenth  Streets  ;  the  Domestic  Build- 
ing, Broadway  and  Union  Square  ;  the  original  part  of 
the  New  York  Life  building;  the  Oriental  Hotel;  the 
"  Mystic  "  and  "  St.  John  "  apartment  houses;  the  Alpine 
building,  Broadway  and  Twenty-third  Street  ;  the  Postal 
Telegraph  building,  Broadway  and  Murray  Street,  and  the 
Hotel  Brunswick.  The  last  named  was  the  (piickest  built 
structure  ever  raised  in  New  York.  Mr.  C.  Conover  com- 
menced it  August  ist,  and  on  the  24th  of  December  follow- 
ing people  slejjt  in  the  top  story  of  this  solid  eight  story 
hotel.  Mr.  Conover  has  always  been  a  leading  spirit  among 
builders.  He  was  one  of  the  original  founders  of  the  mason 
builders'  association  and  was  three  times  e'ected  delegate 
to  the  National  Association.  He  was  prominent  in  the  effort 
to  secure  arbitration  for  all  differences  in  the  trade,  and 
the  present  satisfactory  relations  existing  between  employer 
and  emjjloye  is  largely  due  to  his  hearty  co-operation 
with  others  in  the  movement  to  secure  such  results.  He 
has  also  been  an  active  member  of  the  Mechanics'  and 
Traders'  Exchange  for  a  number  of  years,  serving  several 
years  in  the  Board  of  Managers  and  twice  as  president  of 
the  Exchange.  He  is  a  member  of  the  board  of  manage- 
ment of  the  Building  Trades  Club,  one  of  the  Board  of 
Examiners  of  the  Jiuilding  Department,  trustee  of  the 
Broadway  Savings  Bank,  and  an  ex-director  of  the  Forty- 
second  Street  Cross-town  Railroad  Company. 


BYRON    G.    CLARK,  M.D. 

One  of  Harlem's  most  popular  jjhysicians  is  Dr.  Byron 
(1.  ('lark,  who,  originally  of  the  Alloi)athic  School  of 
medicine,  was  convened  to  liouKcopathy  by  a  careful 
study  of  its  tenets  and  an  api)reciation  of  the  progressive 
si)irit  of  the  age.  He  has  built  up  a  splendid  practice  in 
the  Harlem  District,  his  clientele  being  among  the  most 
respectable  families. 

Dr.  Clark  was  born  in  Charlestown,  N.  H.,  February 
15,  1S47.  His  father,  .Aaron  Clark,  who  is  still  living 
( 1 892 ),  was  a  farmer.  The  younger  Clark  was  educated  in 
the  district  school,  but  while  still  in  his  minority  he  was 
placed  in  a  banking  house  in  New  York  City  with  the  view 
to  starting  him  in  a  commercial  career.  It  was  while  in  the 
bank  that  he  conceived  the  idea  of  becoming  a  physician. 
He  studied  after  office  hours  and  ])repared  himself  for  a 
preparatory  College  Course  under  great  difficulties. 

After  a  sjjecial  course  of  lectures  of  the  Long  Island 
College  Hospital  he  graduated  from  Dartmouth  Medical 


BYRON    G.  CI-ARK. 

College  in  1877,  and  located  in  Windsor,  Vermont,  return- 
ing to  New  York  for  a  Post-Graduate  Course  in  Materia 
Medica  at  the  New  York  Homoeopathic  Medical  College. 
He  was  the  first  physician  to  practise  homoeopathy  in 
Windsor,  Vt.,  and  built  up  a  large  practice.  The  long 
rides  necessary  to  do  his  work  were  so  fatiguing  that  when 
he  saw  what  seemed  to  be  a  good  opportunity  to  go  to  New 
York  he  looked  about  for  a  good  man  to  succeed  him  and 
located  in  Harlem  in  1882.  One  of  the  older  residents  of 
\Vindsor  remarked  that  "  Dr.  Clark  was  the  first  man  to 
leave  town  because  of  more  work  than  he  could  do."  One 
of  the  causes  which  has  contributed  to  his  success  is  that 
nearly  every  year  since  he  began  practising  he  has  taken  a 
special  Post-Graduate  Course  in  some  leading  specialty, 
such  as  Ophthalmology  or  Surgical  Diseases  of  Women. 

He  is  a  prominent  member  of  the  American  Institute  of 
HomoeojuUhy,  the  Homcropnthic  State  and  County  Societies, 
Carroll  Dunham  Medical  Club,  an  honorary  member  of  the 
Ycrniont  State  Society  and  Visiting  Physician  to  the  Hahne- 


166 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


mann  Hospital,  New  York.  He  has  just  resigned  his 
position  as  visiting  physician  to  the  Laura  Franklin  Free 
Hospital  for  Children,  owing  to  his  largely  increasing 
practice.  Dr.  Clark  married  Miss  Elida,  daughter  of  the 
late  Samuel  Peck,  of  23  West  35th  Street,  New  York.  They 
have  three  children. 

JAMES  D  FOOT, 

President  of  the  File  Manufacturing  Company  of  Kear- 
ney &  Foot  (Inc.),  was  born  in  Massachusetts.  He  received 
an  elementary  education  in  a  renowned  academy  of  the 
time,  and  was  trained  in  a  preparatory  way  with  a  view  to 
a  college  course.  Before  entering  it,  however,  his  father 
stipulated  tha-  a  university  education  implied  a  professional 
career,  and  young  Foot,  preferring  a  mercantile  life  with 
its  possibilities,  decided  that  under  such  a  condition  he 
would  not  enter  college.  He  was,  therefore,  thoroughly 
educated  in  a  business  way  in  one  of  the  best  hardware 


JAMKS  D.  FOOT. 


houses  in  Massachusetts.  After  three  years  he  went  to 
London,  ]">ngland,  with  the  view  of  entering  business  there, 
but  returned  to  America  within  a  year  with  an  agency  for  a 
French  fde  company  (1X73).  The  fde  industry  of  Kearney 
&  Foot,  now  so  far  reaching  and  so  important,  began  like 
many  others  of  a  similar  nature  in  a  comparatively  modest 
way. 

It  was  established  in  1870  by  Weiman  &  Kearney, 
in  Paterson,  N.  J.,  and  seven  years  later  Mr.  James 
1).  Foot,  recognizing  the  superiority  of  the  firm's  products, 
arranged  to  disi)ose  of  them  as  agent.  This  he  continued 
to  do  with  advantage  until  1881,  when  he  ])urchased  Mr. 
Wciman's  interest,  tlie  firm  became  Kearney  iV  Foot,  and  .so 
remained  until  1887,  when  it  was  incor])()rated  with  James 
I).  Foot  as  President,  James  Kearney,  Vice-President,  and 
Sandford  \).  Foot  as  Secretary.  He  has  ever  since  resided 
in  New  York.  He  is  member  of  the  New  York  Athletic 
Club  and  is  veteran  member  of  the  Seventh  Regiment. 


JAMES  KEARNEY. 

James  Kearney,  Vice-President  of  the  File  Manufacturing 
Company  of  Kearney  &  Foot  (Inc.),  is  essentially  a  self-made 
man,  skillful,  practical,  second  to  none  in  the  knowledge  of 
his  business.  He  began  learning  the  trade  of  file  making 
by  hand  as  early  as  1844,  and  started  in  business  fur  him- 
self in  a  small  way  in  1857  over  in  Newark,  N.  J.  By 
sheer  energy,  integrity  and  force  of  character  he  has  worked 
himself  up  to  his  present  position.  He  lives  in  Paterson, 
N.  J.,  and  has  charge  of  the  works  there. 

The  original  factory,  started  by  Weiman  tS:  Kearney, 
turned  out  splendid  work,  but  until  Mr.  Foot  found 
buyers  their  products  were  limited.  Mr.  Foot  at  this  time 
was  agent  for  a  French  firm,  as  before  stated,  which  sold 
largely  in  the  American  markets,  but  seeing  the  policy  of  pro- 
tection developing  itself,  and  being  a  shrewd  observer  and 
keen  business  man,  he  realized  that  the  day  had  come  when 
the  native  file  was  to  replace  the  foreign  article  in  this  country. 
Hence,  although  at  the  time  he  had  a  stock  of  the  French  files 


JAMES  KKARNliV. 

worth  $50,000  on  hand,  with  offices  in  New  York,  he  had  no 
hesitation  in  accepting  the  new  order  of  things.  He  knew, 
besides,  that  ihe  Weiman  &  Kearney  files,  because  of  their 
excellence — they  were  the  best  made  in  the  United  States — 
had  a  fortune  before  them  with  judicious  management. 
When  Mr.  Foot  took  the  agency,  the  business  was  limited, 
but  it  kej)t  on  increasing  until,  when  he  became  Mr.  Kear- 
ney's partner,  the  firm  emjjloyed  seventy  hands  and  turned 
out  300  dozen  files  a  day. 

After  forming  the  ])artnership  a  new  imi)etus  was  given 
the  business  by  additional  capital  and  imi)roved  machinery, 
until  in  1887,  when  the  act  of  incor])oration  was  obtained, 
the  output  per  day  rose  to  500  dozen.  More  extensive 
works  were  also  found  necessary  as  the  business  progressed. 
The  i)remises  were  enlarged  until  they  now  cover  twenty- 
four  city  lots,  300  skilled  hands  are  emi)loyed,  the  output 
has  reached  1,500  dozen  a  day,  and  the  files  of  the  firm 
find  their  way  into  every  market  in  the  world.    They  are 


1.67. 


universally  conceded  to  be  the  best  and  have  that  reinitation 
everywhere.  Sandtord  I).  Foot,  the  Secretary,  was  graduated 
from  Amherst  Agricultural  College,  and  has  been  connected 
with  the  company  during  the  past  eight  years.  He  has  taken 
an  active  part  in  the  development  of  the  concern,  not  only 
in  rendering  faithful  and  valuable  services  on  the  premises, 
but  in  pushing  its  interests  through  the  country  as  traveling 
salesman. 


BRUCE  PRICE. 

Mr.  Bruce  Price,  one  of  the  best  known  of  New  York 
architects,  was  born  in  Cumberland,  Maryland,  December 
12,  1845.  He  is  the  son  of  William  Price,  the  distinguished 
lawyer  of  Maryland,  and  on  his  mother's  side  is  a  de- 
scendant of  the  Bruce  family  of  Scotland,  who,  after  having 
warmly  espoused  the  cause  of  "  The  Pretender,"  came  to 
America  in  1745.  It  was  his  good  fortune  to  become  the 
sole  student  of  Niernsee&  Neilson,  celebrated  architects  of 
Baltimore.  Mr.  Niernsee  had  been  a  student  of  both 
Klenzie  and  Schingle,  and  had  "  footed  it  "  for  three  years 
all  over  Europe,  while  Mr.  Neilson  had  passed  all  his  early 
ytrars  in  Belgium,  France  and  Italy.  Both  had  been  suc- 
cessful engineers  before  beginning  the  practice  of  archi- 
tecture, and  both  were  thoroughly  up  in  the  kindred  arts. 
Mr.  Price  was  a  careful  observer  and  attentive  listener  and 
a  close  student  of  these  gentlemen  for  about  four  years,  and 
then  travelled  abroad  himself.  He  commenced  practice  on 
his  own  account  in  Baltimore  with  Mr.  Baldwin  ;  removed  to 
Wilkesbarre,  Pa.,  in  1873,  and  was  in  practice  there  four 
years.  In  1877  he  came  to  New  York.  His  first  notable 
work  was  the  immense  hotel  at  Long  Beach,  which  was 
esteemed  an  architectural  marvel  of  what  could  be  done  for 
the  summer  accommodation  of  large  numbers  of  people. 
More  recently  he  has  been  the  architect  of  the  various 
buildings  at  Tuxedo  Park,  N.  Y.,  the  "Gates  of  Tuxedo," 
which  is  considered  by  able  critics  to  be  absolutely  perfect 
and  an  enduring  monument  to  his  natural  genius  and 
artistic  ability.  Mr.  Price  is  the  designer  of  some  of  the 
handsomest  parlor  cars  in  the  country,  and  the  elegant 
steamer  "  New  Brunswick  "  is  also  his  work.  He  has  also 
done  considerable  railroad  work,  notably  the  Grand  Terminal 
building  of  the  C.  P.  R.  R.,  at  Montreal,  Canada.  Several 
buildings  of  Yale  are  from  his  plans.  Mr.  Price  was 
married  in  Wilkesbarre  to  Miss  Josephine  Lee,  daughter  of 
one  of  the  original  "  coal  barons,"  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
resides  in  New  York. 


WM.   H,    KRAUSE,  M.D. 

Wm.  H.  Krause,  M.D.,  is  one  of  those  foreign  born 
practitioners,  who,  in  this  city,  are  able  to  compete  suc- 
cessfully in  popularity  with  Gothamites  who  are  to  the  manor 
born.  He  was  born  on  June  19,  1841,  in  Rhine,  Westpha- 
lia, Germany,  and  went  thiough  his  scholastic  training  in 
Miinster  and  Berlin.  As  assistant  surgeon  he  served  his 
country  in  the  Danish  war  of  1864,  and  again  in  the  Austro- 
Prussian  campaign  of  1866.  In  1871  he  entered  the  New 
York  Homoeopathic  College  and  Hospital  and  graduated  in 
1873,  after  which  he  was  appointed  attending  physician  to 
the  Bond  Street  Dispensary.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Homoeopathic  Medical  Society  of  the  County  of  New- 
York,  the  American  Institute  of  Homoeopathy  and  the 
Alumni  Association  of  the  New  York  Homoeopathic  College. 

PERCIVAL  FARQUHAR. 

Hon.  Percival  Faniuhar  was  born  in  York,  Pa.,  and 
received  his  early  education  at  the  York  Collegiate  Insti- 
tute, from  which  he  went  to  Yale  College  and  graduated 
therefrom  in  the  class  of  1884,  receiving  the  degree  of  Ph.B. 
He  then  attended  the  Columbia  Law   School,  and  was 


admitted  to  the  bar  in  May,  1886.  He  was  made  the 
President  of  the  Columbus  and  Hocking  Coal  and  Iron 
Co  ,in  May,  1887,  and  held  that  position  for  one  year,  when 
he  resigned  and  entered  actively  into  i)olitics,  under  the 
advice  of  the  Hon.  Calvin  S.  Brice,  General  Thomas,  and 
others  with  whom  he  had  been  associated  in  the  coal  com- 
])any.  He  joined  the  Seventh  Regiment,  N.  G.  S.  N.  Y., 
in  the  spring  of  1887,  as  a  member  of  Company  K,  from 
which  he  was  transferred  in  the  fall  of  1888  to  accept  a 
commission  in  the  Second  Battery  of  Artillery.  He  was 
soon  promoted  to  the  Second  Lieutenancy,  and  is  now  the 
First  Lieutenant  of  that  battery.  He  stood  for  the  Assem- 
bly in  the  fall  of  1889,  in  the  Third  District,  but  was 
defeated,  owing  to  a  combination  of  the  County  Democracy 
and  Republican  parties  against  him,  although  he  cut  down  the 
natural  majority  of  the  combined  forces  by  fully  1,000  votes. 
On  this  showing  of  strength  he  was  renominated  the  follow- 
ing year  and  was  elected  by  2,000  majority,  and  re  elected  in 
1891  and  1892  by  increased  vote.  In  the  session  of  1891 
he  earned  distinction  for  his  work  on  the  Committees  on 


PERCIVAL  FARyUHAK. 


Laws,  on  Banks,  on  Public  Institutions  and  also  on  the 
Special  Committee  of  Apportionment.  In  the  session  of 
1892  he  served  on  the  Committees  of  Ways  and  Means  and 
on  Banks,  and  was  Chairman  of  Military  Affairs.  He 
introduced  and  had  charge  of  important  legislation,  includ- 
ing the  New  York  City  Inspection  bill,  the  Personal 
Registration  bill,  Ballot  Reform  Amendments,  Codification 
of  Laws  relating  to  the  ballot.  Revision  of  the  Penal  Code, 
all  the  Military  legislation  and  other  bills.  Mr.  Far- 
quhar  is  one  of  the  members  of  the  Board  of  Managers  of 
A.  B.  Farquhar  Co.,  limited,  of  York,  Pa.,  the  well  known 
agricultural  manufacturers,  and  is  a  member  of  the  firm  of 
A.  B.  Fartpihar  &  Co.,  of  New  York.  He  is  the  son  of 
Arthur  B.  Farquhar,  of  York,  Pa.,  President  of  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Board  of  Managers  of  the  World's  Fair.  Mr.  Farquhai 
has  been  a  member  of  the  Tammany  Society  since  1888, 
and  is  a  member  of  Calumet,  Manhattan,  Tuxedo,  Lawyers' 
and  Driving  Clubs  and  of  the  Southern  Society. 


i68 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLJS. 


JOHN  DAVOL. 

John  Davol,  founder  of  tbe  great  Biooklyn  Brass  and 
Copper  Company,  was  born  in  Warren,  R.  I.,  on  Ajjril  8, 
i8i I,  and  died  on  June  30,  1878.  He  was  a  remarkable 
man  in  many  respects,  but  above  all  for  the  versatile  genius 
he  possessed  which  enabled  him,  after  thoroughly  mastering; 
the  details  of  one  branch  of  business,  to  leave  it  forever  and 
achieve  eminently  successful  results  in  another. 

After  receiving  a  common  school  education  Mr.  Davol 
entered  his  father's  drygoods  store  in  Warren,  wherein  he 
stayed  until  1842,  when  seeing  freer  scope  fur  his  abilities 
in  New  York  he  came  here,  and  with  a  Mr.  Post  started  the 
drygoods  house  of  Davol  <S:  Post  on  Hanover  Square,  which 
locality  had  not  yet  ceased  being  fashionable.  There  was  a 
change,  and  in  1848  the  firm  of  Marks  &  Davol,  chiefly 
dealing  in  fancy  drygoods,  was  established  at  52  Broad  Street. 


melled.  He  was  married  in  Warren,  R.  I.,  to  Miss  Laura 
Barton,  by  whom  he  had  eight  children,  four  of  whom, 
including  two  .sons,  survive.  Mr.  Davol  was  member  of  the 
Chamber  of  Commerce,  and  as  one  of  the  oldest  friends  and 
depositors  in  the  American  Exchange  Bank  is  still  affec- 
tionately remembered  by  its  old  staff,  one  of  whom,  Mr. 
(ieorge  S.  Coe,  now  President,  was  clerk  in  Mr.  Davol's 
time.  He  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son,  Mr.  William  H. 
Davol,  the  present  head  of  the  Company,  who  has  been 
practically  conduc  ing  the  business  since  1873,  and  has 
been  partner  in  the  concern  for  thirty  years.  He  is  the 
worthy  son  of  a  worthy  sire,  and  to  day,  save  that  in  his 
hands  the  business  has  developed  into  vastly  larger  propor- 
tions, employing  120  instead  of  the  original  40  hands,  he 
conducts  the  concern  on  the  same  honorable  principles  and 
enjoys  the  same  public  esteem  and  confidence.  Wm.  H.  Davol 


JOHN  DAVOL. 


The  first  experience  in  his  new  business  of  brass  manufac- 
turer was  when  he  became  agent  for  the  Wolcottville  Brass 
Company,  continued  until  1853,  at  which  time  he  erected  a 
mill  on  Pearl  and  Front  Streets,  Brooklyn,  on  the  site  of 
what  had  been  a  tin  factory.  This  building  was  ico  feet 
S(|uare,  but  the  increased  business  resulting  from  Mr.  Davol's 
extraordinary  energy  and  ability  necessitated  a  doubling  of 
the  mill's  capacity,  whi(  h  was  accomijlished  in  1S71.  \\'hen 
he  died  in  1878  the  cstal)lishment  had  taken  its  ])lace  among 
the  jirominent  successful  industries  of  the  ])eriod.  Mr. 
Davol  was  one  whom  nothing  could  daunt,  and  he  passed 
through  the  various  panics  and  crises  of  his  time  without  a 
stain  on  his  character.  He  was  a  man  of  sterling  integrity 
who  entertained  an  abhorrence  of  debt  in  any  sha])e.  Hence 
never  receiving  or  asking  aid  from  any  one,  what  he  had  was 
his  own,  and  he  was  always  commercially  free  and  untram- 


is  also  a  native  of  Warren,  R.  I.,  was  born  July  4,  1840,  and 
married  on  .\pril  20,  1864,  to  Miss  Jennie  Ikooker,  of  Litch- 
field, Conn.,  who  bore  him  seven  children,  five  of  whom  are 
living.  Although  Mr.  Davol  himself  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools,  he  so  far  ap])reciates  the  value  of  a  classic 
training  that  he  sent  his  eldest  son,  who  is  destined  to  suc- 
ceed him  in  business,  to  be  educated  in  Yale,  from  which 
institution  he  has  graduated.  Mr.  Davol,  though  connected 
with  various  trusts  and  organizations,  devotes  himself  almost 
exclusively  to  his  own  business,  ha\ing  very  little  time  to 
attend  to  anything  else.  When  first  started  the  concern  was 
stvlod  the  New  York  and  Brooklyn  Brass  Company,  but  on  its 
reorganization  in  1859  it  was  changed  to  the  Brooklyn  Ikass 
<!v:  Copper  Company.  The  headtjuarters  were  located  on  John 
Street,  this  city,  in  1856,  and  have  never  since  been  changed, 
while  as  for  the  manufacturing  establishment  the  location 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


169 


has  been  always  the  same.  So  has  the  title  of  the  house, 
with  the  exception  that  its  first  proprietor  was  John  Davol, 
then  John  Davol  <Jv:  Son,  and  continued  by  act  of  the  Lejiis- 
latureas  John  Davol  <&  Sons.  The  factory  is  a  model  of  its 
kind  and  is  magnificently  equipped  with  all  the  machinery 
and  appliances  that  skill  and  money  can  furnish.  Its  two 
large  engines  have  1,400  horse  power  cai)acity,  its  largest 
wheel  is  twenty  feet  in  diameter  and  weighs  60,000  pounds, 
and  the  sui)porting  pillars  of  the  building  are  three  feet 
square.  Notwithstanding  the  immense  wheels  and  tlie  ever 
rushing  machinery,  the  factory  is  so  enclosed  and  arrange- 
ments are  so  perfect  in  that  direction,  generally,  that  not 
the  Slightest  noise  can  be  heard  outside  the  building,  and  in 
fact  very  little  even  a  few  feet  from  the  engine  room.  The 
busmessofthe  house  is  confined  chiefly  to  the  United  States, 
but  then  its  products  are  taken  in  every  State  and  territory 
of  the  Union. 


H.  M.  DEARBORN,  M.D. 

Among  the  men  from  "  Down  East  "  who  have  made 
their  presence  felt  in  the  medical  world  and  forced  their 
way  to  the  front  through  merit  and  indomitable  perse- 
verance may  be  mentioned  Dr.  H.  M.  Dearborn.  Born  at 
Epsom,  New  Hampshire,  on  November  19,  1846,  he  was 
sent  at  an  early  age  to  Canaan  Academy,  and  later  to  the 
Classical  School  at  Pembroke,  New  Hamjjshire.  He  studied 
medicine  at  Harvard  Medical  College  and  Bowdoin  Medi- 
cal C  .liege,  graduating  from  the  latter  institution  in  1869. 
He  practised  in  New  Hampshire  for  three  years  and  in  1874 
removed  to  Boston,  where,  until  1880,  he  was  in  continuous 
practice.  In  the  last  year  he  came  to  New  York  and  has 
been  here  ever  since.  Dr.  Dearborn  has  occupied  and  still 
does  occu|)y  many  important  ])ositions  in  the  medical  world. 
For  the  past  ten  years  he  has  been  visiting  physician  to  the 
Ward's  Island  Homoeopathic  Hospital.  Since  1885  he  has 
been  Professor  of  Theory  and  Practice  of  Medicine  in  the 
New  York  Medical  College  and  Hospital  for  Women  ;  for 
the  past  two  years  Clinical  Professor  of  Dermatology  at  the 
same  institution  ;  attending  physician  to  the  Laura  Frank- 
lin Free  Hospital  for  Children  since  its  establishment  in 
1886,  and  consulting  physician  to  the  Women's  Hospital  fur 
the  past  si.x  years.  From  1885  until  1891  he  was  associate 
editor  of  the  North  American  Journal  of  Honuvopatl.y. 
He  is  a  member  and  ex-Pre.sident  of  the  Homoeopathic 
County  Medical  Society,  member  of  the  New  York  State 
Homoeopathic  Medical  Society,  member  of  the  American 
Institute  of  Homoeopathy,  member  of  the  American  Ob- 
stetrical Society,  the  Jahr  Club,  New  York  Medical  Club, 
honorary  member  of  the  New  Hampshire  Medical  Society, 
member  of  the  New  York  Materia  Medica  Society  and  the 
New  York  Ptedological  Society  (Homoeopathic).  He  is 
a  medical  examiner  for  the  Royal  Arcanum  and  for  the 
American  Legion  of  Honor,  and  also  lor  the  Northwestern 
Traveling  Men's  Association.  His  wife  is  a  daughter  (  f  the 
late  Edward  Henry  Smith,  of  London,  England,  who  hps 
borne  him  two  children,  a  son  and  a  daughter. 


EUGENE  GRIFFIN. 

Captain  Eugene  Griffin,  First  Yice-President  of  the 
General  Electric  Light  Company  of  New  York,  was  born 
in  Ellsworth,  Maine,  October  13,  1855.  In  187 1  he  was  ap- 
pointed to  the  United  States  Military  Academy,  from  which 
he  graduated  in  1875,  standing  third  in  his  class.  He  was 
commissioned  Second  Lieutenant  in  the  Engineer  Corps 
and  assigned  to  duty  at  Willett's  Point,  New  \oxV  Harbor, 
Engineer  School  of  Application.  While  on  duty  here  he 
was  transferred  to  the  command  of  one  of  the  ex])loring 
parties  of  the  Wheeler  survey  of  the  south  meridian,  cov- 
ering the  territory  of  Southern  Colorado,  New  Mexico,  East- 
ern Arizona  and  Northwestern  Texas.  He  received  his  com- 


mission as  First  Lieutenant  in  1879.  In  1880  lie  was 
detailed  in  charge  of  the  survey  of  Governor's,  Bed- 
loe's,  Ellis  and  Davis  islands  in  New  York  harbor. 
He  served  as  Adjutant  and  Quartermaster  of  the  Bat- 
talion of  Engineers  at  Willett's  Point  In  1883  I^ieu- 
tenant  Griffin  was  appointed  Assistant  Professor  of  Civil 
and  Military  Engineering  and  the  Art  of  War  at  the 
West  Point  Military  Academy,  which  i)Osition  he  re- 
signed in  1885  to  accept  an  appointment  on  the  staff  of 
Major  General  Winfield  S.  Hancock  as  Aide-de-Camp.  He 
also  served  as  Chief  Engineer  of  the  Military  Division  of 
the  Atlantic  and  Department  of  the  East.  After  the 
death  of  (jeneral  Hanc  ock  Lieutenant  Griffin  was  ordered  to 
Washington  as  Assistant  iMigineering  Commissioner  of  the 
District  of  Columbia.  In  1887  he  was  commissioned  Cap- 
tain in  the  Enginter  Corps,  and  in  1888  was  assigned  to 
temporary  duty  in  the  War  Department,  but  obtained 
leave  of  absence  to  engage  in  civil  business.  October  5, 
1889,  he  resigned  his  commission  in  the  army  and  entered 
into  the  serviceof  the  Thomson-Houston  Electric  Company 


EUGENE  GRIFFIN. 

of  Boston.  He  organized  the  Street  Railway  Department  of 
that  company,  and  developed  their  electric  railway  busi- 
ness, which  has  still  further  been  extended  and  per- 
fected by  the  General  Electric  Light  Company  until  it  has 
in  ojjeration  the  most  perfect  system  for  street  railway 
transportation.  In  1890  he  became  Vice-President  of  the 
Thomson-Houston  Company,  and  when  ihen  the  General 
Electric  Company  was  organized  in  1892,  for  the  purpose 
of  consolidating  the  Thomson-  Houston  and  the  Edison  Com- 
panies, Cap'ain  Griffin  was  elect  d  First  Vice-President 
and  Director  of  the  comjiany.  This  company  employs 
some  10,000  peo|)le.  among  whom  are  men  of  the  high- 
est skill  ;  many  of  them  experts  in  all  electrical  theories 
and  practice.  Captain  (iriffin  was  married  in  1879  to  Allie 
Russell  Hancock,  niece  and  adopted  daughter  of  General 
Hancock.  He  is  the  author  of  a  text-book  on  Military 
Photography,  now  used  at  Willett's  Point  Engineering 
vSchool  of  Application,  and  of  numerous  articles  on  "  Our 


1 70  NEIV  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


Sea  Coast  Defences."  He  is  a  member  of  the  American 
Society  of  Klectrical  Engineers  and  of  the  American 
Society  of  Mechanical  Kngmeers  ;  also  member  of  the  Coun- 
try, St.  Botolph,  Nahant  Athletic  and  Algonquin  Clubs  of 
Boston,  the  Metropolitan  and  Army  and  Navy  Clubs,  of 
Washington,  1 ).  C. 

WM.  C.  HICKS  AND  JAMES    M.  HICKS. 

It  is  not  often  that  two  brothers  achieve  success  and  fame 
in  the  same  field,  but  there  have  been  excei)tions,  among  them 
being  William  Cleveland  Hicks  and  James  Milner  Hicks, 
two  wt'll-known  engineers  of  this  city.  William  C.  Hicks, 
the  elder,  was  born  in  New  York,  on  July  29,  1829,  of  a 
good  family,  his  father  being  the  Reverend  Dr.  John 
A.  Hicks,  a  famous  Vermont  clergyman.  Mr.  Hicks 
graduated  with  high  honors  from  Trinity  College,  Hartford, 
Conn.,  in  1848.  He  developed  a  taste  for  mechanics  quite 
early  in  life  anti  in  the  intervals  of  his  college  studies 
invented  among  other  things  an  automatic  railway  switch 
which  proved  useful.  After  graduating,  in  order  to  gain  a 
practical  knowledge  of  mechanics  he  entered  the  locomo- 
tive works  in  Ballard  Vale,  Mass.,  as  an  apjjrentice, 
where  he  remained  until  appointed  engineer  on  the  Rutland 
Division  of  the  Rutland  and  Burlington  Railroad.  After 


trustees.  He  was  among  the  founders  of  the  Mechanical 
Engineers'  Association,  also  a  member  of  the  American  Asso- 
ciation for  the  Advancement  of  Science,  the  New  Jersey 
Historical  Society,  the  Laymen's  Association  of  the  Episco- 
l)al  Diocese  of  Newark,  and  from  1863  until  the  time  of  his  » 
death  a  delegate  from  the  parish,  at  Summit,  N.  J.,  to  the 
Diocesan  Convention.  He  was  also  senior  warden  during 
this  period  and  delegate  to  the  General  Convention  from  his 
diocese,  held  in  Philadelphia  in  1883.  In  fine,  Mr.  Hicks 
was  a  scientist,  a  good  Christian  and  a  public-spirited 
citizen.  James  Milner  Hicks,  the  younger  brother,  also  a 
distinguished  engineer,  was  born  in  Vermont  in  1834,  and 
graduating  with  honors  from  Trinity  College  in  1854 
became  assistant  to  William  C,  who  had  charge  of  Colonel 
Samuel  Colt's  South  Meadow  Improvements.  We  next  find 
him,  still  as  his  brother  s  assistant.  Engineer  of  Hartford, 
Conn.,  but  he  subsequently  accepted  a  position  with  Harrison 
Loring,  the  South  Boston  shi])buiider,  the  first  man  in  this 
country  to  construct  iron  steamships.  He  was  with  the 
Eadd  &  Webster  Sewing  Machine  Company,  of  Boston, 
and  also  for  two  years  or  so  with  the  Spencer  Repeating 
Rifle  Company,  of  Boston,  and  was  next  employed  to 
supervise  the  building  of  the  Ericsson  monitor  Mianto- 
nomah,  in  which  Captain  Fox  sailed  to  Russia.    The  Mian- 


JAMES    M.  HICKS. 

this  in  rapid  succession  he  held  the  position  of  foreman  and 
su])erintendent  of  the  Woodruff  &  Beach  Iron  Works,  in 
Hartford,  Conn.,  designer  and  draughtsman  in  Colonel  Colt's 
revolver  factory,  where  he  aided  in  making  the  parts 
of  a  pistol  interchangeable  ;  engineer  of  the  dyke  made 
by  Colonel  Colt  in  connection  with  his  factory,  and  the  first 
city  engineer  of  Hartford  ;  Superintendent  of  the  Volcanic 
repeating-arms  factory  in  New  Haven,  in  which  ca])acity  he 
invented  the  first  successful  extractor  for  metallic  shells  for 
guns  ever  made,  and  Superintendent  of  Ladd  &  Webster's 
Sewing  Machine  works,  in  Boston,  Mass.  During  the  years  in 
the  works  in  which  he  was  thus  engaged  he  took  out  many 
patents  for  inventions.  On  the  outbreak  of  the  war  he  was 
appointed  Sui)erintendent  of  the  Spencer  Re])eating  Rifle 
factory,  and  subsequently  of  the  (lovernment  Armory,  New 
York  City,  for  making  Sjjringfield  Rifles,  and  after  the  war 
invented  his  celebrated  double  cylinder  steam  engines,  in 
which  one  cylinder  acted  as  valve  for  the  other.  After 
having  been  involved  in  many  vexatious  law  suits  over 
patent  rights,  he  began  a  professional  career  as  engineer 
and  patent  expert,  and  a  highly  successful  career  it 
was,  ending  only  with  his  death,  which  took  i)lace  in  1885. 
Mr.  Hicks  was  a  man  of  (lce|)  religiovis  feeling.  He  was  for 
many  years  lecturer  in  Trinity  College  and  also  one  of  its 


WM.    C.  IIICKS. 


tonomah  was  the  only  vessel  of  her  class  that  was  able  to 
cross  the  ocean,  and  her  ca])acity  in  this  respect  is  owing 
to  changes  made  in  propulsion  apparatus  by  Mr.  Hicks. 
From  1865  to  1876  he  was  actively  and  prominently 
engaged  in  steam  engine  and  boiler  construction  and 
experimenting,  and  for  the  eight  years  following  was  an 
expert  in  patent  cases,  in  many  of  which  his  testimony 
])roved  of  great  value.  He  spent  much  time,  likewise,  in 
telei)hone  ex])eriments  and  in  this  connection  made  import- 
ant discoveries.  In  1888  he  was  emi)loyed  by  the  United 
States  GoverniTient  as  expert  in  gun  patent  litigation,  in 
which  he  gave  entire  satisfaction.  In  fine,  Mr.  Hicks  is 
one  of  the  most  jjrominent  and  versatile  engineers  in  the 
country  at  the  present  time. 


LOUIS  J  HEINTZ. 

The  Hon.  Louis  J.  Heintz,  late  Commissioner  of  Street 
Improvements,  Twenty-third  and  Twenty-fourth  Wards 
(Annexed  District),  New  York  City,  was  born  in  New  York 
City,  on  the  14th  of  October,  1861.  His  early  education  was 
received  at  a  private  school  and  the  old  Morrisania  school, 
now  rul)lic  School  No.  61.  .\t  the  age  of  thirteen,  having, 
reached  the  graduating  class,  he  was  placed  in  the  Fuerst 


M£lV  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS.  171 


Academy,  College  Point,  where  he  rontinued  his  studies  for 
three  years,  receiving  there  a  thorough  military  discipline.  At 
this  early  age  he  developed  those  rare  qualities  of  push  and 
energy  which  in  later  years  so  well  characterized  his  busi- 
ness relations.  On  leaving  college  he  entered  at  once  into 
business  life  in  the  employ  of  his  uncle,  John  Eichler, 
beginning  at  the  foot  of  the  ladder.  His  quick  business 
sagacity  soon  attracted  the  attention  of  his  uncle,  and  before 
he  was  twenty  years  of  age  was  put  at  the  head  taf  the 
financial  department  of  the  firm,  and  had  the  charac  ter  given 
him  of  being  the  most  accurate  business  man  of  his  years, 
being  entrusted  with  the  responsibility  of  handling  millions 
of  dollars'  worth  of  property  which  was  confided  to  him.  He 
was  for  some  years  a  director  of  the  John  Eichler  Brewing 
Company,  and  of  the  Phdip  and  William  Ebling  Brewing 
Company,  and  Secretary  of  both  firms,  and  was  elected 
unanimously  as  President  of  the  Brewers'  Board  of  Trade  of 
what  is  known  as  the  Metropolitan  District  of  New  York, 
which  comprises  New  York,  Kings,  Queens,  Richmond  and 
Westchester  Counties  and  the  State  of  New  Jersey.  He 
lived  in  the  district  which  so  generously  honored  him  in  the 
election  of  November,  1891,  since  he  was  four  years  of  age. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Schnorer,  German  Press,  Colum- 
bian, and  Youthful  League  Clubs,  New  York  Central,  and 
Melrose  Turning  Societies,  the  Morrisania  and  Harmonic 
Singing  Societies,  the  Citizens,  Ta.xpayers,  and  Properly 
Owners  Associations  of  Morrisania. 

In  1887  he  married  Pauline,  daughter  of  Philip  Ebling,  and 
has  two  children,  Pauline  and  Victoria.  Mr.  Heintz  died  of 
pneumonia  January,  1893,  to  the  surprise  and  sorrow  of  a 
community  who  beheld  one  of  the  ablest  of  the  citizens  of 
New  York  taken  off  in  the  prime  of  his  manhood  and  in 
the  full  tide  of  his  usefulness.  The  Annexed  District, 
especially,  mourns  the  loss  of  the  man  who  had  done  so 
much  towards  its  progress  and  improvement. 


WILLIAM  HARVEY  KING,  M.D. 
William  Harvey  King,  M.D.,  was  born  near  Waverly, 
New  York,  on  February  21,  1861.  He  received  his  rudi- 
mentary education  in  the  public  school  near  his  native 
place,  graduated  from  the  high  school  at  Waverly,  and 
deciding  to  adopt  medicine  as  a  profession,  entered  the 
New  York  Homoeopathic  Medical  College.  He  graduated 
in  1882  after  a  student  career  of  three  years,  and  at  once 
attracted  the  attention  of  the  late  Professor  S.  P.  Burdick, 
who  while  young  King  had  been  yet  a  student  appreciated 
his  talent  and  made  him  his  assistant  in  the  department  of 
obstetrics  immediately  after  he  had  graduated.  The  year 
following  he  was  made  demonstrator  of  obstetrics  (1882 
1883)  under  Professor  Burdick.  Deciding  to  take  up  the 
study  of  electro-therapeutics  as  a  specialty  young  King 
resigned  from  his  position  as  demonstrator  of  obstetrics 
and  became  one  of  the  first  in  the  field  of  electro-thera- 
peutics. In  order  the  more  thoroughly  to  ecjuip  himself 
for  his  future  work,  he  went  abroad  and  joined  the  Apostolic 
clinic  in  Paris.  In  1889  he  pulilished  a  v/ork  on  elei  tro- 
therapeutics,  the  first  edition  of  which  was  soon  exhausted. 
The  second  edition  is  now  in  press.  In  1890  he  with  A. 
L.  Chatterton  &  Co.,  publishers,  founded  the  Journal  of 
Electro-  Therapeutics  and  is  still  its  editor.  He  is  on  the 
staff  of  the  Hahnemann  Hospital  of  this  city,  also  of  the 
Homoeopathic  Sanatarium,  and  does  the  bulk  of  the  electro- 
surgical  work  for  all  the  homoeopathic  institutions  of  this 
city.  Dr.  King  is  a  prominent  member  of  the  American 
Institute  of  Homoeopathy,  the  Homoeoi)athic  ('ounty 
Society,  the  New  York  State  Homoeopathic  Society,  the 
Mission  Club  and  others.  His  principal  writings  have  been 
confined  to  his  journal,  but  outside  of  that  he  is  known  as 
the  largest  contributor  on  electro  thera])eutic  subjects  in 
this  country.     In  October  last  in  New  York  a  new  organiza- 


tion called  the  "  National  Society  of  I'Mectro-Therapeutists  " 
was  founded,  of  whii  h  Dr.  King  was  elected  the  first  Presi- 
dent. He  married  Miss  Minnie  Chadvvick,  of  New  York 
City,  a  niece  of  his  late  friend  and  benefactor  Dr.  Burdick. 

HENRY  W.  BOOKSTAVER. 

Henry  W.  Bookstaver,  one  of  the  judges  of  the  Court  of 
Common  Pleas,  was  born  in  Orange  County,  New  York  State, 
in  1835.  He  is  descended  from  Jacobus  Buchstabe,  or  Booch- 
staber,  as  it  was  si)elled  by  the  Dutch,  who,  early  in  the  eight- 
eenth century,  came  with  his  wife  from  Germany  and  settled 
near  Montgomery.  We  find  it  recorded  in  1735  ll^^t 
Jacobus,  in  copartnershij)  with  Frederic  Linsl)augh  and 
Johanes  Yang  Bloet  (subseciuently  modified  to  Young- 
blood),  purchased  a  considerable  tract  of  land  in  that 
neighborhood.  They  must,  however,  have  been  settled  on 
the  land  for  some  years  before  they  bought  it,  for  Jacobus 
Buchstaber  was  first  Deacon  of  the  Dutch  Church  in  Mont- 
gomery, which  was  organized  in  1732.  In  that  year  also 
(1735)  he  was  naturalized  by  an  act  of  the  Provincial  As- 
sembly, as  the  journals  of  that  body  go  to  show.  While  it 
is  evident  that  the  Bookstavers  came  to  New  York  direct 


HENRY  \V.  BOOKSTAVER. 


from  Germany  the  family  is  undoubtedly  of  Swiss  origin, 
and,  as  the  name  would  indicate,  were  early  interested  in 
printing  or  the  making  of  the  wooden  letters  first  used  in 
that  art.  The  literal  meaning  of  "  buchstabe  "  is  book  staff 
or  stick,  id  est,  a  letter,  as  movable  type  was  first  cut  on 
such  sticks.  There  is  in  the  Canton  of  Glarus  a  town 
called  Buchs,  situated  on  the  Rhine,  where  the  Voralsbough 
Railroad  crosses  that  river.  In  the  famous  disputation 
ordered  by  the  magistrates  of  Berne  in  1558  to  determine 
whether  the  Catholic  or  the  Reformed  religion  should  be 
adopted  by  the  state,  Johannes  Buchstabe,  then  the  school- 
master of  Zofinger,  a  dependence  of  Berne,  took  a  promi- 
nent part  with  the  Bishop  of  St.  Gall  and  Dr.  Capito  in 
defence  of  the  Catholic  religion  against  the  attacks  of 
Zwingle,  Elcompadius,  Bucer  and  others.  Some  time  later 
this  John  Buchstabe  was  Choirmaster  at  Freiberg  and  a 


172 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


voliuiiinous  w  riter  in  defence  of  the  Catholic  faith,  while 
his  brother  Henry  espoused  the  cause  of  the  Reformed 
religion.  Jacobus,  and  consequently  the  Judge,  are  de- 
scended from  Henry.  It  is  a  pity  that  the  old  name  intro- 
duced by  the  former  has  been  anglicized  to  its  present 
"spelling,  as  in  the  original  it  was  just  as  euphonious  and,  if 
anything,  more  accurate  than  its  modification  or  translation. 
Meanwhile,  this  little  scrap  of  history  may  be  u.seful  to  the 
future  writer  on  ethnography,  or  the  com])iler  of  family 
history.  Judge  Bookstaver  (we  are  comi)elled  to  use  the 
anglicized  name)  received  his  primary  education  in  the 
Academy  of  Montgomery,  an  institution  he  always  speaks 
of  with  pride,  and  his  classical  training  in  Rutgers  College, 
from  which  he  graduated  with  high  honors  in  1859.  Im- 
mediately after  graduating  he  came  to  New  York,  studied 
law  in  the  office  of  Brown,  Hall  &  Vanderpoel,  and  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  1861.  This  was  a  legal  firm  of  much 
eminence  in  the  New  York  of  the  last  generation,  and  its 
members  were  not  long  in  recognizing  the  ability  of  Mr. 


himself.  Then,  after  the  civil  strife  was  over,  he  substituted 
the  pen  for  the  sword,  founded  a  magnificent  newspajjer, 
and  for  himself  established  a  world-wide  rei)Utation.  He 
was  born  in  Lexington,  Ky.,  on  the  i6lh  day  of  August, 
1825.  His  father,  John  Bruce,  was  born  in  Northumber-* 
landshiri,  England,  in  1780,  of  Scottish  parents,  being  de- 
scended in  direct  male  line  from  Robert  Bruce,  King  of 
Scotland.  His  mother's  maiden  name  was  Margaret  Ross 
Hutton,  and  was  born  at  (Gibraltar  in  1784,  and  was  mar- 
ried there  and  emigrated  to  .Vmerica  in  1808  and  settled  in 
Lexington,  Ky.  John  Bruce  died  9th  February,  1836,  and 
Margaret  Koss  Bruce  in  July,  1868.  S.  1).  Bruce  graduated 
at  Transylvania  Univers  ty  in  1846,  and  embarked  in  the 
mercantile  business  in  1848.  He  retired  from  business  as  a 
merchant  in  1852  and  purchased  the  Phoenix  Hotel,  Lex- 
ington, Ky.,  of  which  he  was  proprietor  to  1855,  when  hav- 
ing a  decided  taste  for  stock  raising  he  purchased  a  farm 
and  had  a  few  race  horses,  racing  about  this  time  the  horse 
"  Dick  Doty,"  by  "  Boston,"  "Omar  Pasha,"  by  "  Yorkshire," 


SANDERS  DEWEES  BRUCE. 


Bookstaver,  whom  they  soon  took  into  ])artnershi]).  His 
course  since  then  has  more  than  justified  the  hope  of  his 
friends  and  admirers.  His  talents  made  him  Sheriff's 
Attorney,  Counsel  to  the  Police  Board  and  Counsel  to  the 
Commissioners  of  Charities  and  Correction  in  succession. 
His  defence  of  Sheriff  Reilly  established  his  rei)utation  at 
the  bar,  not  only  for  legal  research,  but  for  a  iiigh  order  of 
forensic  eloquence.  In  1885  he  was  elected  to  his  present 
honorable  position  by  a  handsome  ])lurality  over  his  com- 
petitors Judge  Patterson  and  T.  G.  Strong,  Es(].,  and  in 
1888  he  received  from  Rutgers  College,  his  alma  mater,  the 
honor  of  LL.B. 

SANDERS  DEWEES  BRUCE. 
The  career  of  Colonel  Sanders  Dewees  Bruce  is  a  re- 
markable one  and  shows  versatile  genius  of  a  high  order. 
Beginning  life  as  a  business  man,  with  a  short  exjjeriencc  of 
an  otilicial  character,  he  plunged  into  the  war  of  the  rebel- 
lion, in  which  as  a  Union  officer  he  greatly  distinguished 


and  the  full  sister,  "  Lilla,"  afterward  in  the  Woodburn  stud. 
In  1858  he  was  elected  Clerk  of  the  County  Court  of  Fay- 
ette County,  Ky.,  and  held  the  office  four  years.  At  the 
breaking  out  of  the  Civil  War  he  was  an  uncom|)romising 
Union  man,  and  was  appointed  Inspector  (leneral  of  the 
Union  Home  (iu  ird  of  Kentucky.  He  was  instrumental  in 
having  the  Department  of  the  ("umberland  established  and 
secured  for  the  West  the  two  grand  men,  (ieneral  Ceorge 
H. 'i'homas  and  (General  W.  T.  Sherman;  S.  I).  Mruce  raised, 
and  was  elected  Colonel  of  the  famous  Twentieth  Kentucky 
Regiment  of  Infantry  Volunteers  ;  was  in  command  of  the 
])Ost  at  Smithland,  Ky.,  and  built  the  fortifications  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Cumberland  River.  When  his  regiment  was 
ordered  to  Louisville,  Ky.,  he  was  assigned  to  the  command 
of  the  Twenty-second  Brigade  in  General  William  Nelson's 
Division.  .Army  of  the  Cumberland.  His  command  marched 
all  the  way  from  Louisville,  Ky.,  to  the  battlefield  of  Shiloh. 
The  'I'wenty-second  Brigade  was  composed  of  the  First, 
Second  and  Twentieth  regiments,  and  the  Ninth  Ohio  with 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


173 


the  Thirteenth  Indiana  IJattery.  The  Nintli  Ohio  did  not 
actually  serve  with  him,  but  was  with  (ieneral  Ammen. 
Colonel  Bruce"s  Brigade  was  the  first  of  the  Army  of  Gen- 
eral Buel  to  take  part  in  the  battle  of  Shiloh,  crossing  over 
under  fire  on  the  evening  of  Sunday,  April  6ih,  after  the 
rout  of  the  Federals  under  General  U.  S.  Grant.  The  sec- 
ond day's  fight,  the  Twenty-second  Brigade  distinguished 
itself  in  protecting  the  left  wing  of  the  Army  after  Gene- 
ral W.  T.  Hazen's  Brigade  had  been  cut  all  to  pierces  and 
utterly  demoralized.  After  the  battle  of  Shiloh  General 
Buel,  finding  it  difficult  to  keep  open  his  line  of  communi- 
cation, ordered  Colonel  Bruce  to  proceed  to  Bowling  Green, 
take  command  of  that  ix)St,  and  open  u])  communication 
over  the  Louisville  iS:  Nashville  Railroad.  This  he  did  to 
the  entire  satisfaction  of  his  superiors,  and  built  the  famous 
fortification  on  College  Hill  at  that  point.  After  General 
Rosecrans  succeeded  General  Buel,  (-0I01  el  Bruce  was 
assigned  to  the  command  of  the  Provisional  Brigade  and 
ordered  to  clear  up  Southern  Kentucky,  capture  Clarks- 
ville,  Tenn.,  and  open  up  the  line  of  communication  by  the 
Cumberland  River,  clearing  up  the  obstruction  in  the  river 
below  Fort  Donelson.  This  was  thoroughly  done  by  part 
of  his  command  under  Major  Kennedy  of  the  Kentucky 
Cavalry.  When  the  post  was  thoroughly  established  at 
Clarksville  and  everything  working  satisfactorily  Colonel 
Bruce  was  ordered  to  Louisville  as  President  of  a  Court- 
Martial.  By  active,  en  rgetic  work  he  soon  cleared  up  the 
record,  and  was  then  assigned  to  the  command  of  that  im- 
portant post,  and  acting  under  orders  of  General  George  H. 
Thomas,  cleared  it  of  all  the  stragglers  and  sent  them  to  the 
front  before  the  decisive  battle  of  Nashville,  which  virtually 
closed  the  war  in  the  Southwest.  It  was  during  his  official 
career  as  Post  Commander  at  Louisville  that  General  W.  T. 
Sherman  recommended  his  promotion  to  Brigadier  General, 
which  recommendation  was  cordially  endorsed  by  General 
U.  S.  Grant  ;  but  knowing  the  prejudice  of  Secretary  of 
War  Stanton  to  Southern  men  the  recommendation  was 
never  forwarded  or  acted  upon.  In  the  summer  of  1864  Col. 
Bruce,  who  was  suffering  from  heart  trouble,  resigned  his 
position  in  the  army,  and  went  to  New  York  City  to  reside,  and 
on  the  5th  day  of  August,  1865,  issued  the  first  number  of 
the  1  urf.  Field  a>:d  Farm,  a  journal  devoted  to  turf  and 
field  sports.  Colonel  Bruce  was,  and  has  been  always, 
acknowledged  as  the  best  living  authority  upon  pedigrees 
and  genealogy  of  the  thoroughbred  horse.  He  is  the  author 
and  compiler  of  the  "American  Stud  Book,"  the  recognized 
authority  upon  pedigrees  in  the  world.  He  also  published 
the  "  Horse  Breeder's  Guide  and  Hand  Book"  and  the  "  The 
Thoroughbred  Horse,"  both  works  upon  the  selection,  breed- 
ing and  origin  of  the  thoroughbred  horse.  The  "American 
Stud  Book"  has  reached  the  sixth  volume,  and  will  be  con- 
tinued. 

Colonel  Bruce  was  regarded  as  an  e.xpert  judge  of 
horses  and  selected  all  the  horses  owned  and  raced  success- 
fully by  the  late  M.  H.  Sanford,  including  Preakness, 
Monarchist,  Brigand,  Madame  Dudley  Minx,  dam  of  Mon- 
itor, etc.  He  also  selected  as  yearlings  Harry  Bassctt,  Joe 
Daniels,  Hubbard,  Katie  Pease,  Madge,  and  Tyrant,  and  for 
Mr.  Jas.  R.  Keene  the  grand  race  horse  Foxhali,  that  won 
the  Grand  Prize  of  Paris,  Cesarewitch  and  Cambridgeshire 
handicaps. 


WILLIAM  H.  HUME. 

Among  the  many  distinguished  architects  of  this  city 
William  H.  Hume  holds  a  foremost  place.  One  of  the 
busiest  men  in  his  profession,  Mr.  Hume  is  also  one  of  the 
most  popular.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Seventh  Regiment 
Veteran,  Re])ublican,  and  Lotos  Clubs  ;  he  is  connected 
with  several  religious  and  charitable  organizations,  and  has 
been  for  many  years  a  Director  in  the  East  River  National 


Bank  ;  he  is  also  a  member  of  Kane  Lodge,  F.  iV  A.  M. 
Mr.  Hume  is  of  Scotch  ancestry  and  was  born  and  educated 
in  the  city  of  New  York  ;  he  studied  his  profession  in  the 
office  of  one  of  the  leading  architects  of  the  city.  In  1857 
he  started  in  business  for  himself.  When  the  war  broke  out 
Mr.  Hume  was  an  officer  in  the  Seventh  Regiment,  and 
served  in  the  campaigns  of  '61,  '62  and  '63;  the  latter  year 
he  was  Adjutant  of  the  Regiment.  There  are  few  archi- 
tects in  the  Metropolis  who  have  had  a  more  active 
and  extended  practice,  his  work  embracing  some  of  the 
finest  jjublic  and  jirivate  buildings  in  this  city  and  else- 
where. 

The  scope  of  this  paper  will  allow  only  a  summary  of  those 
best  known:  The  New  Netherland  Hotel,  the  beautiful 
building  just  completed  for  Mr.  \\'illiam  Waldorf  Astor.  The 
handsome  new  structure  for  the  Mutual  Reserve  P'und  Life 
Association  at  the  corner  of  Broadway  and  Duane  street  is 
another  instance  of  Mr.  Hume's  work.    Other  buildings 


WILLIA.M  II.  KI;ME. 


within  the  city  on  which  he  is  now  engaged  include  the 
house  for  the  Lotos  Club,  the  Scotch  Presbyterian  Church 
and  Lecture  Hall  on  Central  Park  West,  and  a  number  of 
other  stru(  tures.  The  Hotel  Normandie  is  another  instance 
of  Mr.  Hume's  work.  Besides  this,  among  the  buildings 
best  known  designed  by  him  are  the  Asylum  ot  St.  Vincent 
de  Paul,  the  Hebrew  Orphan  Asylum,  on  Tenth  Avenue, 
the  large  drygoods  store  of  B.  Altman  &  Co.,  and  that  of 
H.  C.  F.  Koch  &  Co.,  the  Emigrant  Savings  Bank,  Cham- 
bers Street,  the  North  River  Savings  Bank,  and  the  Sherman 
Bank.  Out  of  town  are  other  prominent  buildings  erected 
from  his  designs.  The  Insane  Asylum  at  Harrison,  New 
York,  and  the  beautiful  Masonic  Home  at  Utica,  are  among 
these.  Such  is  a  brief  sketch  of  one  of  New  York's  repre- 
sentative architects,  a  man  whose  life  has  been  spent  in 
helping  to  build  u]i  and  beautify  the  city  (  f  his  birth,  and 
whose  work  will  remain  as  an  enduring  attest  of  his  energy 
and  professional  ability. 


174 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


THOMAS    E.  ROCHFORT. 

Mr.  Thomas  K.  Roch'ort  was  born  in  New  Haven, 
Connecticut.  His  parents  were  from  County  West 
Meath,  Ireland,  the  old  homestead  at  Rochfort  Bridge 
being  still  owned  by  the  Rochfort  family.  Mr.  Rochtort 
was  carefully  and  thoroughly  educated,  having  graduated 
from  Yale  University  in  1879,  and  subsequently  from  the 
Columbian  Law  School  in  Washington,  1).  C.  in  1882. 
When  he  was  at  Yale  he  was  President  of  the  University 
Foot  Ball  Club,  and  has  ever  since  shown  great  interest  in 
all  College  athletics.  He  was  Principal  of  Fairfield 
Academy,  Fairfield,  Conn.,  and  afterwards  instructor  of 
Latin  in  the  High  School  in  Washington,  D.  C.  He  at 
once  entered  upon  the  jiractice  of  the  law  in  New  \'ork 
City,  taking  an  advanced  and  commanding  stand  in  the 
profession  from  the  start.  Self-reliance,  together  with  tact 
and  a  thorough  knowledge  of  human  nature,  are  prominent 
characteristics.  Pluck,  energy  and  thoroughness  always  are 
attributes  of  men  who  have  learned  to  rely  on  themselves. 


ft.    fMMiii  nt^ t^tatt'i  M  n  I  ■» 

THOMAS   E.  ROCHFORT. 

The  high  opinion  entertained  of  Mr.  Rochfort's  abilities  by 
his  fellow  members  of  the  New  York  Bar  may  be  gathered, 
in  ijart,  from  the  fact  that  for  the  last  four  or  five  years  he 
has  been  the  Attorney  and  representative  of  the  Code  Com- 
mittee of  the  liar  Association  for  N.  Y.  City,  of  which  the 
Hon.  James  C.  C'arter  was  Chairman  and  Hon.  Pred.  R. 
Coudert  and  e.x-Judge  Noah  Davis  have  been  membeis. 
The  vast  imjjortance  of  the  work  of  that  Committee  in 
oj)posing  dangerous  legislation  is  well  understood,  especially 
among  lawyers.  Mr.  Rochfort's  partner  is  Mr.  William  H. 
Stayton,  formerly  an  officer  in  the  United  States  Navy. 
The  law  firm  of  Rochfort  &  Stayton  has  a  large  and 
lucrative  jjractice  with  various  corporations,  among  which 
is  the  New  York  Recorder  Com|)any  ;  and  the  firm's  i)rac- 
tice  extends  also  to  the  War  and  Navy  Dejjartments  at 
Washington,  and  to  the  Court  of  Claims.  Such  men  as  the 
subject  of  this  artic  le  always  come  to  the  front  in  our 
country,  and  usually  stay  there. 


JOHN  McCLAVE. 

Police  Commissioner  McClave  was  born  in  this  city  on 
September  11,  1839,  and  after  graduating  from  the  College 
of  the  City  of  New  York  in  1856,  took  up  the  lumber  busi- 
ness, and  to-day  owns  large  lumber  yards  on  Twenty- 
second  street  and  the  North  River,  in  which  a  prosperous 
trade  is  done.  Though  not  a  politician  in  the  strict  sense 
of  the  word,  Commissioner  McClave  has  always  taken  a 
keen  and  intelligent  interest  in  public  affairs,  and  has  been 
so  |)opular  with  the  i^eople  that  in  1878  he  was,  though  not 
seeking  the  honor,  elected  Alderman  on  the  Republican 
ticket  in  the  Eighth  Senatorial  District  He  was  re-elected 
in  1879,  elected  Alderman  at  large  in  1880  and  declined  a 
nomination  in  1881.  In  1884  he  was  appointed  to  the 
i'olice  Board  by  Mayor  Edson,  and  his  term  having  ex- 
pired on  May  i,  1890,  he  was  appointed  for  a  second 
t^rm  by  Mavor  Cirant.  This  reappointment  of  a  Repub- 
lican to  such  a  responsible  position  by  two  Democratic 
Mayors  in  succession  is  a  high  tribute  to  the  man,  and  as 
such  it  is  ajjpreciated,  though  if  any  one  asked  Mayor 
Grant  why  he  reappointed  him  he  would  probably  reply, 
"  Because  I  could  not  easily  find  any  other  man.  Republican 
or  Democratic,  who  could  fill  the  place  with  so  much 
good  to  the  i)ublic  ;  because,  in  fact,  he  is  a  man  of 
great  business  capacity,  and,  at  the  same  time,  like  my- 
self, accessible  to  all,  as  the  servant  of  the  people  should 
be."  Indeed  this  is  quite  so  ;  not  only  is  he  acces- 
sible, but  he  has  a  touch  of  magnetism  which  makes  hosts 
of  friends  for  him  and  causes  folks  to  say  to  him  now 
and  then,  "Why  don't  you  run  for  Mayor?"  The  same 
question  was  often  asked  of  Chester  A.  Arthur  when  that 
gentleman  was  a  private  citizen  of  New  York.  And  by  the 
way  it  may  be  stated  here  that  Commissioner  McClave  and 
Presiiient  Arthur  were  very  close  personal  friends.  Com- 
missioner McClave,  besides  being  a  great  worker,  has  system 
and  method  which  facilitate  his  labors.  He  kee])s  the  ac- 
counts of  the  police  force  and  pays  the  ])ensioners,  and  does 
so  with  so  much  accuracy  and  so  admirably  in  every  respect 
that  the  Commissioners  of  Accounts  and  ex])erts,  whose  at- 
tention have  been  called  to  his  system,  pronounce  it  most 
excellent.  'I'he  same  order  and  method  are  observable  in 
his  lumber  yards  and  planing  mills,  where  200  men  are  em- 
!)loyed.  Commissioner  McClave  comes  of  a  family  famous 
for  i)rolificness  and  longevity.  He  is  the  youngest  of 
thirteen  children,  was  married  at  eighteen  and  a  grand- 
father at  thirty-nine.  His  wife  was  Charlotte  Louisa  Wood, 
of  this  city,  and  he  is  now  the  father  of  fourteen  and  the 
grandfather  of  fourteen  children,  which  is  doing  well  for  a 
man  still  in  the  prime  of  life.  Both  his  jiarents  were  born 
in  this  country,  his  father  in  1798  and  his  mother  (still 
living)  in  1803.  His  ])aternal  grandfather  was  a  Scotch 
school-teacher  in  New  York,  and  his  mother's  family,  the 
Launes,  were  of  French  extraction,  born  in  (Oyster  Bay.  The 
Launes  kept  a  florist's  establishment  in  Laune  Lane  (now 
Reade  Street),  a  thoroughfare  called  after  them.  Commis- 
sioner McClave  is  one  of  the  Directors  of  the  Union  Dime 
Savings  Bank  and  also  of  the  Southern  Chemical  Com])any. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Colonial  and  the  Re])ublican  Clubs, 
and  has  lieen  trustee  of  the  Central  Baptist  Church  for 
twentv-eight  years.  In  concluding  this  too  brief  sketch  it 
may  be  said  that  Commissioner  McClave  is  noted  for  his 
alTal)ility,  his  directness  and  general  bearing,  which  com- 
mand the  confidence  and  respect  of  all  who  meet  him. 

FRANK  ALFRED  BIGELOW,  M  D. 
Dr.  Frank  Alfretl  Bigelow  comes  from  a  distinctly 
medical  family,  which  includes  an  unbroken  line  of  jjhysicians 
covering  nearly  a  century  of  professional  eminence.  His 
paternal  grandparent  Dr.  Leander  B.  Bigelow  of  Auburn, 
Cayuga  Co.,  N.   \ .,  to  whom  the  late  Professor  Frank 


NEIV  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


175 


Hamilton  publicly  declared  himself  largely  indebted  for 
his  earlier  professional  success,  died  during  the  cholera 
scourge  of  1850,  falling  victim  himself  to  the  disease.  His 
death  created  a  hiatus  in  the  medical  world.  Dr.  Alfred  J. 
Higelow  (eldcs'  son  of  Dr.  Leander  and  father  of  Dr.  Frank) 
received  his  degree  from  the  University  of  Buffalo,  N.  Y., 
in  185 1.  He  was  a  classmate  of  Prof.  Austin  Flint,  Jr. 
At  an  early  date  he  was  converted  to  the  homoeopathic 
school  of  medicine  and  soon  became  prominent  -in  its 
councils.  In  1867  he  moved  to  the  City  of  New  York  and 
ever  .since  has  been  actively  identified  with  homoeopathy's 
best  interests.  Dr.  Frank  Alfred  Bigelow  was  born  at 
Mayville,  Chautauqua  Co.,  New  York,  May  6th,  1855. 
He  received  the  highest  prize  honors  from  the  public 
schools  of  New  York  City  at  the  age  of  14,  completing  his 
studies  with  an  academic  course.  Devoting  several  years 
to  travel  he  subsequently  took  up  the  study  of  electricity 
and  his  marked  ability  in  this  field  soon  gained  him  distinc- 
tion. He  declined  the  position  of  Superintendent  of 
Telegraphy  twice  tendered  him  by  prominent  corporations 
both  in  this  State  and  Ohio.  Entertaining  higher  as]jira- 
ticns,  and  withal  probably  following  the  natural  bent  of  his 
earlier  training,  he  applied  his  mind  wholly  to  the  study  of 
medicine,  graduating  from  New  York  Homoeopathic  College 
and  Hospital  in  1886.  P'rom  that  time  to  the  present  his 
professional  advancement  has  been  steady.  He  had  already 
achieved  considerable  note  in  literary  circles  aside  from 
contributions  to  Medical  Journals,  and  has  now  in  process 
of  compilation  a  work  entitled  "A  Simplified  Handbook 
of  Materia  Medica,  designed  as  a  quick  and  ready 
reference  for  busy  practitioners  "  He  is  on  the  medical 
staff  of  various  insurance  corporations,  among  which  are 
The  Life  Maturity  of  Washington,  D.  C,  the  International 
Alliance,  and  a  number  of  fraternal  organizations.  He  is  a 
prominent  Odd  Fellow  and  medical  examiner  for  that 
Order.  Dr.  Bigelow's  success  in  medicine  is  not  surprising. 
He  is  one  of  the  most  indefatigable  workers  of  his  school; 
a  quick  and  able  exponent  of  its  principles  ;  a  ready  and 
convincing  speaker  and  deservedly  popular.  He  married 
Miss  Jessie  Mae  Towns,  a  relative  on  the  maternal  side  of 
the  Hon.  Don.  Piatt,  in  1878. 


GEO.   EDW.  HARDING. 

George  Edward  Harding,  a  well  known  architect  of  this 
city,  was  born  in  Bath,  Maine,  in  April,  1845.  ^^'^^ 
educated  and  received  preparatory  training  for  College,  and 
coming  to  New  York  went  through  a  course  in  Columbia 
College  School  of  Mines.  On  leaving  Columbia  he  went  to 
Europe  for  three  years,  studying  architecture  and  engineer- 
ing in  various  countries,  but  more  especially  in  England 
and  France.  Returning  to  New  York  in  1872,  he  went 
into  partnership  with  Arthur  Oilman,  a  prominent  architect 
of  that  date,  and  remained  with  him  until  1880,  since  when 
he  practised  his  profession  alone  until  1889,  when  he  took 
William  Tyson  Gooch  as  a  partner,  and  the  new  firm  carried 
on  business  under  the  style  of  George  Edward  Harding  and 
Gooch.  Mr.  Gooch  was  born  in  England  in  1855  and  had 
studied  with  the  most  eminent  architects  in  London, 
including  Frederick  William  Porter,  also  the  Government 
Architect  of  Paris.  Mr.  Gooch  had  been  with  C.  C. 
Haight  in  New  York  since  1882  and  was  already  favorably 
known  in  the  profession. 

Mr.  Harding's  specialty  is  hotels,  though,  as  a  matter  of 
course,  he  has  planned  and  constructed  all  manner  of  build- 
ings, some  of  them  very  elegant  and  all  of  them  displaying 
marks  of  high  professional  skill.  Among  the  hotels  of  his 
creation  are  the  Holland  H'  use  and  the  Hotel  Brunswick. 
He  also  erected  the  Postal  Telegraph  Building,  and  the 
famous  decorations  of  the  Hoffman  House  main  floor  are 
creations  of  his  art. 


WILLIAM    H.  STAYTON. 

W^illiam  H.  Stayton,  the  junior  member  of  the  firm  of 
Rochfort  &  Stayton,  attorneys  for  the  Recorder,  took  up 
the  practice  of  law  in  New  York  after  a  service  of  over 
thirteen  years  in  the  navy.  Mr.  Stayton  was  born  in 
Smyrna,  Delaware,  March  28,  1861.  He  attended  the  pub- 
lic schools  in  his  native  State,  and  in  April,  1877,  appeared 
before  a  board  of  examiners,  who  were,  by  a  competitive 
examination,  to  select  a  candidate  for  appointment  to  the 
Naval  Academy.  There  being  but  one  congressional  repre- 
sentative from  Delaware,  the  examination  was  open  to  all 
boys  in  the  State  between  the  ages  of  fourteen  and  eighteen. 
He  passed  the  best  examination,  was  appointed  to  the 
Naval  Academy,  and  began  his  course  there  in  June,  1877, 
graduating  in  i88r.  He  then  performed  two  years'  service 
at  sea  on  vessels  of  the  North  Atlantic  squadron,  and  in 
1883,  with  other  members  of  his  class,  was  ordered  up  for 
examination  under  the  provisions  of  a  law  which  had  just 
gone  into  effect,  and  which  provided  that  there  should  be 


WILLIAM  H.  STAYTON. 

retained  in  the  navy  only  enough  cadets  from  each  class  to 
fill  the  vacancies  which  had  occurred  during  the  preceding 
year.  After  this  examination  fifteen  out  of  the  more  than 
one  hundred  members  of  the  class  were  selected  for  reten- 
tion in  the  service,  and  Mr.  Stayton,  standing  sufificiently 
high  to  exercise  a  choice  of  corps,  selected  the  Marine 
Corps,  and  was  appointed  a  Second  Lieutenant  on  the  ist 
of  July,  1883.  After  a  short  period  of  duty  in  New  York 
and"  Washington,  he  was  ordered  to  the  "Hartford,"  the 
flagship  of  the  Pacific  station,  and  remained  attached  to  her 
for  three  years,  during  which  time  he  read  law  and  paid 
special  attention  to  the  proceedings  of  court-martial.  On 
the  expiration  of  his  cruise  he  was  selected  for  duty  as 
assistant  to  the  Judge  Advocate  General  of  the  Navy,  and 
remained  on  that  duty  until  April,  1890,  when  he  was 
assigned  to  represent  the  government  interests  in  the  prose- 
cution of  Commander  McCalla,  who  had  returned  from  a 
cruise  in  command  of  the  "  Enterprise,"  and  who  was  sub- 


176 


NEIV  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


sequently  convicted  ot"  inllicting  illegal  and  inhuman  jnin- 
ishnients  upon  the  men  of  that  vessel.  In  this  trial  Mr.  Stayton 
was  opposed  by  Mr.  Joseph  H.  Choate,  who  strongly  advised 
his  opponent  to  leave  the  service  and  take  up  the  practice 
of  law  in  New  York.  Mr.  Stayton  had  meantime  been 
pursuing  a  course  of  study  at  the  Columbian  University 
Law  School  in  Washington  and  on  the  completion  of  the 
trial  he  returned  to  Washington,  took  his  law  examinations, 
and  graduated  at  the  head  of  his  class.  Mr.  Stayton  at 
once  tendered  his  resignation,  came  to  New  York  and  s  arted 
in  the  practii  e  of  his  new  ])rofession,  and  a  vear  later,  or  in 
May,  1891,  he  entered  into  the  coi)artnershii)  with  Mr.  Roch- 
fort.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Seawanhaka  Corinthian  Yacht 
Club,  the  Fencers' Club,  and  the  Army  and  Navy  Club. 

DAVID  WELCH, 
Ex- Assistant  District  Attorney,  a  member  of  the  firm  of 
Welch  &  Daniels,  was  born  in  New  York,  May  7,  1858. 
His  father  was  a  pros|)erous  merchant  and  died  when  his 
son  was  very  young,  leaving  him  a  snug  fortune.  Young 
Welch  was  educated  first  at  Manhattan  College,  then  at  the 
public  schools,  and  thereafter  at  the  College  l^oint  Military 
Academy.  When  quite  young  he  entered  the  law  ofifice  of 
Messrs.  Norwood  &:  Coggeshall,  and  by  steady  ajjplication 
and  a  quick  intelligence,  he  soon  became  proficient  in  all 
the  intricacies  of  the  proft  ssion.  In  January,  1891,  when 
Mr.  DeLancey  Nicholl  was  made  Dist  ict  Attorney,  Mr. 


DAVID  WKLCH. 

Welch  was  one  of  his  first  a])pointees  as  assistant.  The 
young  lawyer  soon  made  a  record  for  himself  as  a  special 
pleader.  He  had  special  charge  of  extradition  cases, 
habeas  corpus  cases  and  arguments  of  appeals  in  conjunc- 
tion with  the  late  Assistant  District  Attorney  J.  McKen/.ie 
Sem|)le,  and  made  a  record  in  each  that  i)rior  thereto  had 
never  been  excelled.  But  it  was  in  the  collection  of  for- 
feited bail  bonds  that  he  achieved  both  re|)Ulation  and 
glory.  In  a  very  short  time  he  collected  $22,000  for  the 
Stale,  more  money  collec  ted  in  one  year  than  any  of  his 
predecessors  had  collected  in  three  years  prior  thereto.  .Mr. 


Welch  is  highly  esteemed  for  his  upright  and  conscientious 
performance  of  his  duties.  In  January,  1892,  he  resigned 
from  public  office,  an  1  entered  into  partnership  with  Mr. 
(ieorge  S.  Daniels  in  1887.  After  his  retirement  from 
office  Mr.  Welch  devoted  his  energies  to  civil  cases  and  the 
higher  grade  of  criminal  appeal  cases.  His  causes  ce'lebtes 
are  the  ajjpeal  on  the  ca.se  of  William  Fanning  in  1892, 
when  he  obtained  a  commutation  of  sentence  of  death  for 
a  conviction  of  wife  murder  to  imprisonment  for  life.  He 
successfully  argued  the  case  of  the  People  v.  \\'halen,  '\xv\o\\- 
ing  the  question  of  the  liberation  of  two  hundred  convicts 
in  State  prison,  who,  iq)on  constitutional  grounds,  were 
seeking  for  an  earlier  release.  In  this  case  he  rejjresented 
the  Attorney-General.  He  also  succeeded  in  obtaining 
damages  in  the  case  of  J/auser  7'.  The  North  German  Lloyd 
Sleamship  Company  on  the  cpiestion  of  the  treatment  of 
jjassengers  on  board  ship  and  port.  He  has  also  been 
engaged  in  any  number  of  other  ini])ortant  cases.  Mr. 
Welch  married  Grace  F.  Lindenstein,  of  New  York  City, 
in  November,  1892.  He  resides  at  No.  40  West  119th 
Street.  He  is  highly  esteemed  in  social  circles  and  belongs 
to  the  Bar  Association,  the  Harlem  Law  Library,  the  Saga- 
more Club  and  the  Legion  of  Honor,  and  a  member  of 
other  well  known  associations  of  this  city. 

JAMES  FITZGERALD. 

"  It  is  not  in  mortals  to  command  success,"  said  Hamlet, 
"but  we"ll  do  more,  Horatio,  we'll  deserve  it."  Some  folks 
both  command  and  deserve  success,  and  one  of  them  is 
James  Fitzgerald,  Judge  of  the  Court  of  Sessions,  who,  i)y 
fair  dint  of  energy,  aided  by  abilities  of  a  high  order,  has 
risen  to  an  important  position  on  the  bench  of  New  York 
City,  while  still  comparatively  a  young  man.  Judge  Fitz- 
gerald was  born  in  Ireland  on  October  28,  1851,  and  re- 
ceived the  rudiments  of  his  education  in  a  Jesuit  Seminary 
in  that  country.  While  still  young  in  years  he  came  to  the 
United  States  with  his  parents  and  attended  school  in  the  De 
la  Salle  Institute,  on  Second  Street.  He  also  attended  the 
])ublic  schools  and  subsecjuently  the  Coo])er  Institute.  He 
studied  law  in  the  Columbia  College  and  graduated  from 
there  in  the  class  of  1880.  He  was  called  to  the  bar  after  leav- 
ing college,  but,  like  most  young  men  of  his  profession  in  this 
city,  soon  took  a  hand  in  politics,  and  because  of  the  re- 
markable abilities  ne  disp.layed,  became  immensf^y  i)0]ndar 
in  the  Sixteenth  .-Yssembly  District.  He  began  his  political 
career  as  a  County  Democrat  when  that  section  of  thejjarty 
swayed  the  political  destinies  ol  the  city,  and  has  ever  since, 
through  changes  and  mutations,  remained  loyal  to  his  first 
political  affiliations.  The  County  Democracy  has  declined, 
though  it  may  rise  again,  but  whether  in  defeat  or  victory, 
sunshine  or  shadow,  James  Fitzgerald  has  never  abandoned 
the  standard  under  which  he  originally  achieved  political 
success.  He  was  elected  to  the  Legislature  in  1877  from 
the  Sixteenth  Asseml)ly  District  and  served  until  1878, 
when  he  was  ai)])ointed  to  a  position  in  the  C!ouniy  Clerk's 
officj  by  Hubert  O.  Thompson,  then  in  the  a.scendant  as 
leader  of  the  County  Democracy.  In  1881  he  ran  against 
the  late  (ieneral  Spinola  for  State  Senator  in  the  Ninth 
District  and  defeated  him  by  2,500  majoritv.  This  victory 
over  a  strong  man  in  a  district  essentially  Tammanyite  sur- 
prised the  politicians  and  brought  Mr.  Fitzgerald  j)romi- 
nently  before  the  ])ublic.  Rut  this  was  not  the  last  time  he 
was  to  show  Tammany  Hall  indications  of  his  prowess  on 
the  field  of  i)arly  strife.  He  served  in  the  Senate  of  1882-3, 
and  in  June,  1884,  was  ai)])ointed  .Vssistant  District  Attor- 
ney on  the  death  of  John  McKeon.  When  Judge  Marline 
was  elected  District  .Attorney  Mr.  Fitzgerald  w as  ai)i)oinled 
assistant,  and  when  Colonel  Fellows  was  elected  to  that 
office  he  offered  Mr.  Fitzgerald  the  jmsition  of  Chief  .\s 
sistanl  and  it  was  accepted.    In  1889  he  gained  the  greatest 


NEW  YOEK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


trium])h  in  his  brilliant  local  career  in  defeating  Judge  (lil- 
dersleeve  for  Judge  of  (leneral  Sessions.  Judge  (lilder- 
sleeve  was  a  leading  member  of  the  'I'ammany  faction,  a 
very  strong  man  personally,  with  a  fine  record  and  marked 
abilities.  Mr.  Fitzgerald,  on  the  other  hand,  was  connected 
with  a  falling  faction,  but  nevertheless,  bracing  himself  for 
the  occasion,  and  throwing  all  his  energy  into  the  contest, 
he  was  elected  by  a  large  majority.  Indeed  he  was  the  only 
anti-Tammany  man  elected  that  year  and  therefore  en- 
titled all  the  more  to  congratulations  on  his  success.  No 
one  can  say  he  did  not  earn  it  well,  or  that  he  does  not  fill 
the  high  position  with  credit  to  himself  and  usefulness  to 
the  public.  

FRANK    E.    DOUGHTY.  M.D. 

In  the  Brooklyn  Eagle  of  June  7,  1891,  appeared  an 
interesting  history  of  the  Doughty  family,  the  American 
branch  of  which  is  traced  back  as  far  as  the  beginning  of 
the  seventeenth  century.  From  this  family  comes  Francis 
E.  Doughty,  M.D.,  subject  of  this  sketch,  who  was  born  in 
Troy,  N.  Y.,  on  August  14,  1857,  of  Samuel  G.  and  his  wife 
Jane  (Hart).  Dr.  Doughty  has  not  lessened  the  lustre  of 
an  honored  name.  So  far  his  life  has  been  devoted  to 
active  work  in  his  profession,  part  of  it  in  private  practice 
and  part  to  medical  work  in  various  charitable  institutions. 
After  graduating  with  honors  from  the  college  Dr.  Doughty 
in  1876  was  appointed  Professor  of  Anatomy  in  the  New 
York  Homoeopathic  College,  and  only  resigned  after 
thirteen  years  of  laborious  active  service.  On  the  opening 
of  the  Ward's  Island  Honiceopathic  Hospital  he  was 
appointed  one  of  the  attending  surgeons,  and  filled  the 
position  for  ten  years.  Since  the  opening  of  the  Hahnemann 
Hospital  of  this  city  he  has  been  one  of  the  attending 
surgeons.  For  the  past  fifteen  years  he  has  been  a  surgeon 
at  the  Five  Points  House  of  Industry.  He  is  also  the 
consulting  surgeon  to  the  Laura  Franklin  Free  Hospital  for 
Children,  attending  surgeon  to  the  Flower  Hospital,  a 
member  of  the  American  Institute  of  Homoeopathy,  of  the 
New  York  State  Homoeopathic  Society,  and  the  New  York 
County  Medical  Society,  the  New  York  Medical  Club,  and 
the  Jahn  Club.  Dr.  Doughty  married  in  1868  Hanna  M., 
the  daughter  of  N.  W.  Starr,  of  Yonkers,  and  has  had  three 
children,  but  one  of  whom  is  living.  His  practice  is 
confined  largely  to  diseases  of  the  genito-urinary  organs. 


ANTON  SCHWARZ. 

Of  late  years  brewing  in  this  country  has  risen  to 
the  dignity  of  a  science,  and  without  it  and  a  good  deal  of 
capital  no  one  may  hope  to  enter  into  the  business  with  suc- 
cess. There  is,  in  fact,  now  in  existence  in  this  city  the 
United  States  Brewers'  Academy,  established  for  the  expiess 
purpose  of  teaching  young  men  how  to  brew  on  a  scientific 
basis,  which  establishment  was  organized  and  is  conducted 
by  Mr.  A.  Schwarz,  of  200  Worth  Street.  Attached  to  the 
institution  is  what  is  called  a  "scientific  station,"  whose 
main  object  is  to  examine  all  cases  of  disturbances  in  brew- 
ing, to  locate  the  cause  and  give  speedy  remedy,  especially 
to  make  investigations  of  raw  materials  used  in  breweries, 
such  as  water,  hops,  barley,  malt,  rice,  isinglass,  pitch,  var- 
nish, yeast  and  the  products,  lager  beer,  ales  and  porter, 
weiss  beer,  etc.  For  such  purposes  the  station  is  furnished 
with  a  complete  laboratory,  in  which  the  most  difficult  and 
complicated  examinations  may  be  made  of  all  samples  or 
ingredients  submitted.  This  institution  was  incorporated 
in  1880,  since  which  time  its  managers  have  made  17,000 
examinations.  'I'he  Academy  has  received  more  than  200 
scholars  to  date,  the  great  majority  of  whom  to-day  occupy 
prominent  ])ositions  in  various  breweries  throughout  the 
country.  The  Academy  does  not  grant  diplomas  to  any  but 
those  who  have  passed  a  rigid  examination  both  in  theory 


and  practice.  Among  the  branches  of  study  are  chemistry 
and  chemical  experiments  in  the  miniature  brewery  and 
malt  house,  microscopical  investigations,  mechanical  tech- 
nology, fermentation,  mathematics,  science  of  saccharo- 
meter  and  attenuation,  etc.  Mr.  Schwarz,  Director  of  the 
Academy,  is  jiublisher  of  the  American  Breiver,  and  Max 
Schwarz,  his  son,  is  the  editor.  He  was  born  in  Bohemia  in 
1839,  and  was  educated  in  the  Polytechnic  Institute  in 
Prague,  and  com|jleted  his  studies  in  a  classical  school  in 
Vienna.  Coming  to  this  country  in  1868  he  became  editor 
of  the  Anierican  Brewer,  which  was  started  that  year  by 
Adol])h  Meckert.  In  the  year  following  Mr.  Schwarz 
became  sole  ])roprietor  of  the  paper.  For  three  years  he 
studied  practical  brewing  under  the  celebrated  Professor 
Balling,  of  Prague,  and  in  1880,  as  already  stated,  started 


ANTON  SCHWARZ. 

the  United  States  Brewers'  Academy,  which  he  conducts 
with  the  assistance  of  his  son  Max.  He  also  started  its  first 
scientific  station  for  the  art  of  brewing  in  this  country,  of 
which  all  the  prominent  brewers  of  the  country  are  members. 
Apart  from  his  business,  in  which  it  is  needless  to  say  he  dis- 
plays original  ability,  he  is  a  delightful  companion  in  social 
circles  and  universally  popular.  He  resides  with  his  famUy 
at  112  Berkeley  Place,  Brooklyn,  which  consists  of  a  charm- 
ing wife  and  three  sons,  Max  (who  is  manied),  Gustav  and 
Frederick,  and  one  daughter,  Paula,  married  to  L.  Herzog. 
Mr.  Schwarz  is  an  honorary  member  of  the  United  States 
Brewers'  Association,  an  honor  never  before  conferred  upon 
any  one  not  actually  engaged  in  the  brewing  business. 


PHILIP  BISSINGER. 

Phili])  Bissinger,  the  well  known  New  York  diamond 
merchant,  is  about  the  most  prominent  illustration  of  what 
individual  human  energy  is  capable  of  achievingin  a  si)ecific 
way  that  can  be  presented  to  the  readers  of  this  biograi)hical 
work.  For  almost  half  a  century  he  has  been  the  leading 
champion  for  the  rights  of  the  German  element  in  this  city; 
has  seen  that  its  volume  of  emigration  was  properly  directed, 


178  NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS 


nnd  has  l)een  mainly  instrumental  in  organizing  banks  for 
its  financial,  and  building  hosintals  for  its  physical,  necessi- 
ties. He  was  born  June  2.  1827,  near  the  town  of  Pforz- 
heim. Baden,  Germany.  His  father,  a  farmer,  descended 
from  a  line  of  farmers,  though  obliged  to  struggle  hard  and 
continuously  for  a  living,  managed  nevertheless  to  give  his 
six  children,  of  whom  Philip  was  the  eldest,  as  good  an  edu- 
cation as  the  schools  of  their  native  town  could  afford,  but 
when  fourteen  the  lad,  in  accordance  with  German  usage, 
was  ap])renticed  to  Theodore  Lenz  &  Co.,  engaged  in  the 
jewelry  trade.  The  Revolution  of  1848  played  havoc 
with  business  in  Germany,  and  Mr.  Lenz  decided  to  go  to 
America  in  search  of  new  markets.  One  day  he  invited 
Philip  to  dinner,  and  much  to  the  youth's  surprise,  said  he 
would  have  to  take  charge  of  the  business  until  his  return, 
whereat  young  Bissinger's  surprise  changed  to  astonish- 
ment. Mr.  Lenz  sailed  away,  and  Philip  conducted  the 
business  so  successfully  that  he  was  appointed  bookkeejjer 
on  his  principal's  return.    A  year  rolled  over,  and  Phili]), 


I'HILII'  BISSINGER. 

thinking  he  also  would  see  a  little  life  himself,  obtained  a 
position  with  the  extensive  jewelry  house  of  \\'iiliam  Kaemjjff 
iV  C'o.  He  came  to  New  York  on  December  16,  1849, 
and  that  very  day  unpacked  his  goods  and  went  round  in 
search  of  buyers.  After  four  years  of  unremitting  toil  he 
established  himself  in  business  at  No.  13  John  Street,  where 
he  has  attained  a  national  reputation  as  a  dealer  in  dia- 
monds. When  the  great  stream  of  Cierman  immigration 
began  to  flow  westward,  he  saw  that,  if  his  thousands 
of  countrymen  settling  down  every  year  in  this  city  were 
to  have  scojje  for  their  commercial  activity,  it  would  be 
necessary  they  should  have  a  bank  of  their  own.  In  our 
day,  when  the  Germans  are  so  i)Otent  a  factor  in  our  Na- 
tional life,  this  may  seem  a  small  affair,  but,  all  the  same,  it 
took  a  long  and  bitter  struggle  to  a(  (  omi)lish  it  thirty  or 
forty  years  ago.  However,  through  the  energy  of  Mr.  Bis- 
singer  a  charter  was  obtained  in  1859.  The  twenty-five 
original  incorporators  subsc  ribed  eac  h  $200,  and  the  bank 


was  started  with  a  capital  stock  of  $5,000.  At  the  end 
of  the  first  year  it  had  1,873  dei)ositors,  with  an  aggregate 
of  $259,954.87,  which  sur])assed  the  most  sanguine  expect- 
ations of  its  organizers.  In  1864  Mr.  Bissinger  was 
elected  President,  and  it  then  received  a  great  impetus. 
He  was  well  known  and  trusted;  he  infused  his  character- 
istic energy  into  every  department;  it  doubled  its  business 
almost  every  year  until  1890  the  deposits  amounted  to 
ujjward  of  $30,000,000 !  It  is  the  fourth  largest  institution 
of  ihe  kind  in  the  United  States.  In  1861  the  management 
])urchased  property  on  Fourteenth  Street  and  Fourth  Avenue, 
and  in  1870  erected  the  present  German  S|)ar  IJank  build- 
ing u])on  it.  And  so  with  the  great  German  Society  founded 
in  1784.  Mr.  Bissinger  joined  it  in  1854,  and  concentrated 
all  his  energy  in  the  direction  of  making  it  a  success,  and 
as  usual  he  succeeded.  Though  often  pressed  to  assume 
the  office  of  President,  it  was  not  until  1865  that  he  con- 
sented. From  the  first  he  instituted  important  reforms.  In 
1868  he  started  a  banking  department  in  connection  with  it 
with  a  capital  of  $5,000,  then  went  to  Europe  and  estab- 
lished agencies  there,  with  thirty  banks  in  Germany,  Austria 
and  Switzerland.  But,  after  all,  his  greatest  achievements 
have  been  identified  with  German  emigration.  Through  the 
Emigration  (Commission  he  established  in  connection  with 
the  German  Society  a  labor  bureau  ;  100,000  immigrants, 
finding  themselves  in  a  strange  land,  often  penniless,  were 
cared  for  and  provided  with  employment.  Finding  that 
the  Eurojjcan  transportation  lines  were  providing  shameful 
accommodation  for  (ierman  immigrants,  Philijj  Bissinger, 
flaming  with  righteous  indignation,  went  to  Hamburg,  and 
there  confronting  the  great  Senator  Slowman,  had  him  cen- 
sured by  King  William  (subsequently  Kaiser),  and  a  sweep- 
ing reform  effected.  The  Emperor  conferred  Knighthood 
on  Mr.  Bissinger.  Returning  to  America,  he  brought  a 
still  more  i)owerful  magnate  to  his  knees  in  the  person  of 
Tom  Scott,  the  Railway  King  of  Pennsylvania.  The  line 
of  railroad  controlled  by  Mr.  Scott  did  not,  in  Mr.  B  ssin- 
ger's  opinion,  treat  the  emigrants  fairly.  He  stated  boldly 
to  the  Board  of  Emigration  Commissioners  that  the  emi- 
grants were  being  cheated,  which  declaration  brought  Presi- 
dent Scott  to  Mr.  Bissinger's  office  in  a  rage.  Mr.  Bissin- 
ger was  cool,  and  reiterated  his  statement,  whereupon  Mr. 
Scott  obtained  a  warrant  from  Judge  Bernard  for  his  arrest. 
Mr.  Bissinger  went  to  Judge  Bernard,  explained  matters 
and  the  Judge  cancelled  the  warrant.  After  this  emigrants 
were  well  treated. 

It  was  in  the  same  manner  that  he  made  the  Commission- 
er of  Charities  and  Correction  aliate  a  claim  of  $60,000  they 
jiressed  against  the  Emigration  Board.  They  claimed  $80,000 
principal  for  what  they  alleged  was  a  long  outstanding 
debt,  and  $60,000  interest.  Mr.  Bissinger  ])aid  the  princi- 
pal, but  refused  the  interest.  As  usual  he  carried  the  day, 
and  was  universally  eulogized  for  his  action.  He  was  one 
of  the  committee  of  seventy  which  crushed  the  Tweed  Ring, 
and  in  1884  presided  over  the  meeting  in  Cooper  LInion  at 
which  the  resolutions  were  discussed  censuring  the  govern- 
ment for  giving  the  German  element  too  much  rei)Tesenta- 
tion  on  the  Board  of  Emigration  Commis.-^ioners.  He  went 
to  .-Mbany  with  a  copy  of  the  resolutions  and  had  ihem  can- 
celled. He  was  a  Park  Commissioner,  and  one  of  the  incor- 
porators of  the  New  York  Eye  and  ICar  Infirmary,  and  its 
Vice-President,  and,  in  fact,  Mr.  Philij)  Hissinger  is  entitled 
to  a  monument,  not  only  from  the  German  element,  but  from 
the  citizens  at  large.    Mr.  Bissinger  is  a  baclielor. 


CHARLES    BROADWAY  ROUSS. 

Every  merchant  in  the  I'nited  States  and  thousands 
outside  of  it  have  heard  of  Charles  Broadway  Rouss,  and 
yet  how  comparatively  few  there  are  who  have  read  his 
extraordinary   story.    Nothing  more  maryellous  than  the 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


179 


history  of  the  man  has  ever  ajjpeared  in  the  pages  of 
romance.  He  came  to  New  Yori<  in  tlie  ragged  uniform 
of  an  ahiiost  broken-hearted  Confederate  soldier  who  had 
been  surrendered  at  Appomattox  with  four  dollars  in  his 
pocket,  while  now  he  possesses  an  independent  fortune. 
Apart  from  the  great  commercial  success  which  he  has 
achieved  as  a  merchant,  his  original  traits  of  character,  the 
pathos  and  what  may  be  termed  the  poetry  of  his  life,  the 
failure  and  the  success  of  his  remarkjble  career,  eminentlv 
fit  him  for  a  place  in  a  work  like  "  New  York,  the  Metropolis." 
Charles  Broadway  Rouss  was  born  in  Woodsboro,  Mary- 


Stonewall  Jackson,  and  those  who  know  him  best  bear 
witness  that  a  more  magnificent  soldier  or  one  more 
unselfishly  loyal  did  not  carry  a  musket  during  those  four 
years  of  fierce  strife  that  began  at  Fort  Sumter  and  ended 
at  Appomattox.  After  a  year  in  the  cornfield  he  came  to 
New  York  to  begin  the  world  anew,  not  knowing  what  the 
future  had  in  store  for  the  war-worn  soldier  of  a  lost  cause. 
But  if  he  had  only  a  few  dollars  in  his  pocket  Charles 
Broadway  Rouss  had  in  his  heart  the  grim  resolve  to  suc- 
ceed. And  here  may  be  the  proper  place  to  observe  that 
his  capacity  did  not  subject  him  to  limitations  as  to  a 


land,  in  1836,  but  when  a  mere  child  was  taken  to  live  in 
Berkeley  County,  now  in  West  Virginia,  whence  after  some 
years  he  moved  to  Winchester,  in  the  famous  Shenandoah 
Valley.  Here  he  lived  and  was  prospering  in  a  modest  way 
as  a  merchant  when  the  tocsin  of  war  sounded  throughout 
the  land  and  men  with  hearts  in  their  bosoms  sprang  to 
arms  in  defence  of  the  cause  they  deemed  right.  Young 
Rouss  did  not  hesitate  as  to  his  choice.  He  joined  the 
Confederacy  ;  he  belonged  to  the  immortal  Army  of 
Northern  \'irginia,  of  which  Robert  E.  Lee  was  the  com- 
mander-in-chief ;  he  fought  under  the  immediate  eye  of 


calling.  Any  one  who  reads  his  Motithly  Auction  Journal 
will  at  once  realize  that  journalism  has  lost  in  him  a  great 
editor,  literature  perhaps  a  great  poet.  Any  one  who  has 
heard  him  speak  when  the  mood  was  on  him  to  throw  out 
sparks  of  fire  could  have  no  difficulty  in  imagining  that  he 
could  mould  himself  into  an  orator.  But  he  had  a  young 
and  growing  family,  he  had  some  experience  in  the  business, 
and  it  may  be  that  it  was  necessity  drove  him  into  the  dry- 
goods  trade,  as  it  was  opportunity  made  of  Oliver  Wendell 
Holmes  a  physician,  and  of  Henry  Stedman  a  banker. 
However  this  may  be,  he  did  become  a  drygoods  merchant. 


i8o  JVEIV  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


We  are  told  how  he  began  the  battle  of  life,  and  the  story  is 
both  interesting  and  instructive.  He  paid  fifty  cents  a  day 
rent  and  a  like  sum  for  maintenance,  and  grubbed  and 
l)lodded  pluckily  along,  the  world  hearing  very  little  of  him 
until  in  1876  when  it  was  incidentally  informed  that  this 
ex-Confederate  wanderer  from  Winchester  had  forty 
branches  of  his  business  in  different  cities  of  the  Union. 

This  piece  of  news  was  published  in  the  daily  papers  of  the 
time  in  connection  with  his  failure  in  business.  For  he  did 
undoubtedly  fail  for  once  and  the  failure  taught  him  the 
lesson  of  his  life.  At  this  time  his  store  was  in  Duane 
Street,  and  when  a  balance  was  struck  he  found  himself 
$5 1,000  poorer  then  when  he  began  business  eleven  years 
before.  W^hy  he  failed  was  because  he  hud  been  doing 
business  on  the  credit  system.  Henceforth  he  would  change 
his  base  and  work  on  a  cash  system.  Every  one  knows  the 
result,  also  that  the  first  thing  he  did  when  fortune  favored 
was  to  pay  off  his  §50,000  indebtedness  to  the  last  farthing, 
principal  and  interest.  From  that  time  on  everything  he 
touched  turned  into  gold,  not,  however,  through  blind 
chance  or  good  luck,  but  a  result  of  cool  mathematical 
calculation,  great   energy,   hard  work  and  perseverance. 

He  was  obliged  to  enlarge  his  premises  and  being  about  it 
at  all,  he  did  the  thing  in  princely  style.  His  store  on 
Broadway  is  the  wonder  of  New  York,  not  so  much  on 
account  of  its  size  as  because  of  its  stateliness  and  architec- 
tural beauty.  It  is  noticeable  that  in  the  biographical 
sketches  of  famous  architects  we  see  in  the  daily  paj)ers 
now  and  then  all  of  them  who  in  any  way  were  connected 
with  this  building,  composed  of  iron  and  brick,  are  proud 
enough  of  the  fact  to  have  it  mentioned  in  cold  type.  It  is 
twelve  stories  high,  to  which  he  is  about  to  add  two  more, 
all  of  them  from  basement  to  attic  covered  with  goods 
which  are  siiijjped  to  all  parts  of  the  United  States  and 
Canada  as  well  as  the  Republics  of  North,  South  and 
Ontral  America.  A  young  man  competent  at  figures  calcu- 
lates that  were  those  stories  flattened  out  they  would  cover 
an  area  of  five  square  acres.  That  is  surely  a  mammoth 
store  and  yet  it  is  too  small  for  the  business  of  Charles 
Broadway  Rouss.  He  will  soon  have  to  enlarge.  The  man 
is  literally  a  devourer  of  work.  He  labors  sixteen  hours  a 
day  on  an  average.  He  looks  after  his  own  corresj.'ondence, 
which  is  immense.  In  other  great  houses  with  no  pretension 
to  eejuality  with  his  the  correspondence  is  divided  into 
branches  with  a  man  in  charge  of  each,  but  Mr.  Rouss 
scoffs  at  such  an  idea.  Another  task  he  has  undertaken  is 
the  editing  his  Monthly  Auction  Trade  Journal.  Though 
this  is  meant  chiefly  as  an  advertising  medium  and  has  a 
circulation  of  2.000,000  it  contains  a  good  deal  of  sound 
sense.  Mr.  Rouss  writes  phonetically.  He  does  not 
believe  in  unnecessary  letters.  One  of  the  banks  he  makes 
deposit  in  is  the  Ninth  National,  in  whi(  h  his  cash  account 
is  said  to  be  the  heaviest  in  the  drygoods  district.  This  is 
saying  a  good  deal.  In  commencing  this  sketch  it  was  not 
intended  to  speak  so  much  of  the  business  of  Mr.  Rouss  as 
about  his  personality,  but  both  are  so  connected  that  it  is 
hard  to  dissociate  them.  In  a])pearance  he  is  a  man  that 
would  not  strike  the  superficial  observer,  but  to  the  physiog- 
nomist he  is  a  study,  and  his  strong,  well  cut  features  reflect 
the  indomitable  spirit  within.  He  is  of  medium  height,  of 
middle  age,  has  grey  hair  and  mustache  and  carries  himself 
with  (piiet  dignity.  Nevertheless,  though  so  long  in 
business  and  though  almost  anew  generation  has  sprung  up 
since  he  laid  down  his  musket,  something  of  the  air  militaire 
is  bound  to  stick  to  him  to  the  end.  In  fact,  you  strike  one 
of  the  tenderest  chords  in  his  nature  when  you  mention  any- 
thing about  the  war.  \\'hen  his  brilliant  son  that  he  loved 
more  than  he  loved  business  and  fortune — better  than  he 
loved  life  itself — was  torn  from  his  grasp  by  the  hand  of  death, 
■the  New  York  millionaire,  though  prostrate  with  grief,  did  nt)l 


forget  his  brave  comrades  in  arms,  and  it  is  on  record  that 
after  returning  from  his  son's  funeral  he  sat  down  and 
wrote  a  check  for  $7,500,  which  he  sent  to  \\  inchester  "  to 
build  an  iron  fence  about  my  neighbors"  graves,"  as  he  put 
it  in  his  own  cpiict  way.  Indeed  he  is  a  man  of  strong 
domestic  affections.  He  has  never  forgotten  Winchester, 
which  may  be  almost  considered  his  native  town.  He 
supi)orts  its  institutions  from  here  in  New  York  just  as 
liberally  as  if  he  stdl  lived  there.  He  subscribes  to  its  fire 
department,  its  agricultural  fairs,  its  institutions  ;  he  keeps 
its  newsjjapers  religiously  on  file  and  reads  them  from 
column  to  column  ;  in  fine,  his  spirit  moves  u|)on  Win- 
chester and  its  quiet  domesticity  when  released  from  the 
turmoil  and  bustle  of  the  American  metropolis.  The 
]jicture  he  takes  most  piide  in  has  been  painted  by  a 
Winchester  artist — Mr.  Bruce — and  the  subject  is  a 
portrait  of  his  old  and  well  beloved' Commander-in-chief, 
Robert  K.  Lee,  whom  he  considers  the  greatest  military 
genius  this  country  has  produced.  After  his  son  the  person 
who  holds  the  deepest  affections  of  this  singular  man  is  Ex- 
(k)vernor  W.  F.  Holliday,  his  closest  friend  and  warmest 
admirer.  The  one  armed  ex-CHiief  Magistrate  of  Virginia, 
and  the  metropolitan  Merchant-Prince  "  illustrate  two 
vastly  variant  types  of  character,"  says  a  New  York  corre- 
spondent of  the  Spirit  of  Jefferson.,  a  paper  published  in 
Charlestown,  West  Virginia,  "but  both  are  essentially 
Southern.  There  is  something  of  the  same  splendid  self- 
reliance  and  magnificent  nerve  about  them  both,  and  these, 
after  all,  are  the  true  genius  of  success."  After  what  has 
been  written  concerning  the  domestic  disposition  of  Mr. 
Rouss  we  can  easily  imagine  the  weight  of  the  blow  that 
struck  him  when,  on  April  15,  1891,  his  well  beloved  son 
died  in  the  full  tide  of  his  young  and  beautiful  manhood. 

It  was  the  great  calamity  of  his  life,  and  though  he 
did  not  succumb  beneath  it,  though  his  iron  will  kept  him 
outwardly  calm  and  seemingly  impenetrable  to  grief,  his 
nearest  friends  noticed  what  a  change  the  bereavement  had 
wrought  when  all  was  over.  For  young  Mr.  Rouss  was  no 
ordinary  man.  He  was  his  first  born,  he  was  thirty-one 
years  of  age,  highly  educated,  liberally  gifted  by  nature,  and 
as  regards  business  was  after  his  father's  own  heart.  He 
was,  as  he  says  himself  in  his  ([uaint  phonetic  phraseology, 
his  "rite  hand  man."  Nor  wasM".  Rouss's  grief  always 
poured  out  for  his  own  flesh  and  blood.  He  mourned 
almost  as  keenly  for  a  departed  faithful  employe.  Witness, 
for  instance,  this  extract  from  a  placard  placed  in  a 
prominent  place  in  his  store,  which  is  really  a  ])oetic  monu- 
ment to  a  dear  friend:  "The  fearless,  tireless  little  veteran 
(Henry  Opie)  of  231  and  351  and  341  and  468,  dating  away 
back  No.  373  in  1870,  passed  from  time  to  eternity  last  night, 
at  half-past  ten.  .  .  .  Ah  me!  how  bitter  those  terrible 
trials  that  tear  friendship  and  affection  to  atoms  with  un- 
sparing and  merciless  severity.  Poor,  dear  Opie  !  He  stood 
at  his  post  as  long  as  he  was  able  to  stand,  with  a  courage 
and  fidelity  that  would  command  adoration  from  ingratitude 
itself.  Farewell,  my  brave,  true  Ojiie  !  Often  have  1  said, 
'  Come,  0|)ie,  no  rest  for  the  weary  I  '  but  it  is  all  over 
now,  and  that  impatient,  i)ersisttnt,  loyal  bundle  of  devotion, 
fidelity  and  toil  sleeps  in  i)erfect  rest.  If  that  deathless 
spark  that  works  the  mind  survives  dissolution,  then  he  has 
greeted  the  deathless,  chivalrous  veterans  that  have  droii])ed 
from  the  ranks  in  our  march  from  149  to  468 — Bob,  t!lint, 
Peter,  Omo,  Frank,  Lee.  Yes,  Opie,  with  a  thousand  un- 
availing regrets,  with  unspoken  prayers  and  hopeless  hoi)es, 
I  bid  you  an  affectionate   farewell   forever. — C.  B.  R." 

(The  above  numbers  refer  to  the  various  locations  of  Mr. 
Rouss's  store  at  different  times.)  Doubtless  after  a  tour  of 
his  mammoth  store  nothing  would  give  a  better  idea  of 
Mr.  Rouss's  business  than  his  Moiitlily  Auction  Journal. 
It   contains   forty-eight  pages,  and   after  three   or  four 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS.  i8i 


columns  of  editorial  matter  is  dedicated  to  a  jjricelist  of  his 
wares,  than  which  a  more  miscellaneous  collection  cannot 
be  found  in  any  store  in  the  world.  The  saying  that  you 
find  in  the  place  everything  from  a  needle  to  an  anchor  is 
literally  true  M'ith  the  exception  of  the  anchor.  It  is  a 
magazine  for  the  United  States,  and  as  a  matter  of  fact, 
there  is  not  a  city,  town  or  village  in  this  big  country  that 
does  not  draw  upon  it  for  supplies.  To  return  once 
more  to  his  beloved  Winchester,  we  copy  resolutions  passed 
by  the  Board  of  Managers  of  Mount  Hebron  Cemetery 
Company,  dated  May  29,  1891,  as  a  close  to  this  too  brief 
sketch  :  "  Governor  Holliday  "  (says  the  iVinchester 
Times)  "  laid  before  the  Board  a  communication  he  had 
received  from  Charles  B.  Rouss,  Esq.,  making  a  donation 
to  the  Mount  Hebron  Cemetery  Company  of  seven  thousand 
five  hundred  dollars  for  the  purpose  of  enclosing  the 
grounds.     It   is   unanimously  ordered    that  the  cordial 


the  company's  factories.  He  belongs  to  pure  New  Eng- 
land stock  of  English  and  Scotch  ancestry,  grafted  upon 
American  soil  from  early  Colonial  times.  His  great-grand- 
father was  Joseph  Page,  of  Rochester,  N.  H.,  his  grand- 
father David  C.  Page,  of  Sandwich,  same  State,  and  his 
father  John  Ham  Page,  all  farmers  and  descended  from  a 
long  line  of  farmers.  George  himself  worked  on  a  farm 
until  nineteen  years  of  age,  after  which  he  received  an 
educational  training  in  Cornell  College,  Mount  Vernon, 
Iowa.  He  was  in  the  War  Dej)artment  at  Washington  for 
three  years.  In  1866  he  went  to  Zurich,  Switzerland,  at  the 
suggestion  of  his  brother,  Chas.  A.  Page,  then  U.  S.  Consul 
at  Zurich,  and  it  was  there  that  the  company  was  organized 
with  a  legal  domicile  at  Cham,  Switzerland.  Since  then  he 
has  devoted  all  his  energy  to  the  great  enterprise,  and  as 
General  Manager  of  all  departments,  manufacturing,  finan- 
cial and  commercial,  while  acting  as  a  member  of  the  Board 


GEORGE  HAM  PAGE. 


thanks  of  the  company  be  extended  to  Mr.  Rouss  for  his 
magnificent  gift.  It  is  further  ordered  unanimously  that 
the  company  do  present  to  Mr.  Rouss  a  lot  in  the  cemetery, 
not  occupied  or  hitherto  assigned,  of  such  area  and  site  as 
he  may  desire."  Mr.  Rouss  is  not  accustomed  to  publish  his 
donations,  but  a  friend  who  knows  him  well  declares  that 
he  has  within  the  past  twenty  years  donated  upwards  of  a 
quarter  of  a  million  dollars  to  j.urposes  in  which  the 
veterans  of  the  South  as  well  as  very  many  of  the  institu- 
tions of  the  North  are  interested. 


GEORGE  HAM  PAGE. 

George  Ham  Page,  Chief  Organizer  of  the  great  Ameri- 
can industry  called,  singularly  enough,  the  "  Anglo-Swiss 
Condensed  Milk  Company,"  was  born  on  May  16,  1836, 
in  a  log  cabin  at  Dixon,  I.ee  County,  State  of  Illinois, 
very  near  the  spot  on  which  at  jjresent  stands  the  largest  of 


of  Directors  and  Chief  Executive,  has  been  brilliantly  suc- 
cessful. On  being  asked  to  assign  a  cause  for  his  phenom- 
enal success,  Mr.  Page  smiled  and  replied,  "I  attribute  a 
measure  of  success  to  a  trait  of  tenacity,  mastering  and 
sticking  to  one  kind  of  business,  constant  firing  at  one  tar- 
get, never  scattering  energy,  steering  clear  of  schemes  plau- 
sibly presented  by  visionaries  and  phantom  mongers."  Mr. 
Page's  greatest  satisfaction  is  to  be  conscious  that  he  has 
been  instrumental  in  extending  the  business  in  a  homeward 
direction  to  his  native  country,  and,  in  fact,  to  his  native 
town.  He  was  appointed  Vice-Consul  to  Zurich  by  Wm. 
H.  Seward,  Secretary  of  State,  and  in  1875  he  married  a 
Swiss  lady.  Miss  Adelheid  Schwerzmann,  of  Zoug.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Republican  Club  of  the  city  of  New  York. 
At  the  World's  Fair  at  Vienna,  in  1875,  he  was  awarded  the 
"  Medal  of  Progress"  for  introducing  a  new  industry  into 
Europe. 


l82 


NEIV   YORK',  THE  METROPOLIS. 


JOHN  E.  BRODSKY. 

Mr.  John  E.  15rodsky,  the  well-know  n  Republican  leader 
of  the  old  Eighth  District,  was  born  in  New  York  City,  May 
20,  1855.  He  received  his  early  education  in  the  public 
schools  and  from  private  teachers,  and  then  went  to  Colum- 
bia Law  School,  graduating  from  that  institution  in  the 
class  of  1876,  receiving  the  degree  LL.B.  He  was  admit- 
ted to  the  bar  in  July,  1876,  and  entered  at  once  on  the  active 
practice  of  law,  in  which  he  is  still  engaged,  enjoying  now 
an  extensive  clientage.  For  five  years  he  was  a  member  of 
the  firm  of  Johnston,  Tilton  <^  Brodsky,  but  since  the  dis- 
solution of  that  copartnership  in  1882,  has  practised  on  his 
own  account,  devoting  himself  ex(  lusively  to  cases  in  the 
civil  courts  and  real  estate  matters  and  litigations.  Mr. 
Brodsky  entered  into  politics  in  1873,  before  reaching  his 
majority,  and  labored  with  the  late  John  J.  O'Brien,  soon 
becoming  his  reliable  lieutenant  and  doing  great  service  in 
the  Republican  cause  in  the  Eighth  District,  overcoming 
the  heavy  Democratic  majority  there,  and  controlling  the 


JOHN  i:.  iiK<)i)M-;\. 


district  for  years.  He  was  a  candidate  for  the  Assembly  in 
1878  and  defeated,  but  he  made  such  a  showing  of  strength 
and  personal  poi)ularily  that  he  was  renominated  in  1879 
and  elected,  and  then  re-elected  in  1880,  1881  and  again  in 
1890.  In  1882  he  declined  the  Assembly  to  accept  the 
Senatorial  nomination,  but  in  the  larger  Democratic  field  he 
failed  of  election.  In  the  Assembly  he  introduced  and 
passed  a  number  of  imjjortant  bills,  and  was  especially 
strong  in  the  session  of  1890,  and  active  in  the  Legislature 
regarding  the  consolidation  of  New  York  and  Brooklyn, 
which  bill  he  introduced,  also  regarding  East  River  bridges, 
cable  roads,  botanical  gardens  and  public  improvements, 
although  then  a  member  of  the  minority  in  the  legislative 
body.  He  i)rove(l  himself  a  man  of  considerable  ability, 
and  was  very  effective  in  debate.  In  manner  and  appear- 
ance he  is  much  the  superior  of  the  ty])ical  politician.  He 
has  always  been  noted  for  his  political  shrewdness  and  fore- 
sight, and  .he  naturally  succeeded  the  famous  John  J. 
.O'Brien  upon  the  death  of  the  latter.      In  iSSi  in  ihe  con- 


test for  the  return  of  Hon.  Roscoe  Conkling  and  Hon. 
Thomas  C.  Piatt  to  the  United  States  Senate,  after  their 
resignation,  resulting  from  the  antagonism  of  President 
CJarfield,  Mr.  Brodsky  took  sides  with  them,  and  was  one  of 
the  famous  twenty-nine  who  voted  for  Roscoe  Conkling  until 
the  end  of  the  balloting,  which  lasted  for  a  period  of  about 
six  weeks,  Mr.  Piatt  having  retired  early  in  the  struggle. 
He  was  the  only  one  of  the  twenty-nine  who  was  re-elected 
to  the  Legislature  of  the  following  year.  He  has  always 
looked  upon  his  action  in  that  memorable  jiolitical  contest 
as  one  of  the  proudest  of  his  life,  believing  Mr.  Conkling  to 
have  been  a  "peer  among  peers." 


SAMUEL  M.  BIXBY. 

Among  the  many  successful  men  who  have  come  to  the 
New  World's  commercial  metropolis  from  time  to  time  to 
participate  in  the  struggle  for  fame  and  fortune.  Samuel  >L 
Bixby  is,  perhaps,  the  most  extraordinary.  His  history,  be- 
sides being  unusually  checkered,  is  instructive  to  the  young 
and  ambitious  as  showing  what  an  iron  will,  steadfast  deter- 
mination and  an  aggressive  business  character  are  cajia- 
ble  of  achieving  over  the  most  apparently  insurmountable 
difficulties.  Beginning  with  next  to  nothing,  he  has  built  a 
great  factory  and  placed  himself  among  the  millionaires  of 
the  land,  while  retaining  a  character  that  any  business  mnn 
may  be  proud  of.  When  the  name  "Bixby  "  is  mentioned 
anywhere  the  word  "  Blacking "  suggests  itself  irre- 
sistibly to  the  mind  in  connection  with  it.  He  is 
to  America  what  Day  (.\:  Martin  were  to  England  and 
her  colonies  in  their  time,  with  the  difference  that, 
whereas  Day  ^:  Martin  are  fading  away  and  their 
names,  like  their  blacking,  are  losing  their  lustre,  Bixby 
has  not  yet  reached  his  meridian,  though  his  name  is  heard 
and  his  blacking  i)urchased  to-day  in  regions  that  in  the 
comparatively  ancient  times  of  Day  &:  Martin  were  inha- 
bited by  people  who  knew  not  the  uses  of  boots  and  shoes. 
In  fact,  to  confess  ignorance  of  Bixby's  "  Three  Bee  "  or  his 
"  Royal  Polish"  is  to  confess  that  one  has  not  travelled,  for 
his  advertisement  may  be  seen  on  the  ribs  of  the  highest 
mountains  and  on  the  rocks  along  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific 
coasts.  The  methods  employed  to  advertise  articles  of  food, 
patent  medicines,  etc.,  do  not  often  serve  for  advertising 
shoe  blacking,  and  in  order  to  traverse  the  comparatively 
unbeaten  ])atn  peculiar  devices  have  had  to  be  employed. 
Speaking  of  this  matter  Boots  and  Sho'S  IViekly  says  :  "The 
ingenious  Mr.  Bixby,  of  shoe  blacking  and  dressing  fame, 
has  got  out  another  novelty  which  forcibly  reminds  us  that 
he  is  '  up  to  the  times.'  It  consists  of  a  neat  nickelplated 
clock,  on  the  dial  of  which  is  the  familiar  figure  of  the  man 
having  his  boots  blacked  with  Bixby's  blacking.  The  inter- 
esting feature  is  the  little  bootblack,  into  whom  the  works 
of  the  clock  seem  to  breathe  life,  and  he  j)olishes  away  at 
the  gentleman's  shoe  with  an  earnestness  and  precision  that 
is  (juite  amusing.  It  is  reasonable  to  su])i)Ose  that  this  boy 
will  work  for  .\Ir.  Bixby  while  his  master  sleeps."  Another 
advertising  scheme  thai  emanated  from  Mr.  Bixby's  fertile 
brain  was  the  three-wheeled  wagon  which  created  a  well 
remembered  sensation  in  every  city,  town,  vi  lage  and  hamlet 
through  which  it  passed.  This  wagon  was  a  circus  in  itself. 
If  any  one  would  like  to  know  what  a  great  industry  the 
manufacture  of  blacking  really  is,  let  him  visit  the  mammoth 
establishment  of  S.  .M.  Bixby  &  Co.,  see  the  number  of  hands 
em])l()ved.  and  the  complex  machinery  and  vast  amount  of 
raw  material  in  process  t)f  manufacture.  It  is  a  large,  six-story 
structure,  filled  up  with  all  the  machinery  and  ajiiiliances 
necessary  to  the  production  of  the  finest  and  most  pojjular 
blacking  in  the  world.  The  company  controlling  this 
industry  is  incorporated,  and  the  president  is  the  orig- 
inal Mr.  Bixby  himself.  Though  the  annual  sale  of 
the  products    now    aggregates    several    hundred  thou- 


I 


i83 


sand  dollars,  and  the  Imsiness  swims  prosi)eronsly  on 
toward  the  million  point,  it  must  not  be  supposed  that 
the  founder  achieved  this  ilegree  of  success  with- 
out great  difficulty.  On  the  contrary,  the  obstacles  he 
had  to  surmount  were  so  great  that,  as  he  now  is  free  to  con- 
fess, could  he  have  foreseen  them  it  is  probable  he  would  not 
have  undertaken  such  an  enterprise.  Mr.  Eixby  was  born 
in  New  Hampshire,  May  27,  1833,  and  his  father,  who  was  a 
farmer,  raised  several  sons,  who,  like  the  subject  of  our 
sketch,  ha\'e  all  become  successful  in  their  chosen  occupa- 
tions. He  was  married  in  1861  to  Mary  E.  'I'raphagen,  of 
Newburg,  N.  Y.,  but  has  no  family.  Mrs.  Bixby  is  of  Franco- 
German  descent,  but  her  i)arents  were  born  in  this  country. 
While  still  a  boy  Mr.  Bixby  was  employed  as  clerk  in  a  store, 
and  when  not  quite  eighteen  went  into  business  .for  himself. 
The  man  for  whom  he  was  clerking  died,  and  young  Mr. 
Bixby — who  always  won  the  esteem  of  those  with  whom  he 
came  in  contact — was  started  in  trade  in  the  gentlemen's 
furnishing  line  by  his  deceased  employer's  creditors.  This 
showed  the  high  opinion  that  was  entertained  of  the  young 
man's  capacity.  In  the  midst  of  a  marked  success  in  the 
venture  he  was  taken  seriously  ill,  and  by  the  advice  of  his 
physician  went  to  C'hicago  (1853),  and  remaining  there  until 
1857  returned  to  New  York  and  embarked  in  the  shoe  busi- 
ness in  rather  a  modest  way.  It  was  here  that  the  idea  of 
making  shoe  blacking  shaped  itself  in  his  mind.  Perceiving 
the  defects  of  the  blackings  then  in  the  market,  and  with  a 
full  knowledge  of  what  was  wanted  in  a  perfect  blacking 
for  leather,  he  pursued  the  idea  diligently  from  the  time  he 
began  to  entertain  it.  His  ambition  was  to  produce  an 
article  that  would  be  free  from  objectionable  features  and  yet 
be  always  merchantable.  The  world  knows  how  well  he 
succeeded.  Then  began  the  invention  of  devices  for  mak- 
ing his  discovery  known  to  consumers.  It  was  he  who  first 
put  in  practice  the  slipping  of  a  box  of  blacking  into  a 
shoe  while  the  purchase  was  being  wrapped  up.  We 
may  form  some  idea  of  the  customer's  surprise  when, 
in  putting  on  his  shoe,  he  found  his  foot  come  in  con- 
tact with  a  box  of  blacking.  Nevertheless,  this  little 
manoeuvre  did  much  toward  the  introduction  of  the 
blacking  among  consumers  and  shows  Mr.  Bixby's  orig- 
inality in  a  striking  light.  In  1864  this  trade  in 
blacking  having  assumed  large  proportions,  he  sold  out 
his  shoe  business  and  went  into  the  manufacture  of  black- 
ing altogether.  To  this  he  devoted  all  his  time,  talent 
and  the  energy  that  has  characterized  him  through  life;  and 
certainly  he  required  ;ill  these  attributes  to  success  in  the 
uphill  task  he  undertook.  "  On;  thing,"  says  the  Aiiieiitan 
Analyst,  is  that  he  (Mr.  Bixby)  is  constantly  on  the  alert 
for  any  possible  improvement  of  the  goods  without  regard 
to  expense."  His  untiring  energy  keeps  him  to  the  front  in 
his  especial  line,  and  he  may  well  be  ])roud  of  the  lilieral 
patronage  he  enjoys  in  his  famous  blackings  for  men's  and 
women's  shoes. 


FERDINAND  LEVY. 

Hon.  Ferdinand  Levy,  Register  of  New  York,  was  born 
in  Milwaukee,  Wisconsin,  in  1844.  He  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  in  an  elementary  way,  and  graduated  with 
high  honors  from  the  University  of  that  city  in  the  class  of 
i860,  after  which  he  looked  around  for  a  wider  field  for  his 
abilities  and  naturally  came  to  New  York.  The  war  break- 
ing out  about  this  time,  Mr  Levy  enlisted  in  the  First  In- 
dependent Battalion  of  N.  Y.  Volunteers,  in  which  he  was 
commissioned  lieutenant  by  Governor  Morgan,  and  subse- 
quently promoted  to  a  cai)taincy  by  Governor  Seymour. 
He  made  a  good  soldier  and  enjovs  a  record  as  such  of 
which  any  man  will  be  ])roud.  He  saw  hard  service,  and 
ever  afterwards  his  sympathies  and  warmest  heart  feelings 
have  gone  out  to  his  comrades  in  arms.    In  Grand  Army 


circles  his  presence  has  been  felt  and  highly  a])preciated, 
and  his  reputation  as  an  officer  therein  is  well-known  to  all 
comrades  of  the  G.  A.  R.  After  the  war  Mr.  Levy  entered 
the  land  offices  of  Stevens  tS:  Ryment  as  managing  clerk, 
and  two  years  later  was  admitted  to  the  bar  and  became  a 
partner  in  the  law  firm  of  S.  &  F.  Levy.  He  then  entered 
the  field  of  politics,  for  which  he  has  a  natural  capacity,  and 
in  1880  was  elected  Alderman-at-large,  in  which  office  he 
served  two  years  and  was  then  elected  coroner  for  three 
years.  His  services  as  such  were  so  able  and  his  efforts  so 
untiring  that  he  was  re-elected  for  three  more  successive 
terms  of  three  years  each.  His  work  during  those  years 
cannot  be  overestimated  and  richly  earned  his  promotion 
in  the  fall  of  1892,  when  he  was  elected  to  the  position  he 
now  holds,  Register  of  the  City  and  County  of  New  York. 
Register  Levy  is  a  popular  member  of  many  societies,  and 
a  hard  worker  in  all  of  them.  He  is  a  director  of  Hebrew 
Charities,  of  the  Hebrew  Sheltering  Home,  the  Hebrew 
Lebanon  Hospital,  the  Passover  Relief  Association,  the 


FERDi.NAND  LEW. 

Downtown  Relief  Association,  the  Hebrew  Hospital, 
Isabella  Home  for  the  Aged  and  Infirm,  member  of  the  Ger- 
man Society,  the  Ladies'  First  .Vid  Society,  leading  Hebrew 
and  non-sectarian  charitable  institutions,  County  Cavan 
Association,  French  Benevolent  Society,  Past  Commander 
Stein-Wehr  Post,  G.  A.  R.,  member  of  the  Memorial  Com- 
mittee, Past  Master  of  Centennial  Lodge,  F.  and  A.  M., 
member  Nonpareil  Lodge,  K.  of  P.,  director  of  the  Hun- 
garian Association,  honorary  member  of  the  Aschenbrodel 
Verein,  as  well  as  member  and  director  of  various  other 
organizations  too  numerous  to  mention  in  this  neces.saiily 
brief  sketch.  He  is  accustomed  to  visit  four  or  five  of  those 
associations  in  one  night,  so  that  although  belonging  to  so 
many  it  by  no  means  follows  that  he  does  not  fulfill  his 
obligations  toward  all.  He  is  also  a  Forester  and  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Royal  .Arcanum,  and  he  speaks  at  least  half  a 
dozen  languages.  It  is  said  of  Register  Levy  that  he 
knows  more  peojile  in  this  city  and  is  personally  known  and 


1 84  i^EW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


appreciated  by  more  jjersons  than  probably  any  other  man, 
while  his  name  is  well-known  throuj^hout  this  country  and 
many  parts  of  Europe.  To  the  Register's  office  he  has 
brought  all  the  capacity  for  detail  for  which  he  became  so 
famous  as  a  coroner,  and  is  always  to  be  found  at  his  desk 
during  the  busy  hours  of  the  day. 

J.   HARPER  BONNELL. 

J.  Harper  Bonnell,  America's  great  inkmaker,  head  of 
the  manufacturing  company  that  bears  his  name,  was  born 
in  1850,  and  had  for  grandfather  no  less  a  person  than 
John  Harper,  founder  of  the  great  publishing  house  of 
Harper  Brothers.  As  this  work  would  not  be  complete 
without  some  account  of  the  New  York  ink  industry,  and 
as  Mr.  Bonnell  has  a  racy  style  of  his  own,  we  cannot  do 
any  better  than  give  the  story  in  his  exact  words.  He 
says:  "As  I  look  back  to  the  year  I  was  born  in,  I  find 


pounds  and  of  the  other  five  hundred,  as  the  same  space  is 
reipiired.  If  one  compares  the  early  publications  in  the  shape 
of  magazines  or  weeklies  the  character  of  them  and  their  en- 
gravings is  truly  laughable.  But  the  artists  and  photo-engrav- 
ers have  set  us  a  pace  that  we  have  with  difficulty  kept  up  with. 
How  well  this  has  been  done  the  weeklies  of  the  present 
testify.  Photo-engraving  is  to-day  filling  the  bill  at  such 
slight  cost  as  compared  with  wood  engraving  that  even  the 
penny  papers  employ  it.  The  bibliographer  Henry  Newton 
Stevens,  in  his  work  styled  '  Who  spoils  our  New 
English  Ijooks,'  says:  First,  the  author  ;  second,  the 
publisher  ;  third,  the  printer  ;  fourth,  the  reader;  fifth, 
the  compositor;  si.xth,  the  pressman;  seventh,  the  paper- 
maker  ;  eighth,  the  inkmaker  ;  ninth,  the  bookbinder  ; 
and  tenth  and  last,  though  not  least,  the  consumer, 
who  is  to  blame  for  putting  up  with  it,  although  the 
inkmaker  is  a  sinner  of  the  first  magnitude.    I  find  Mr 


J.    H.AKl'EK  nONNKI.L. 


that  makers  of  the  highest  grade  of  i)rinting  inks  were 
our  English  Cousins.  To-day  one  has  only  to  pick  up 
a  Harper  or  Leslie  to  see  that  as  comjjared  with  us 
the  English  'are  not  in  it.'  England  comes  to  us  to-day 
for  our  fine  grades  of  ink,  which  compliment  I  highly 
appreciate,  as  my  former  jjartner  was  the  agent  here 
for  English  inks.  Since  then  an  English  house,  directly 
related  to  and  connected  with  l'',ng]ish  makers,  have 
exjjorted  our  goods.  In  Sydney,  .Australia,  ihey  secured 
the  first  prize  over  makers  of  all  nations.  Tiie  cost  of 
carriage  to  England  about  equalled  that  from  New  \'ork 
to  I'hiladeiiihia,  though  frecjuently  it  is  less  to  England. 
The  lOnglisli  makers  retpiire  the  carbon  black  which  is 
indigenous  to  this  country,  and  have  to  i)ay  about  the  same 
freight  to  get  forty  pounds  of  it  as  we  ])ay  to  exjxirt  five 
hundTed  pounds  of  ink.    A  barrel  of  the  one  weighs  forty 


Stevens  to  be  perfectly  correct  and  have  sent  many  tons  of 
ink  to  Merrie  ]-",ngland  since  reading  his  work.  I  was  early 
trained  to  think  highly  of  the  craft.  I  remember  with  pride 
and  pleasure  noting  upon  one  occasion  that  my  grand- 
father, the  founder  of  Harper  ^:  Brothers,  nodded  to 
Commodore  Vanderbilt,  who  said,  '  How  do  you  do.  Uncle 
John?'  Immediately  after  Uncle  John  made  a  gesture  of 
much  politeness  to  a  ])edestrian,  and  ui)on  my  remarking 
that  he  bowed  to  the  latter  more  resi)ei  tfully  than  to  Mr. 
Vanderbilt  he  replied:  'Yes,  that  is  one  of  my  comjjositors  ; 
he  will  think  more  of  it.'  Upon  one  occasion  Robert 
Honner  asked  me  whether  I  gave  anything  to  the  |)ressmen, 
to  which  I  re])lied,  '  Yes,  when  I  have  to  and  can  do  it  without 
injustice  to  the  i)ublishcr.'  As  I  remember,  he  did  not 
approve  of  the  giving,  but  did  of  admitting  it,  only 
requiring  that  it  should  not  be  done  in  his  office,  which  I 


NEIV  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


185 


agreed  to,  and  he  did  not  permit  me  to  lose  the  trade,  a  loss 
that  frequently  occurred  in  other  offices  under  similar 
conditions.  Upon  entering  the  delightful  office  of  George 
W.  Childs  one  day,  he  said,  '  1  have  one  fault  found  with 
your  ink.'  I  expressed  regret  and  asked  what  the  fault  was, 
whereupon  he  replied,  '  You  do  not  charge  enough  for  it  !  ' 
I  knew  he  meant  it  and  raised  the  price  accordingly.  Next 
express  brought  me  an  engraving  of  himself,  which  I  have 
always  prized  in  connection  with  a  fault  I  have  not  since 
been  accused  of." 

J.  J.  SMITH. 

Mr.  John  Jewell  Smith,  the  head  of  the  firm  of  Baker, 
Smith  (&  Co.,  the  well  known  steam  heating  manufacturers, 
was  born  in  1834,  at  Elizabeth,  N.J.  His  father  was  Ogden 
Smith,  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  and  his  mother  was  a  Miss 


only  in  the  most  jjrimitive  way.  In  the  year  named  a  low 
pressure  steam  apparatus  was  invented  by  Mr.  Stephen  J. 
Gold,  of  New  Haven,  and  it  was  partially  successful,  but  it 
did  not  ventilate  buildings,  and  was  frail  in  construction. 
Mr.  William  C.  Baker,  who  had  been  interested  in  Mr.  Gold's 
invention,  in  i<S59  formed  a  partnership  with  Mr.  Smith  for 
the  purpose  of  manufacturing  a  low-])ressure,  self-regulating, 
steam  warming  and  ventilating  api)aratus,  adapted  for  the 
use  of  private  residences  and  other  buildings.  This  was  the 
origin  of  the  firm  of  Baker,  Smith  &  Co.,  one  of  the  most 
successful  business  houses  in  the  city.  Yet  when  the  firm 
started  the  prospects  were  so  indefinite  that  Mr.  Smith  re- 
tained his  position  as  Paymaster  of  the  Central  Railroad  for 
several  years  in  order  to  provide  against  emergencies.  Dur- 
ing the  first  year  the  firm  had  only  desk  room  in  a  hardware 
store,  and  it  began  business  with  but  a  single  workman. 


J.  J.  SMITH. 


Julia  Kellogg,  of  Connecticut.  He  was  educated  at  the  public 
schools  and  started  his  business  career  early  in  life  in  the 
office  of  the  Central  Railroad  Company  of  New  Jersey,  work- 
ing his  way  up  from  the  lowest  position  to  that  of  paymaster, 
which  he  held  for  many  years.  Mr.  Smith  has  resided  in 
New  York  for  thirty  years,  and  has  been  married  twice.  He 
has  one  daughler  by  his  first  wife  and  three  children  by  his 
second.  He  is  Senior  Warden  and  Treasurer  of  the  Church 
of  Zion  and  St.  Timothy,  and  for  many  years  interested  him- 
self considerably  in  the  church  work.  He  is  Treasurer  of 
the  Episcopal  Seamen's  Mission,  a  Trustee  of  the  Franklin 
Savings  Bank,  and  has  a  summer  residence  at  West  Park, 
Ulster  County.  The  history  of  the  establishment  of  the 
steam  heating  business  in  New  York  is  very  interesting. 
Previous  to  1854  there  were  very  few  buildings  heated  by 
any  method  better  than  stoves  and  furnaces,  and  those  few 


Now  it  has  a  large  factory  and  fine  offices,  and  its  employes 
are  numbered  by  the  hundreds.  As  the  business  increased 
and  additional  help  was  required,  John  H.  Rolston  and 
Eckley  W.  Stearns  became  interested  for  short  terms.  In 
January,  1866,  James  L.  Wise  entered  the  firm,  and  the 
business  was  placed  on  a  solid  foundation.  Mr.  Baker  re- 
tired F'ebruary  8,  1876,  and  Charles  H.  Smith  became  a 
partner  May  i,  1881.  Mr.  Wise  retired  in  1887,  and  Elias 
I).  Smith  was  admitted  to  partnership  in  1888.  The  firm  at 
the  present  time  is  composed  entirely  of  Smiths,  John  J., 
Charles  H.  an  J  Elias  D.  A  branch  establishment  is  carried 
on  in  Philadelphia,  and  another  branch  in  Chicago  became 
of  such  importance  that  on  May  i,  1866,  it  was  incorporated 
into  a  company  under  the  style  of  the  Baker  &  Smith  Com- 
pany of  Chicago.  John  Jewell  Smith  is  ])resident  of  that 
corporation,  and  P.  S.  Hudson  vice-president  and  general 


1 86  -NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


manager.  Very  many  of  the  improvements  now  in  general 
use,  both  as  to  jjrinciples  and  details  of  construction,  had 
their  origin  in  the  establishment  of  Baker,  Smith  &  Co. 
Notably,  they  introduced  the  Baker  Car  Heater,  i)lacing  it 
in  nearly  all  the  drawing-room  and  slee])ing  cars  in  the 
country,  as  well  as  in  many  of  the  ordinary  passenger  cars. 
The  fiYm  has  erected  heating  a])paratus  in  many  of  the  largest 
buildings  in  the  country,  as  well  as  in  a  great  number  of 
private  residences.  It  has  been  a  cardinal  jjrinciple  of  the 
firm  to  do  nothing  but  first-class  work,  and  to  treat  those 
who  favor  them  with  patronage  in  a  liberal  and  upright 
manner.  To  this,  added  to  a  careful  attention  to  business, 
they  attribute  a  success,  which,  it  is  believed,  has  not  been 
equalled,  and  a  reputation  of  which  they  may  justly  be  proud. 

JOHN  M.  BRUCE. 

Mr.  John  M.  Bruce  was  born  July  22,  1819,  and  died  on 
December  18,  1884.  Mr.  Bruce  was  in  the  metal  business, 
as  his  father  had  been  before  him.    He  was  the  veteran  head 


JOHN  M.  BRUCE. 

of  the  firm  of  Bruce  &  Cook,  Water  Street,  New  York  City, 
founded  over  fourscore  years  ago.  Mr.  Bruce  was  a  di- 
rector in  two  of  Gotham's  largest  banks.  He  was  distin- 
guished by  all  the  ijualities  of  a  thorough,  honorable  and 
c  ourteous  business  man.  He  was  not  less  distinguished  by 
his  unaffected,  elevated,  beautifully  consistent  Christian  life. 
He  had  been  an  honored  member  of  four  Baptist  Churches 
in  this  city.  In  two  of  these  he  was  a  deacon.  In  fact  he  was 
eminently  faithful  in  all  things,  whether  great  or  small,  and 
had  become  so  schooled  in  this  habit  of  unwavering  fidelity 
that  he  seemed  to  have  no  higher  i)leasure  than  to  do  his 
duty.  Few  citizens  have  lived  and  died  with  greater  honor 
and  regret  respectively.  An  address  by  Rev.  H.  M.  Sanders 
beautifully  and  tersely  ex|)resses  the  sentiments  of  his  many 
surviving  friends.  The  clergyman  said  :  "  I  cannot  forl)ear 
twisting  my  little  twig  into  the  chaplet  of  praise  whicli  I 
know  you  are  all  ready  to  entwine  about  the  brow  of  our 
loved  friend.'" 


JOHN  C.  COOK. 

Mr.  John  C.  Cook,  of  the  firm  of  Bruce  &  Cook,  whose 
portraits  and  sketches  are  in  serial  order  here  ])resented, 
lived  to  the  ripe  old  age  of  75.  Mr.  Cook  was  like  his  ])art- 
ners  in  business,  a  man  thoroughly  cliristianized.  He  car- 
ried Christianity  into  his  business,  home,  and  daily  life. 
He  made  a  pul)lic  profession  of  his  faith  in  the  Saviour 
when  he  wasa  lad  of  fifteen.  This  profession  and  its  practice 
characterized  all  of  his  career.  Few  men  have  enjoyed  in 
New  York,  the  metropolis,  or  been  blessed  with  a  greater 
nuinl)er  of  friends.  Old  and  young  alike  seized  the  oppor- 
tunity of  testifying,  in  ])erson,  their  love  for  him,  when 
he  was  on  his  last  bed  of  sickness.  'I  he  "  bread  that  he 
had  cast  upon  the  waters,"  the  helj),  aid,  and  symijathy  that 
he  had  ever  bestowed  on  others,  came  back  to  him  many 
fold  in  his  declining  days.  He  was  an  eminently  successful 
as  well  as  useful  citizen,  and  the  great  firm  will  long  con- 
tinue to  be  the  admiration  of  business  men  here,  whether 
they  be  church  or  lay  men.    Mr.  Cook  was  always  delicate 


JOHN  C.  COOK. 

in  health,  yet  he  labored  diligently,  and  gleaned  a  harvest 
of  friends  and  admirers  on  earth.  'I'hat  his  crown  awaited 
him  hereafter  is  a  matter  of  liililical  fiat,  and  in  that  faith 
he  died,  honored  in  life,  crowned  in  heaven. 


RUSSELL  W.  McKEE. 

Russell  \V.  McKee,  the  surviving  senior  partner  ol  Bruce 
^'  Cook,  was  born  in  upper  Middletown,  Conn.,  now  known 
as  Cromwell,  December  11,  1826.  When  a  boy  of  ten 
years  of  age,  his  father,  Cajjtain  Wm.  .Ames  McKee,  moved 
to  Philailel|)hia,  Pa.  There  he  attended  school  for  lour 
years,  then  entered  the  shi])ping  office  of  S.  S.  Bishoj)  iS:  Co., 
and  remained  in  their  emjiloy  until  an  (.i])])()rtunity  was 
offered  him  of  a  clerkship  with  his  uncle,  Joseph  McKee. 
in  the  drygoods  business,  at  Providence,  R.  I.  In  1846  he 
remoxed  to  Brooklyn.  N.  Y..  an<l  secured  a  situation  witli 
J.  S.  (2ui<'k  i\;  C'o.,  in  the  wholesale  drygoods  Imsiness,  in 


NEW  YORK,  THE  AfETJiOPOLIS. 


187 


Cedar  Street,  New  York  City.  He  has  been  a  resident  of 
Brooklyn  since  th;it  time.  His  mother,  and  also  his  brother, 
made  their  home  there  in  '50,  the  father  being  absent  in 
California.  The  sudden  death  of  his  only  brother  left  in 
his  hands  the  care  of  the  brother's  business  in  the  hardware 
and  house  furnishing  business,  corner  of  Myrtle  and  Kent 
Avenues,  the  only  store  in  that  line  east  of  Fort  (ireene  at 
that  time,  which  business  he  conducted  until  1855,  the  firm 
being  Russell  VV.  McKee  &  Co.,  his  father  having  returned 
home  from  the  West  and  being  associated  with  him.  In  '55 
Mr.  McKee  was  tendered  a  jjosition  in  the  employ  of  Bruce 
&  Cook,  formerly  John  M.  Bruce's  Sons  This  firm  had 
then  been  established  under  the  several  titles  of  John  M. 
Bruce,  John  M.  Bruce  &  Son,  and  John  M.  Bruce's  Sons, 
for  forty-two  years.  Since  that  time,  now  thirty-eight  years, 
he  has  been  actively  engaged  in  that  business,  and  became 
a  member  of  the  firm  in '63,  twenty-fiv.-  years  ago.  There 
has  existed  between  Mr.  McKee  and  Mr.  Cook  an  uninter- 
rupted friendship.  Their  residences  have  adjoined  each 
other  for  thirty  years.  Mr.  McKee  has  always  maintained 
an  active  and  zealous  relationship  with  Christian  work  in 

I 


RUSSELL  VV.  MlKEE, 

Brooklyn.  He  became  identified,  more  especially,  with  the 
Sunday  School  J^epartment,  and  is  well  known  throughout 
the  Slate,  having  been  the  President  of  the  New  York  State 
Sunday  Scnool  Association,  an  honor  attained  to  by  few, 
and  for  many  years  a  member  of  the  Executive  Committee. 
For  the  last  nine  years  he  has  held  the  position  of  Vice- 
President  of  the  Brooklyn  Sunday  School  Union  and  Chair- 
man of  the  Normal  Class  Committee.  He  occupies  posi- 
tions of  honor  and  trust  in  other  religious  and  benevolent 
societies,  and  is,  among  others,  a  member  and  director  in 
the  Society  of  Old  Erooklynites,  and  a  Ruling  Elder  in  the 
Throop  Avenue  Presbyterian  Church  He  is  also  one  of 
the  Directors  of  the  New  York  Port  Society,  and  Chairman 
of  the  Committee  in  charge  of  the  Brooklyn  Branch.  Mr. 
McKee  was  married  on  February  20,  1854,  by  Rev. 
Jonathan  Greenleaf,  Pastor  of  the  Franklin  Avenue  Presby- 
terian Church,  at  which  time  l)Oth  he  and  wife  were  then 


members  of  that  church.  It  is  known  of  the  personnel  of 
this  firm  that  while  they  do  not  placard  their  good  deeds, 
or  the  Christian  s]jirit  that  actuates  them,  they  work  un- 
ostentatiously for  the  good  of  those  not  as  prosperous  as 
they  are  themselves,  also  that  their  integrity  has  never  been 
questioned,  a  note  of  theirs  never  protested,  while  they  en- 
joy, as  they  and  their  predecessors  have  enjoyed  for  eighty 
years,  the  entire  confidence  of  the  comnmnity.  Mr. 
McKee  is  an  honorable  representative  of  such  a  house  with 
such  a  character. 

EDWARD   W.  SHELDON. 

The  fame  and  lustre  of  the  Bar  of  the  Metrouolis  is  due 
in  no  small  measure  to  its  talented  younger  generation  of 
lawyers,  in  which  class  are  found  the  names  of  many  men 
who  enjoy  prominence  and  distinction,  among  them  Edward 
\V.  Sheldon,  a  well  known  and  able  corporation  counsel.  He 
was  born  in  New  Jersey,  was  educated  in  Princeton  College, 
from  which  institution,  after  a  brilliant  course,  he  was  gradu- 
ated in  the  class  of  1879.  He  immediately  entered  Colum- 
bia   College,   graduated  in   1881,  was  admitted   to  the 


.  .  *  ■  - 

EDWARD  W.  SHELDON. 

bar  the  same  year,  and  commenced  his  legal  career  in 
the  oflice  of  the  late  William  A.  W.  Stewart.'  In  1883  he 
was  admitted  to  membership  in  the  firm  of  Messrs.  Stewart 
it  Boardman,  which  subsequently  became,  in  1886,  Stewart 
&  Sheldon.  He  devotes  his  attention  to  the  civil  depart- 
ments of  his  profession,  and  makes  a  specialty  of  corpora- 
tion matters  and  the  laws  as  applied  to  mercantile  subjects. 
His  i:/;>«/i'/i?  is  large  and  lucrative,  and  includes  such  promi- 
nent corporations  as  the  United  States  Trust  Company,which 
is  the  largest  corporation  of  the  kind  in  the  world.  He  has  fig- 
ured as  leading  counsel  in  some  of  the  most  important  rail- 
road litigations  before  the  higher  courts,  among  them  the 
foreclosure  of  the  mortgage  on  the  New  York.  West  Shore 
and  Buffalo  Railroad,  and  in  various  phases  of  the  Wabash, 
St.  Louis  and  Pacific  reorganization.  His  legal  career  has 
been  marked  by  thoroughly  honorable  j^rofessional  methods, 
which,  combined  with  his  ability,  have  gained  him  the  respect 


JV£IV  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


and  esteem  of  both  Bench  and  Bar.  Mr.  Sheldon  is  also 
popular  in  social  and  club  circles,  being  a  member  of  the 
J>a\vyers',  University,  Grulier,  Aldine,  Down 'J" own  and  Rac- 
quet Clubs.  He  takes  some  interest  in  politics,  but  his  assidu- 
ous attention  being  directed  to  his  profession,  he  has  had 
no  opportunity  of  distinguishing  himself  in  politics  otherwise 
than  as  a  sjjeaker. 


ALVAH  HALL, 

The  founder  of  the  house  of  Alvah  Hall  (S:  Co.,  was 
born  in  New  Hampshire  in  1816,  and  after  receiving  a 
solid  education  came  to  New  York  nt  the  age  of  seventeen. 
His  first  em])loyment  was  obtained  as  clerk  in  a  drug 
house,  where  he  saved  a  little  money.  'J'his  he  invested  in 
real  estate,  which  owing  to  a  combination  of  favorable 
circumstances  so  increased  in  value  that  in  a  short  time  it 


realized  a  handsome  increase.  With  this  ca]>ital  he  entered 
into  partnership  with  Mr.  Byrd  in  tiie  manufacture  of 
umbrellas  and  parasols,  and  began  the  prosperous  career 
that  continued,  as  is  well  known,  until  his  death  in  1882. 
The  house  which  is  so  intimately  identified  with  his  name 
received  a  fresh  impetus  on  the  entrance  of  .Albert  C.  Hail 
into  i)artnership  in  1869,  and  gradually  increased  its  trade 
in  volume,  until  to-day  it  is  doing  business  in  every  State 
and  territory  in  the  Union.  .Alvah  Hail,  apart  from  his 
business,  was  a  leading  man  of  his  time,  a  staunch  Rei)ub- 
lican,  and  not  only  a  member  but  one  of  the  founders 
of  the  Union  League  Clulv.  At  the  age  of  twenty- 
one  he  married  the  daughter  of  Robert  Petiigrew,  a 
well-known  contractor  of  the  last  generation  and  a  man  of 
influence  in  New  York  City.    Mr.  Hall,  because  of  his 


high  character  and  remarkal)le  integrity  and  ability,  might 
have  legitimately  aspired  to  any  position  in  the  gift  of  the 
people,  but  though  his  coun.sel  was  much  sought  after  in 
public  and  semi-pul)lic  affairs  and  he  was  extremely 
popular,  he  contented  himself  with  his  commercial  business 
and  the  education  of  his  children.  Of  him,  to  use  a  well- 
known  phrase,  it  may  be  truly  said  that  "  his  word  was  as 
good  as  his  bond."  He  was  one  of  the  directors  of  the 
Ninth  National  Bank  when  he  died. 


SOLON    B.  SMITH. 

Solon  B.  Smith,  one  of  New  A'ork's  leading  Republican 
chiefs  and  best  known  men  generally,  was  born  in  this  city, 
on  April  4,  1852,  and  was  educated  in  New  York  College. 
In  fact,  he  is  essentially  a  New  Yorker,  and  is  proud  of  the 
fact  that  he  is  typical  of  a  class  famous  throughout  the 


world  as  bright,  aggressive,  audacious.  He  develojjed  a 
taste  for  politics  while  still  (pute  young,  and  in  1872 
was  elected  to  the  Assembly  from  the  Eighth  District. 
Since  then  his  name  has  ever  been  before  the  public,  and  he 
has  always  been  to  the  front  in  fighting  the  battle  of  his 
party  in  a  city  which  has  an  overwhelming  Democratic 
majority.  Nevertheless,  though  not  as  successful  as  he  and 
his  friends  could  wish  in  municipal  campaigns,  every  one 
concedes  that  he  has  rendered  his  party  yeoman's  service  in 
State  and  national  ])olitics.  In  1877  he  was  elected 
Secretary  of  the  Republican  County  Committee,  in  which 
capacity  he  served  until  1885,  when  he  became  Chairman  of 
the  Executive  Committee.  He  was  ap])ointed  Police 
Justice  in  1880  for  a  term  of  ten  years  and  again  in  1890,  in 
l)oth  instances  by  a  Democratic  Mayor,  which  goes  to  show 


189 


that  no  matter  how  distasteful  Mr.  Smith's  politic  s  was  to 
them  the  character  and  ability  of  the  man  entitled  him  to 
public  recognition  and  reward.  After  observing  Judge 
Smith's  career  on  the  bench  the  i)iiblic  have  come  to  realize 
that  the  appointment  has  been  eminently  a  fitting  one,  for 
than  he  no  one  on  the  bench  of  this  city  is  more  respected, 
no  one  has  a  higher  reputation  for  capacity,  im])artiality  and 
intelligence.  In  ai)pearance,  Judge  Smith  is  tall  and  thin, 
with  a  swinging  gait  in  walking,  and  withal  a  gentlemanly 
and  dignified  ajipearance  as  becomes  his  position.  He  is  a 
great  worker  and  political  manager  and  belongs  to  many 
clubs. 

MARY    WOOLSEY    NOXON.  M.D. 

Dr.  Mary  Woolsey  Noxon  was  born  at  Beekman, 
Dutchess  County,  New  York,  in  1853  Her  parentage  was 
English  on  both  sides.  Her  paternal  grandfather,  Dr. 
Robert  Grosvener  Noxon,  was  a  distinguished  physician, 
who  with  the  Livingstons,  Beekmans  and  Van  Kleeks  owned 
most  of  the  land  on  which  Poughkeepsie  and  Beekman, 
Dutchess  County,  now  stand.  Dr.  Robert  Grosvener  Noxon 
built  the  first  stone  house  erected  in  Poughkeepsie,  and 
it  was  a  landmark,  until  quite  recently,  at  the  corner  of 
Noxon  and  Market  Streets.  Her  mother  was  a  lineal  de- 
scendant of  Cardinal  Woolsey  and  one  of  the  most  accom- 
plished and  cultivated  women  of  her  time.  Coming  from 
such  stock  the  elements  were  certainly  there  for  the  future 
remarkable  success  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  Her 
parents  dying  within  a  few  months  of  each  other,  leaving 
her  independent  and  free  to  follow  her  natural  bent,  she 
lost  no  time  in  entering  college.  She  commenced  in  the 
Allopathic  School,  but  after  a  )ear  or  two  transferred  her 
allegiance  to  the  New  School  of  Medicine  as  taught  by 
Hahnemann  She  graduated  in  1874  at  the  New  York 
College  and  Hospital  for  Women  and  was  valedictorian  of 
her  class.  The  following  two  years  she  spent  in  the  hos- 
pitals of  Vienna,  fitting  herself  thoroughly  for  the  po.sition 
she  was  to  assume  on  her  return  to  the  States.  Since  then 
she  has  been  in  active  practice  in  this  city.  Her  time  is 
more  especially  devoted  to  surgery  and  gynjEcology.  Dr. 
Noxon  is  on  the  consulting  staff  of  the  New  York  Homoeo- 
pathic Sanitarium  as  well  as  the  Hahnemann  Hospital ;  and 
is  believed  to  be  the  only  woman  in  the  United  .States  who 
has  been  honored  by  an  appointment  as  Consulting  Surgeon 
to  a  State  Medical  Institution.  She  is  a  member  of  the 
American  Institute  of  Homoeopathy  and  the  State  and 
County  Homceopathic  Medical  Societies.  In  addition  to 
the  burden  of  her  very  large  practice  she  is  engaged  in  edit- 
ing a  work  which  will  soon  be  published  on  Gynecology. 


THOMAS    A.  McINTYRE. 

Mr.  Thomas  A.  Mclntyre,  of  the  firm  of  Mclnlyre  & 
Wardwell,  was  born  in  the  city  of  New  York,  1855.  His 
parents  are  also  natives  of  this  State,  and,  as  his  name  in- 
dicates, his  ancestry  on  his  father's  side  is  Scotch.  After 
finishing  his  education,  Mr.  Mclntyre  began  business  with 
the  export  house  of  Bingham  Bros.,  and  afterwards  repre- 
sented the  old  firm  of  David  Dows  &  Co.,  on  the  floor  of 
the  New  York  Produce  Exchange.  He  had  the  very  best 
opportunities  for  familiarizing  himself  with  both  branches 
of  the  business,  viz  ,  the  receiving  and  the  export  trades, 
and  he  fitted  himself  in  the  various  positions  which  he  held, 
to  occupy  the  position  of  head  of  what  is  now  the  largest 
grain  receiving  firm  in  New  York.  In  1879  he  formed  a 
copartnership  with  Mr.  Henry  L.  Wardwell,  who  had  been 
a  fellow  clerk  in  David  Dows  &  Co.'s  office,  and  started  the 
well  known  firm  of  Mclntyre  &  Wardwell.  Erom  that  time 
the  business  of  the  firm  was  surely  and  substantially  in- 
creased, until  it  now  stands  confessedly  at  the  head  of  the 
commission  houses  of  the  New  York  Produce  Exchange. 


Most  of  the  success  of  the  firm  is  due  to  the  |)ersonal  char- 
acter of  Mr.  Mclntyre,  owing  to  his  great  industry,  quick 
and  accurate  judgment  and  his  gift  of  executive  ability  of 
the  highest  order.  His  abilities  as  a  financier  have  been 
demonstrated  from  time  to  time,  and  he  has  carried 
tlirough  some  very  large  deals  with  very  great  success.  Mr. 
Mclntyre  has  held  several  offices  in  the  New  York  Produce 
Jvxchange,  having  been  its  Secretary  at  the  time  of  the 
opening  of  the  new  building.  He  has  also  served  on  the 
Grain,  Arbitration  and  Clearing  House  Committees,  and  it 
is  due  to  his  persistence  and  sagacity  that  the  Produce  Kx- 
change  Clearing  House  was  established.  Mr.  Mclntyre  has 
been  from  time  to  time  offered  the  presidency  of  the  Ex- 
change, but  would  never  accept  it  on  account  of  his  press- 
ing engagements  in  his  business.  The  firm  has  a  New  York 
Stock  Exchange  connection,  and  is  represented  on  that 
Board  through  one  of  its  junior  partners.  Mr.  Mclntyre  is 
a  director  in  the  Corn  Exchange  Bank,  and  is  also  vice- 
president  and  a  director  of  the  Hudson  River  Bank.  Mr. 


i,   _   

THOMAS   A.  .McINTYRE. 

Mclntyre  has  conducted  several  most  important  reorgani- 
zations, his  latest  success  being  that  of  the  Hecker-Jones- 
Jewell  Milling  Company,  which  is  a  combination  of  all  the 
flour  mills  in  New  York  City.  These  mills,  which  had 
been  warring  with  one  another  for  some  time,  were  finally 
brought  together  by  a  plan  submitted  by  Mr.  Mclntyre, 
and  yielded  themselves  to  his  sole  direction,  and  almost 
dictation.  The  corporation  formed  was  perhaps  one  of 
the  most  harmonious  consolidations  that  has  ever  been 
arranged  between  competitors,  and  it  is  conceded  that  Mr. 
Mclntyre's  magnetic  personality  was  the  competent  in- 
strument by  which  this  result  was  obtained.  His  masterly 
management  and  comprehensive  mind  in  the  direction  of  the 
business  have  established  the  fact  that  this  combination  wdl 
be  one  of  the  most  profitable  enterprises  of  recent  years. 
This  great  success,  with  the  others  alluded  to,  have  estab- 
lished the  reputation  of  Mr.  Mclntyre  as  one  of  the  ablest 
of  New  York  merchants  and  financiers.  The  organization 
of  the  three  flour  mills  effected  by  Mr,  Mclntyre  is  one  of 


190 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


the  cleanest  in  its  character  ever  formed,  and  at  the  same 
time  from  the  very  nature  of  its  business  is  most  stable, 
safe  and  profitable.  The  Hecker-Jones  jewell  Milling 
Company  owns  and  operates  five  flour  mills,  situated  in  the 
cities  of  New  York  and  Brooklyn,  and  on  Staten  Island, 
viz.  :  Hecker's  mill,  founded  in  1843  ;  Jones'  mill,  founded 
in  1836  :  Jewell's  mill,  founded  1855  ;  Kings  County  mill, 
founded  1868;  Staten  Island  mill,  founded  1889.  Their 
daily  average  capacity  is  from  9,000  to  1 0,00c  barrels.  The 
capital  of  the  company  is  five  million  dollars,  divided  into 
$3,000,000  |)referred  stock  and  $2,000,000  common  stock. 

MAX  ERNST. 

Max  Ernst,  the  well-known  liroadway  clothier,  was  born 
in  Germany  in  1859  and  received  a  common  school  educa- 
tion in  that  country.  Coming  to  this  country  with  his 
parents  in  1872,  he  procured  employment  in  the  clothing 
store  of  Mr.  Alexander,  of  Market  Street,  Philadelphia. 
He  saved  uji  a  little  money  and  went  into  the  clothing 


the  end  of  one  year  the  firm  dissolved,  and  Mr.  Ernst  formed 
a  copartnership  with  Marcus  Jerkowski,  under  the  style  of 
Jerkowski  (it  Ernst.  The  firm  did  a  good  business  from  the 
start,  the  first  year's  amounting  to  $175,000,  and  then,  trade 
increasing,  more  commodious  quarters  were  found  necessary. 
They  consec|uently  removed  to  Broadway,  where  the  second 
year's  business  amounted  to  $350,000  ;  the  third,  $4-0,000  ; 
fourth,  $440,000  ;  fifth.  $500,000,  and  the  sixth.  $620,000.  At 
the  end  of  the  seventh  year  Mr.  P>rnst  bouglit  his  i)artner  out 
at  a  very  liberal  figure.  He  paid  him  cent  for  cent  cash  on  the 
book  accounts,  the  same  on  the  stock  in  hand,  and  $i8,cco 
for  the  good  will,  the  understanding  being  thit  the  firm 
name  of  Jerkowski  Ernst  be  retained.  Doing  the  business 
ahjne  Mr.  Ernst  sold  $750,000  worth  of  goods  in  1890  and 
in  1891  a  round  million's  worth,  which  sum  was  very  much 
exceeded  in  1892,  though  a  presidential  year.  In  1890  Mr. 
Ernst  did  business  in  his  own  name  and  gained  the  title  of 
the '■  Napoleon  of  the  Clothing  Trade."  The  secret  of  his 
great  success  is  that  he  is  brighter,  keener,  more  persevering 


M.\X  KR.NST. 


business  in  Philadeli)hia,  at  the  age  of  sixteen,  in  which  he 
remained  a  few  years,  when  he  sold  out  and  went  West 
looking  for  a  location.  He  finally  settled  in  Canton,  Ohio, 
but  remained  there  only  a  short  time,  after  which  he  went 
to  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  where  he  was  employed  by  Kauffman 
Brothers  as  clerk.  Here  he  remained  for  more  than  a  year, 
gaining  more  experience  than  money,  and  then  came  to  New 
York,  but  was  for  some  time  unable  to  procure  employment, 
though  conscious  of  his  ability,  and  believing  that  a  trial 
would  hel]j  him  to  promotion,  he  offered  his  services  for 
nothing  to  a  large  wholesale  clothing  house  in  the  city,  will- 
ing to  pay  his  own  travelling  expenses  for  a  commission  of 
five  per  cent,  on  his  sales.  His  offer  was  accepted  ;  he 
travelled  for  the  firm  aforesaid,  and  after  a  few  months  they 
were  glad  to  give  him  a  good  salary.  After  a  short  time  he 
started  in  business  for  himself,  and  assoc  iated  himself  in 
business  with  l'>rnst  Jerkowski,  the  firm  going  under  the  title 
of  Ernst  Jerkowski  iV  Co.,  Max  Ernst  being  the  Co.  At 


and  energetic  than  his  comi)etitors.  In  September  and  Oc- 
tober, 1 89 1,  the  market  fell  suddenly  short  in  what  is  known 
as  "Wood  Brown  Colors."  made  of  home-sj)un  materials.  The 
demand  for  them  by  retail  traders  all  over  the  country  was 
so  large  that  the  sujiply  fell  short.  Mr.  Ernst,  with  the  fore- 
sight that  so  distinguishes  him,  had  ])urchased  largely  of 
these  goods  and  had  them  manufactured,  and  from  the  sec- 
ond of  October  to  the  sixteenth  of  the  same  month  ship])ed 
>'94,ooo  worth  of  them  to  various  parts  of  the  country.  An- 
other remarkable  feature  in  his  business  o])erations  is  that 
he  never  carries  goods  over  from  one  season  to  another,  and 
ho  never  shows  the  same  style  twice.  He  has  something 
new  every  season.  It  would  be  difficult  to  find  to  day  in 
business  circ  les  in  New  York,  or  for  that  matter  elsewhere, 
a  young  man  of  Mr.  l'>nst's  age  who,  unaided  and  alone,  by 
sheer  force  of  brains  and  abiliiy,  has  risen  in  such  a  short 
time  from  absolutely  nothing  to  wealth  and  eminence  in 
commerce.      Mr.   Ernst  was  married  to  Alice  Leopold, 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS.  191 


daughter  of  Julius  I-eopokl,  a  well  known  feather  merchant 
of  this  city.  Mrs.  Ernst  is  a  native  of  New  York.  He  (Mr. 
Ernst)  is  a  member  of  the  famous  Progress  Club  as  well  as 
many  other  social,  benevolent  and  political  organizations. 
He  is  liberal  in  his  charities  to  public  institutions,  and  a 
friend  of  art  and  literature. 

LYMAN  G.  AND  JOSEPH  BENJAMIN  BLOOMINGDALE. 

L)  man  Ci.  Hloomingdale,  senior  partner  of  the -firm  of 
IMoomingdale  Brothers,  was  born  in  New  York  City,  Feb- 
ruary II,  1 84 1.  His  father  was  a  native  of  Bavaria,  Ger- 
many, and  came  to  this  country  in  1837.  Lyman  G.  was 
educated  in  the  public  schools,  having  attended  the  old  Fitth 
Street  School  No.  15,  where  he  made  many  acquaintances, 
with  whom  he  stands  in  close  relations  of  friendship  to  day. 
He  finished  his  education  in  Smith's  Collegiate  Institute, 
Williamsburg,  and  soon  after  went  to  Leavenworth,  Kansas, 
with  his  father,  where  he  became  identified  with  the  life  of 


LYMAN  G.  BLOOMINGDAI.E. 

that  growing  city,  just  emerging  from  chaos.  The  first 
independent  venture  of  the  young  Gothamite  was  in  a  hoop- 
skirt  store  with  a  capital  stock  of  $240  worth  of  goods  and 
fixtures  worth  $47,  all  on  credit.  The  business  was  suc- 
cessful from  the  start,  although  he  was  his  own  buyer, 
salesman,  bookkeeper,  office  boy  and  porter.  He  advertisecl 
extensively,  as  he  has  always  done  when  he  could  afford  it, 
struck  out  a  new  and  racy  vein  in  that  direction  until 
through  the  newspapers,  his  store,  although  the  smallest, 
was  the  best  known  in  the  city.  He  took  in  a  partner  after 
awhile  and  was  getting  along  famously  when  the  Rebel  Gen- 
eral Price  threatened  the  town  with  an  army  at  his  back,  and 
Lyman  G.  Bloomingdale,  who  was  First  Sergeant  in  Com- 
pany A  of  the  Kansas  State  Militia,  was  sent  to  the  front 
with  his  regiment.  Upon  his  return  from  the  front  he  found 
his  store  and  partner  had  removed  to  St.  Joseph,  Missouri. 
He  sold  his  interest  in  the  business  to  his  partner  at  a  loss 
and  came  to  New  York.    Here  may  be  the  proper  place  to 


state  that  Mr.  Bloomingdale  was  honorably  discharged  after 
the  war  and  that  he  is  now  a  member  of  W'infield  Scott 
Hancock  Post,  No.  259,  G.  A.  R.  He  is  a  director  of  the 
Montefiore  Home  for  Chronic  Invalids,  Vice-President  of 
the  Mutual  Relief  Association,  and  director  of  Blooming- 
dale Brothers'  Employes'  Mutual  Aid  Society  and  member 
of  many  charitable  and  educational  societies  and  clubs. 
Mr.  Lyman  G.  Bloomingdale,  as  is  very  well  known,  is  a 
munificent  patron  of  charities  throughout  the  city,  and 
altogether  irrespective  of  creed,  color  or  nationality. 

Joseph  Benjamin  Bloomingdale's — junior  member  of  the 
firm  of  Bloomingdale  Brothers, — career  has  been  fully  as 
eventful  and  adventuresome  as  that  of  his  brother.  He  was 
born  in  this  city  on  December  22.  1842,  and  educated,  as 
was  his  brother  primarily  in  the  public  schools,  receiving  a 
classical  course  in  the  Smith  Collegiate  Institute,  in  Williams- 
burg, N.  Y.  After  leaving  college  he  obtained  a  clerkship 
in  a  drygoods  store  on  Canal  Street,  but  being  ambitious  of 


JOSEPH   BENJAMIN  BLOOMINGDALE. 


striking  out  for  himself,  he  went  to  California  in  i860  and 
was  emjjloyed  as  salesman  in  a  drygoods  store  in  San  Fran- 
cisco Not  realizing  the  object  of  his  ambition  in  that  city 
he  concluded  to  try  his  hand  at  mining,  and  with  this  object 
in  view  traveled  and  prospected  through  Nevada,  Oregon. 
Idaho  and  Montana.  This  w-as  rather  a  rough  life  for  a 
New  York  boy.  But  after  all  New  York  is  the  place  where 
a  man  has  the  biggest  field,  and  people  with  brains  and 
ambition  come  here  from  all  parts.  It  is  no  wonder, 
therefore,  that,  having  made  a  little  money  in  mining,  Mr. 
Joseph  Bloomingdale  should  return  to  New  V'ork.  his  birth- 
place, and  join  his  father  and  brother  Lyman  in  the  hoop- 
skirt  establishment.  He  is  Vice-President  of  the  Hebrew 
Technical  Institute  and  also  of  the  Lhiited  States  Savings 
Bank.  He  is  a  Free-Mason  and  is  Past  Master  of  Adel])hi 
Lodge,  No.  23,  F.  &  A  M.  Personally  he  is  a  man  of 
magnificent  physique,  with  handsome,  well  cut  features  and 
frank,  open  countenance. 


192 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


WILLIAM  CAMPBELL, 
William  Campbell,  of  the  firm  of  William  Campbell  & 
Co.,  manufacturers  of  wall-paper,  was  born  near  the  great 
manufacturing  city  of  Belfast,  Ireland,  in  the  year  1841. 
\\'hen  about  six  years  old  his  father  died  and  the  lad  was  soon 
after  brought  to  New  York  by  his  mother.  He  received 
the  ordinary  school  education,  but  very  early  in  life,  indeed, 
at  the  age  of  eight,  he  entered  the  wall-paper  house  of 
Jones  &  Smith,  where  he  made  himself  as  useful  as  his 
strength  and  years  permitted.  Hence,  it  may  truly  be  said 
he  was  brought  up  in  the  business,  with  the  most  minute 
detail  of  which  he  made  himself  accpiainted  long  before 
he  reached  the  age  of  manhood,  taking  in  as  much  school 
learning  in  the  intervals  as  he  could.  In  1867  he  started  in 
business  for  himself,  and  began  by  purchasing  eight  lots  on 
Forty-first  Street,  west  of  Tenth  Avenue.    '1  he  history  of 


also  of  the  Commercial  Lloyds  Insurance  Company.  Busy 
as  his  life  has  been  he  has  taken  the  time  to  write  sev- 
eral articles  on  the  subject  of  wall-paper  and  its  interests, 
the  difficulties  which  have  to  be  overcome  in  the  trade,  and 
also  upon  the  trusts  which  have  been  organized  in  connec- 
tion with  it  from  time  to  time.  Mr.  Campbell  himself  does 
not  belong  to  any  trust  ;  he  prefers  to  preserve  his  business 
identity.    He  is  married  and  has  one  child,  a  daughter. 

JOHN    BELL  McKEAN. 

John  Bell  McKean,  Justice  of  the  Seventh  District 
Court,  is  a  native  of  Belfast,  Ireland.  When  a  lad  of  twelve 
he  shipped  as  apprentice  with  his  uncle,  who  sailed  a  vessel 
of  hi-iown,  and  after  three  years  of  voyaging  touched  at 
New  York,  where  his  brother  induced  him  to  give  up  sailing 
the  seas  and  settle  down  in  this  country.    He  obtained  a 


\VII.LI.\M  CAMPBELL. 


the  great  establishment  founded  by  William  Camjibell  is 
related  in  Part  III.  of  this  work.  Suffice  it  to  say  that 
it  is  due  to  Mr.  Cami)l)eirs  untiring  energy  and  ability  that 
it  is  the  foremost  concern  of  its  kind  in  Ameiica.  He  is  an 
enthusiast  in  his  business;  apart  from  the  profit  to  be 
derived  from  good  work,  he  finds  designing  a  labor  of  love, 
and  is  never  so  much  in  his  element  as  when,  with  Mr. 
Beck,  his  chief  artist,  he  is  perfecting  something  beautiful 
and  original  in  a  line  of  business  which  he  likes  for  its  own 
sake.  In  fine,  it  may  be  said  that  Mr.  Campbell,  a  self- 
made,  self-educated  man,  has  shown  what  can  be  achieved 
by  untiring  perseverance  and  energy,  with  a  good  deal  of 
native  talent,  in  connec  tion  with  a  business  he  began  in  a 
small  way.  His  i)lace  is  ac  knowledged  to  be  the  most 
thoroughly  e<]uipi)cd  establishment  in  the  trade.  Mr. 
Campbell  is  a  director  of  the  Home  Bank  of  New  York, 


place  in  a  hardware  store,  in  which  he  remained  eight  years, 
and  then  secured  a  clerkship  in  the  Croton  Water  Depart- 
ment. After  a  year's  service  in  this  ])osition  he  was 
appointed  clerk  in  Part  I.  of  the  Supreme  Court,  where  he 
was  noted  for  application  to  business  and  the  e.xcellency 
of  his  work.  While  employed  in  the  Supreme  Court  he 
had  amjile  opi)ortunities  for  seeing  the  practical  workings 
of  the  law,  and  thought  he  could  do  no  better  than  study  for 
that  profession,  which  he  did  successfully  and  was  called 
to  tiie  bar.  When  a  Police  Court  was  opened  in  Harlem 
.Mr.  McKean  was  ap])ointed  clerk,  and  here  again  the  facili- 
ties afforded  him  in  the  actpiisition  of  legal  knowledge 
were  so  ami)le,  and  he  availed  himself  of  them  to  such  an 
extent,  that  Ciovernor  Hill,  in  18.S9,  appointed  him  to  fill 
the  vacancy  caused  by  the  death  of  Judge  Monell.  In  the 
year  following  he  was  elected  lor  the  unexpired  term  of  the 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


193 


deceased  Judge,  and  now  fills  the  position  of  Justice  in  that 
Court  with  credit  to  himself  and  satisfaction  to  the  public 
He  has  recently  allied  himself  to  Mr.  Katzenmayer,  the 
well  known  real  estate  man,  as  business  partner.  Judge 
McK-ean  is  a  member  of  the  Jefferson  Club.  He  joined 
the  Tammany  Society  some  thirty-three  years  ago,  and  has 
for  a  period  of  thirty  years  acted  either  as  Chairman  or 
Secretary  of  the  Tammany  Hall  General  Committee  of  the 
Twenty-second  Assembly  District.  Judge  McKean's  mother, 
who  was  before  her  marriage  a  Miss  Bell,  was  a  direct  descen- 
dant of  President  Andrew  Jackson.  He  is  himself  a  rela- 
tive of  the  well  known  McKean  family  of  Pennsylvania. 


CHARLES    FORRESTER    ROBERTS,  M.D, 

Dr.  C.  V .  Roberts  was  born  in  the  city  of  New  York, 
September  9,  1842.  His  ancestral  line  dates  in  this  coun- 
try from  1758,  from  Holland  and  Scotland,  and  the  family 
have  always  resided  here.  The  Doctor  was  educated  in 
the  private  schools  of  this  city,  and  at  the  age  of  sixteen 
engaged  in  the  wholesale  drug  business,  where  he  remained 
until  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  in  1861,  when  he  shipped 
in  our  navy  as  apothecary,  and  was  assigned  to  the  store- 
ship  Brandywine  at  Hampton  Roads.  When  the  hospital 
shi])  Hen  Alorgan  was  filled  out  he  was  detailed  for  service 
on  board.  He  remained  there  during  the  fight  between  the 
Merrimac  and  Monitor,  and  had  charge  of  the  wounded 
from  those  vessels  attached  to  the  fleet.  He  was  next  de- 
tailed on  board  the  Seneca  of  the  South  Atlantic  Squadron, 
acting  on  blockade  duty.  He  also  participated  in  the  de- 
struction of  the  rebel  steamer  Nashville  in  the  great 
Ogeechee  River  in  Georgia,  and  at  the  second  attack  on 
Charleston,  S.  C.  He  graduated  from  Bellevue  Hosj)itaI 
Medical  College,  New  York,  in  1867,  and  has  practised  his 
profession  here  ever  since  then.  He  was  appointed  Assist- 
ant Professor  of  Physiology  in  that  institution  and  held  the 
position  for  twenty  years.  He  was  appointed  Sanitary 
Inspector  in  the  Health  Department,  June  19,  1869,  and 
was  appointed  Chief  Inspector  of  the  Division  of  Contagious 
Diseases,  May,  1892,  and  was  appointed  Sanitary  Superin- 
tendent in  April,  1893  His  services  in  the  Health 
Department  have  been  continuous  for  over  twenty-four 
years.  The  Doctor  is  a  prominent  club  man,  and  was  for- 
merly Fleet  Surgeon  of  the  Larchmont  Yacht  Club  and  a 
member  of  the  New  York  Athletic  Club  as  well  as  the 
Democratic  Club.    The  Doctor  has  never  married. 


JOHN  BAIN,  Jr. 
John  Bain,  Jr.,  a  young  man  of  magnificent  physique, 
popular  in  New  York's  military  and  journalistic  circles,  was 
born  in  this  city  on  September  19,  1861  His  father,  a 
graduate  of  Edinburgh  University,  was  a  native  of  Scotland, 
but  came  to  this  country  when  a  voung  man  and  went  into 
the  printing  business.  Young  Bain  attended  the  public 
scliools  of  New  York  until  he  was  nine  years  of  age,  when 
he  went  to  Ottawa,  Kansas,  with  his  parents,  where  he 
completed  his  education  in  the  high  school.  The  elder  Mr. 
Bain  established  a  newspaper  in  his  new  home  called  the 
Ottawa  Leader,  on  which  piublication  John  worked  from  an 
early  age  and  took  in  the  crafts  both  of  the  journalist  and 
compositor.  Journalism  in  Kansas  not  answering  the  ex- 
pectations of  Mr.  Bain,  the  family  returned  to  New  York, 
where  the  subject  of  this  sketch  became  connected  with  the 
Tobacco  Leaf  Publishing  Company,  and  since  has  risen 
step  by  step  until  he  has  become  its  treasurer  and  general 
manager.  The  Company  publishes  everything  pertaining 
to  the  tobacco  trade,  including  the  Tobacco  Leaf.  The 
paper  was  established  in  1864  and  about  ten  years  later  was 
incorporated  and  turned  into  a  stock  concern  known  as 
the  Tobacco  Leaf  Publishing  Company,  with  offices  at  105 


Maiden  Lane.  It  is  the  oldest  paper  in  the  world  devoted 
to  the  tobacco  trade  and  is  circulated  in  every  country  in 
the  world  where  tobacco  is  used  or  grown,  which  means 
pretty  near  over  the  earth.  Mr.  Bain  has  been  a  member 
of  Company  D,  Seventh  Regiment,  New  York,  for  seven 
years,  and  is  also  a  member  of  the  Seventh  Regiment 
Veteran  Association  and  the  Seventh  Regiment  Veteran 
Club.  He  is  unmarried  and  therefore  can  take  time  to 
devote  himself  to  the  outdoor  sj)orts  of  which  he  is  so 
fond.  He  is,  in  fact,  an  athlete  of  no  mean  order.  He 
lives  at  No.  263  Pacific  Avenue,  Jersey  City.  Along  with 
his  other  good  qualities  Mr.  Bain  is  a  very  good  after  dinner 
speaker,  or  for  that  matter  at  any  time,  and  has  quite  a 
graceful  delivery.  

CHARLES   A.  HESS. 

Charles  A.  Hess,  one  of  New  York's  most  prominent  law- 
yers of  the  younger  generation,  was  born  in  this  city  in 
1858  and  received  an  elementary  education  in  the  public 
schools.  He  graduated  from  the  University  Law  School  in 
May,  1878.  His  college  career  was  exceptionally  brilliant, 
and  he  was  very  popular  not  only  because  of  his  talents,  but 
on  account  of  his  charming  personality  and  courteous  man- 
ners. He  was  President  of  his  class  and  was  also  its  vale- 
dictorian. In  1881  Mr.  Hess  was  appointed  U.  S.  Assistant 
District  Attorney  by  Elihu  Root,  himself  one  of  the  greatest 
lawyers  in  America,  and  one  who  can  appreciate  talent  in 


CHARLES  A.  HESS. 


Others.  After  filling  the  position  with  ability  for  fifteen 
months  he  resigned  in  order  to  attend  to  his  private  prac- 
tice, which  had  grown  very  large  and  lucrative.  He  is  now- 
head  of  the  well-known  law  firm  of  Hess,  Townsend  & 
McClelland.  The  Hess  family  is  Republican  by  heredity, 
and  after  Charles  had  left  college  he  was  attracted  to  par- 
ticipation in  active  politics,  rendering  yeoman's  service  to 
his  party  in  council  and  on  the  stump.  He  was  nominated 
for  Judge  of  one  of  the  district  courts  by  his  party,  in  1890, 
and,  though  defeated,  polled  a  very  heavy  vote.  The  future 
is  brilliant  with  promise  from  Mr.  Hess.  His  principal 
practice  is  in  the  United  States  Courts. 


194 


NEIV  YORK,  TJ/E  METROPOLIS. 


CORNELIUS  VANnERBII.T. 
Bom  May  27.  1704.    Diod  January  4,  1S77. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


195 


CHAUNCEY    M.  DEPEW. 

Chauncey  Mitchell  Uepew,  orator,  statesman,  railroad 
president,  man  of  affairs,  was  born  in  Peekskill,  N.  Y.,  on 
April  3,  1834.  On  his  father's  side  he  is  descended  from 
the  Huguenots  whom  the  Revocation  of  the  Edict  of  Nantes 
sent  into  exile  ;  on  his  mother's,  from  that  Sherman  family 
which  has  furnished  the  United  States  with  so  many  cele- 
brated men.  Chauncey's  mother,  Martha  Mitchell,  a 
beautiful  and  accomi)lished  woman,  was  grand-niece  to 
the  Roger  Sherman  who  signed  the  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence. Her  grandfather  was  the  Rev.  Josiah  Sherman, 
her  father  Chauncey  R.  Mitchell,  a  lawyer  famous  for  his  elo- 
(pience.  Mr.  Depew's  own  father  was  Isaac  Depew,  of 
Peekskill,  a  gentleman  of  character  and  influence.  In  his 
veins,  therefore,  courses  the  fiery  Celtic  blood  which  makes 
orators,  mingled  with  the  more  placid  though  deeper  tide  of 
the  Anglo-Saxon  Shermans,  the  combination  giving  us  the 


delegate  to  the  Republican  State  Convention.  'I'iiis  was  a 
flattering  tribute  to  so  young  a  man  and  rendered  him  for 
some  time  undecided  as  to  whether  he  should  ])ractise  law 
in  earnest  or  go  into  ])olitics.  He  took  the  stumj)  for  Lin- 
coln in  i860  and  rendered  material  service  to  his  party.  His 
eloquence,  his  wit  and  humor,  the  pathos  he  interjected  into 
his  speeches  when  necessary,  were  a  revelation  to  the  peo- 
ple and  took  them  by  storm.  In  1861  he  wrested  the  Third 
Westchester  C'ounty  District  from  the  Democrats,  and  was 
sent  to  the  Legislature,  where  he  found  fresh  laurels  await- 
ing him.  He  was  re-elected  in  1862  and  made  Chairman  of 
the  Ways  and  Means  Committee.  He  was  speaker  pro  tem. 
during  part  of  the  session,  and  at  its  close  the  business  men 
of  New  York  gave  him  a  banquet.  In  1862  Horatio  Sey- 
mour was  elected  Governor  of  the  State  and  the  Republi- 
cans were  alarmed.  They  looked  around  next  year  for  an 
available  man  to  recover  the  ground  lost,  selected  Chauncey 


CHAUNCEY 

highest  type  of  an  American  citizen.  The  Depews,  with 
other  Huguenots,  settled  in  and  around  New  Rochelle  in 
1685,  nammg  it  after  that  French  city  their  fathers  had  so 
heroically  defended  against  the  forces  led  by  Cardinal  Riche- 
lieu and  Louis  XIII.  a  generation  before.  The  farm  pur- 
chased by  the  Depews  two  hundred  years  ago  has  descended 
in  direct  succession  to  Chauncey  with  the  old  homestead, 
of  which  he  is  far  prouder  than  of  his  splendid  brownstone 
house  in  New  York  City.  He  graduated  from  Yale  with 
honors  in  1856.  He  is  President  of  her  Alumni  Association, 
is  a  member  of  her  "Skull  and  Crossbones  "  club,  and  in 
1857  received  from  her  the  high  honor  of  LL.D.  The  year 
of  his  graduation  was  marked  by  the  formation  of  the  Re- 
publican party,  and  young  Depew,  though  educated  a 
Democrat,  cast  his  first  vote  for  John  C.  Fremont.  He  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  1858  and  was  in  the  same  year  elected 


M.  DEPEW, 

Depew,  nominated  him  at  the  head  of  the  ticket  for  Secre- 
tary of  State.  He  justified  their  hopes  and  was  elected  by 
30,000  majority.  William  H.  Seward,  Secretary  of  State, 
appointed  him  Minister  to  Japan,  but  after  some  four  weeks 
of  hesitation  he  fortunately  decided  to  refuse.  He  deter- 
mined to  practise  law,  for  which  he  was  so  well  equipped, 
and  retired  from  active  politics.  He  had  won  the  friend- 
ship and  admiration  of  Commodore  Vanderbilt  and  his 
eldest  son  William  H.,  which  in  1866  assumed  practical 
shai)e  when  he  was  appointed  Attorney  to  the  New  York 
and  Harlem  Railroad  Company,  and  again  in  1869,  when 
this  company  was  incorporated  with  the  New  York  Central 
and  Hudson  River  R.  R.  Company — Commodore  Vander- 
bilt at  its  head — when  he  was  made  Attorney  of  the  new 
organization,  and  subsequently  a  member  of  its  Board  of 
Directors.    In  1875       ^^'^^  made  General  Counsel  for  the 


196 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


the  entire  Vamlc-rbilt  system.  He  ran  in  1 87 2  for  Lieut. - 
Governor  in  a  perfunctory  way,  merely  allowing  the  use  of 
his  name  on  the  (ireeley  ticket,  and  was  defeated,  and  two 
years  later  was  elected  Regent  of  the  N.  Y.  State  Uni- 
versity, also  appointed  one  of  the  Commissioners  to  build 
the  iiew  Capitol  at  .Albany.  In  all  these  duties  he  dis- 
played his  usual  tact  and  supreme  e.xecutive  ability,  and,  it 
may  be  added,  an  impartiality  which  gained  him  new  and  firm 
frien.ls  in  all  directions.  It  is  well  known  that  after  Presi- 
dent Carfield's  inauguration  Roscoe  Conkling,  then  senior 
Senator  from  New  York,  resigned  his  seat,  owing  to  a  dis- 
agreement between  him  and  the  President,  Junior  Senator 
Thomas  C.  Piatt,  his  colleague,  also  resigning.  Both  gen- 
tlemen stood  for  re-election  in  the  hope  that  if  returned  to 
the  Senate  the  test  of  popularity  would  have  effect  u])on 
Garfield  and  his  friends.  Mr.  Depew's  friends  pressed  him 
to  enter  the  race  for  Mr.  Piatt's  seat.  The  struggle  was 
fierce  and  bitter,  but  Mr.  Depew  led  all  competitors  tar  and 
away.  On  the  nineteenth  ballot,  having  a  clear  majority 
over  all  his  competitors,  had  the  traditions  of  the  party 
been  followed,  he  would  have  been  nominated  in  joint  cau- 
cus, but  a  few  intriguers  prevented  this,  and  the  battle  raged 
day  after  day  until  the  startling  news  came  that  (iuiteau 
had  shot  President  (iarfield.  Then  Mr.  Depew  came  for- 
ward and  spoke  those  historic  w'ords:  "  .\  great  crime  has 
l)lungecl  the  nation  into  sorrow,  and  in  the  midst  of  the 
])rayers  and  the  te;irs  of  the  whole  people,  supplicating  for 
the  recovery  and  weeping  over  the  wound  of  the  Presitient, 
this  partisan  strife  should  cease."  Mr.  Depew  withdrew 
immediately  after  this,  and  Warner  Milier  was  elected  Sen- 
ator to  fill  Mr.  Piatt's  unexpired  term  on  the  forty-eighth 
ballot.  Mr.  Depew  left  the  field  with  honor,  and  his  un- 
selfish conduct  drew-  upon  him  the  praiseof  the  whole  country. 

The  time,  however,  came  when  Mr.  Depew  refused  the 
Senatorship  tendered  him  by  the  Republicans  of  all  factions 
in  the  Legislature,  forming  as  they  did  fully  two-thirds  of  that 
body.  He  declined  because  he  could  not  afford  the  time 
necessary  to  devote  to  so  im])ortant  a  trust.  This  was  in 
1884.  In  1884  William  H.  Vanderbilt  retired  from  the 
Presidency  of  the  New  York  Central  and  was  succeeded  by 
James  H.  Rutter.  Mr.  Depew  was  made  Vice-President, 
and  upon  the  death  of  Mr.  Rutter  in  1885  was  elected  Pres- 
ident of  the  greatest  corporation  in  the  world.  Whether 
the  fact  that  Mr.  Depew  held  the  position  of  President  of 
the  great  Vanderbilt  system  prevented  him  from  being 
President  of  the  United  States  is  what  probably  will  never 
be  known.    .\  large  number  of  intelligent  people  think  it  did. 

At  all  events  he  received  ninety-eight  votes  in  the 
Republican  Convention  held  in  Chicago  in  1888.  When 
Mr.  Blaine  resigned  in  1892,  President  Harrison  tendered 
the  position  of  Secretary  of  State  to  .Mr.  Depew,  but  for 
business  reasons  he  was  forced  to  decline.  In  1892  he  e.\- 
l)osed  another  side  of  his  character  to  an  admiring  world 
in  the  shape  of  a  ])olitical  manager  and  an  organizer.  How 
he  succeeded  in  having  General  Harrison  renominated  for 
the  Presidency  at  Minneapolis  is  a  matter  of  very  recent 
history.  That  he  shoived  consummate  judgment,  masterly 
tactics,  and  j^rofound  knowledge  of  men  in  his  splendid  fight 
against  the  magnetic  man  from  Maine,  whom  he  admired  so 
much,  is  conceded  by  all.  He  has  been  seven  times  elected 
President  of  the  Union  League  Club,  and  ten  times  elected 
President  of  the  Yale  Alumni  .\ssociation.  He  is  also  First 
Vice-President  of  the  St.  Nicholas  Society  of  New  NOrk, 
President  of  the  Sons  of  the  .-Xmerican  RevoIutif)n,  mem 
ber  of  the  Holland  .Society  of  New  York,  the  Huguenot 
Society  of  .America,  the  New  York  Chamber  of  Commerce 
director  of  the  Union  Trust  Co  of  New  York,  the  Western 
L'nion  Telegra])h  Co.,  Ivpiitable  Life  Insurance  Co.,  and  of 
St.  Luke's  .Hospital,  and  a  trustee  t)f  ^'ale  I'niversity. 
lie  is  also  a  Director  of  the  Chic  ago  and  Nortliwestern 


Railroad  Co.,  the  Michigan  Central  Railroad  Co.,  the  New 
York,  Chicago  and  St.  l.ouis  Railroad  Co.,  the  Cleveland. 
Columbus,  Cincinnati  and  Indianapolis  Railroad  Co..  the 
New  York,  New  Haven  and  Hartford  Railroad  Co.,  the  Bos- 
ton and  Albany  Railroad  Co.,  the  Delaware  and  Hudson 
Canal  Co.,  and  New  York  and  Harlem  Railroad.  Mr.  De- 
pew was  married  to  Miss  Elise  Hegeman,  daughter  of  Wil- 
liam Hegeman.  the  well  known  druggist  of  New  York,  Nov. 
9,  1 87 1.  Mrs.  Depew  died  in  May,  1893,  leaving  one  chdd, 
Chauncey  M.  Depew,  Jr.  It  is  difficult  to  say  anything  new 
of  a  man  whose  name  is  more  familiar  to  the  people  to-day 
than  that  of  any  other  contemporaiy  American.  There  is 
scarcely  an  issue  ef  any  daily  paper  published  in  the  United 
States  that  does  not  contain  something  about  him.  His 
character  may  be  summed  up  by  stating  that  he  is  a  man  of 
versatile  genius,  of  high  character,  a  passionate  lover  of  lib- 
erty, and  strong  hater  of  oppression  in  any  form. 

JOHN   D.  TOWNSEND. 

Hon.  John  D.  Townsend,  one  of  the  most  prominent  and 
jjopular  of  New  York's  lawyers,  was  born  in  this  city  in  1835. 
His  father  was  a  leading  member  of  the  bar.  President  of 
the  New  York  Life  and  Trust  Com])any  and  a  man  of  wealth. 
The  su])ject  of  this  sketch  entered  Columbia  College,  but 
during  the  Sophomore  year  he  w'ithdrew  from  his  class,  and 
for  five  years  followed  the  sea  Twice  during  that  time  he 
sailed  around  the  world,  and  when  but  twenty  years  of  age 
was  second  officer  of  one  of  the  finest  clippers  which  sailed 
out  of  New  York.  At  the  age  of  twenty-one  he  inherited  a 
handsome  property  from  his  father,  which  he  invested  in  a 
mercantile  house,  which  shortly  afterwards  failed,  leaving 
him  with  a  wife  and  without  means  of  support.  Thus  early 
in  his  career  young  Townsend  had  to  work  to  support  a 
family.  Undaunted,  he  began  diligently  to  study  law.  He 
entered  the  office  of  Spiague  &  Fillmore,  of  Buffalo,  where 
he  worked  hard  for  three  years,  and  then  took  a  course  of 
two  years'  reading  in  the  Harvard  Law  School,  and  subse- 
(piently  studied  in  the  office  of  Henry  A.  Cram,  in  this  city. 
.\Ir.  To\vn.send  was  admitted  to  the  bar  at  Poughkeepsie, 
May,  1859,  and  from  that  time  until  1865  he  resided  in 
Astoria  and  practised  his  ])rofession,  and  as  a  Democrat 
became  active  in  politics.  He  represented  (Queens  County 
in  the  Legislature  in  )86i,  and  was,  in  the  same  year,  selected 
by  (Governor  Morgan  as  one  of  three  gentlemen  in  Queens 
County  to  organize  a  regiment  to  go  to  the  war.  For  more 
than  thirty  years  Mr.  i'ownsend  has  devoted  himself  suc- 
cessfully to  the  i)ractice  of  his  profession  in  this  city.  He 
has  been  noted  for  his  fearlessness  and  persistency,  which 
was  well  illustrated  in  1S69,  when  he  championed  the  cause 
of  two  women  who  were  imprisoned  in  the  Tombs  by  Judge 
Cardozo.  That  contest  resulted  eventually  in  the  over- 
throw of  Judge  Cardozo  and  the  ring  juclges,  and  gave 
origin  to  the  Bar  Association  in  New  York  City.  Mr.  Town- 
send  has  successfully  tried  many  criminal  cases,  and  out  of 
forty-five  indictments  for  murder  that  he  defended  but  one 
was  executed.  He  was  one  of  the  counsel  for  Edward  S. 
Stokes,  and  he  was  retained  by  U'illiam  M.  Tweed  in  the 
last  year  of  his  life  as  his  only  counsel.  He  was  retained 
by  Sidney  P.  Nichols  when  he  was  removed  from  the  officeof 
Police  Commissioner  by  Mayor  Cooper.  The  case  went 
twice  to  the  Court  of  .Appeals,  and  resulted  in  Mr.  Nichols' 
reinstatement.  Mr.  Towmsind  was  selected  by  both  the 
Democratic  and  Repul)lican  members  of  the  .Assembly  Com- 
mittee on  Crime  in  1875  to  be  their  ])rofessional  ailvisor, 
and  for  a  vear  Mr.  Townsend  was  entrusted  almost  exchi- 
s  vely  with  the  examination  of  the  District  .Attorney's  office, 
the  Police  Department  and  other  branches  of  the  City  Gov- 
ernment. That  committee  was  appointed  by  the  Legisla- 
ture to  incpiire  and  rejjort  the  causes  of  the  increase  of 
crime  in  New  ^'ork.     .Among  some  of  the  results  which 


197 


occurred  were  the  removal  of  Commissioners  Matscll  and 
Disbecker  and  some  of  the  ])olice  captains.  Latterly  Mr. 
Townsend  has  devoted  his  ])ractice  almost  entirely  to  the 
civil  courts,  and  as  he  grows  in  years  he  gains  in  jjopularity 
and  wealth. 

ROBERT  B.  ROOSEVELT. 
Hon.  Robert  B.  Roosevelt,  a  distinguished  citizen  of 
New  York,  was  born  in  Cortlandt  Street,  on  the  7th  day  of 
August,  1829.  His  family  had  lived  in  or  near  the  city  since 
the  year  1648,  and  was  of  Dutch  lineage  on  both  sides  to 
time  of  his  grandfather,  who  married  Miss  Van  Schaick. 
Upon  the  formation  of  the  Holland  Trust  Company  by  the 
representatives  of  the  old  Dutch  families,  he  was  urged  to 
accept  the  presidency,  and  remained  at  the  head  of  that 
institution  for  several  years.     Mr.  Roosevelt  was  educated 


Association  and  of  tlu-  Committee  of  Seventy.  He  has  fre- 
ipiently  been  offered  and  declined  imjjortant  judicial  posi- 
tions, both  State  and  Federal,  and  the  mayoralty  of  the  City 
of  New  York.  In  spite  of  his  absorbing  duties,  both  public 
and  private,  he  has  devoted  some  time  to  literature,  and  is 
the  author  of  a  number  of  well  accepted  works  more  or  less 
connected  with  the  development  of  fish  culture-  Mr.  Roose- 
velt was  Treasurer  of  the  National  Democratic  Committee, 
and  under  the  first  administration  of  President  Cleveland 
was  appointed  United  States  Minister  to  the  Netherlands, 
which  mission  he  filled  acceptably  to  the  home  government 
and  that  of  Holland  until  the  accession  of  the  Republican 
party  to  power,  when  he  returned  to  the  active  management 
of  the  Holland  Trust  Company.  He  is  a  member  of  most 
of  the  leading  clubs  of  New  York,  and  has  been  President 
of  the  Association  for  the  Protection  of  Game  for  many 


0' 


ROBERT   B.  ROOSEVELT. 


to  the  bar  and  practised  his  profession  very  successfully  for 
upwards  of  twenty  years,  when  his  large  financial  interests 
and  the  claims  of  politics  compelled  him  to  turn  over  his 
extensive  law  practice  to  his  son.  He  has,  from  time  to 
time,  been  president  of  or  director  in  many  of  the  leading  rail- 
road, insurance  and  financial  institutions  of  the  Metropolis, 
and  has  declined  the  position  of  Sub-Treasurer  of  the 
United  States  at  the  City  of  New  York.  He  was  elected  to 
Congress  in  the  year  1872  ;  was  appointed  one  of  the  Brook- 
lyn Bridge  Commissioners,  and  materially  assisted  in  bring- 
ing that  great  work  to  its  com])letion.  For  many  years  he 
was  at  the  head  of  the  New  York  Fisheries  Commission.  Mr. 
Roosevelt  has  always  taken  an  active  part  in  reform  politics 
in  the  City  and  State  of  New  York,  being  a  leading  spirit  in 
the  organization  of  the  War  Democracy  ;  of  the  Citizens' 


years.  In  1890  he  was  made  President  of  the  Holland  So- 
ciety of  the  City  of  New  York.  Besides  those  named,  Mr. 
Roosevelt  has  been  prominently  connected  with  the  suc- 
cessful development  of  many  other  financial  properties,  and 
has  important  investments  in  many  States  of  the  Union. 
He  was  Treasurer  of  the  National  Democratic  Committee 
(1892).   

HORACE  PORTER. 

Ceneral  Horace  Porter  is  a  distinguished  soldier,  a 
brilliant  orator,  an  organizer,  a  writer  of  great  power,  and 
a  man  of  affairs.  He  was  born  in  Huntington,  Pa.,  on 
August  15,  1837.  His  father,  the  Hon.  David  R.  Porter, 
was  a  State  Senator,  and  was  elected  Governor  of  Pennsyl- 
vania  in  1839,  and  re-elected  in  1844.     He  received  an 


198 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


elementary  education  in  J^awrenceville,  New  Jersey,  and 
was  entered  at  the  Scientific  Department  of  Harvard  Uni- 
versity in  1854.  At  this  early  ])eriod  of  his  career,  he  was 
noted  for  a  strong  leaning  toward  a  military  life  and  the 
study  of  mechanics.  When  only  twelve  years  of  age  he 
invented  a  water  test,  which  was  used  in  his  father's  exten- 
sive iron  works  in  Reading,  Harrisburg,  and  Lancaster,  and 
had  also  a  hand  in  many  mechanical  improvements.  He 
entered  West  Point  Academy  in  1855,  and  graduated  in 

1860,  as  third  in  a  class  of  forty-one.  He  was  commis- 
sioned Second  Lieutenant  in  the  Ordnance  Corps  and 
served  there  as  instructor  in  artillery  fur  three  months. 
When  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  broke  out,  he  was  serving 
in  the  Department  of  the  East,  and  was  sent  as  bearer 
of  despatches  to  the  National  Capital.     \\\  October  of 

1861,  he  was  assigned  to  an  expedition  under  Sherman  and 


Cjeneral  Staff  duly  on  the  field,  in  which  position  he  served 
during  the  advance  on  Tullahoma,  Passage  of  the  Elk 
River,  of  the  Tennessee  River,  and  the  operations  con- 
nected therewith.  He  was  engaged  in  the  desperate  battle 
of  Chickamauga  (September  ig  and  20,  1863),  and  dis- 
tinguished himself  brdliantly.  He  was  serving  on  the  staff 
of  Oeneral  'i'homas  at  Chattanooga,  when  he  first  met  Gen- 
eral Grant,  with  whom  he  was  afterwards  associated  until 
the  death  of  the  famous  Union  Commander.  When  Grant 
came  over  from  Vicksburg,  Ca|)tain  Porter  accompanied 
him  on  his  first  reconnoissance.  Cirant  was  greatly  pleased 
with  the  young  staff  officer.  When  CJeneral  Grant  was  ap- 
])ointed  Lieutenant  General  of  all  the  Union  forces  in  the 
field,  he  made  Porter  an  aide  de  camp  on  his  staff,  with  the 
rank  of  Lieutenant  Colonel  (April  4,  1864).  In  this  capa- 
city he  served  in  the  battle  of  the  Wilderness.    For  gallant 


llOKAf'E 

Dupont,  against  Port  Royal,  and  almost  immediately  i)ro- 
moled  to  a  First  1-ieutenancy.  From  N()veml)er  uj)  to 
I)e<  ember  15,  he  was  employed  at  Hilton  Head,  and  sub- 
se(|uently  in  erecting  batteries  in  Sa\annah  River,  Ga.,  on 
'I'ybee  Island,  for  the  reduction  of  Fort  Pulaski,  after  the 
capture  of  which  he  was  ])romoted  Captain  for  meritorious 
conduct,  and  also  i)resented  by  the  Commanding  General 
with  a  sword  taken  from,  the  enemy,  on  which  were  engraved 
his  name  and  a  suitable  inscription.  He  was  slightly 
wounded  at  Secessionville,  S.  C,  June  16,  1862,  and  on 
July  2  of  the  same  year  was  appointed  Chief  of  Ordnance 
of  tlie  .Army  of  the  Potomac,  uncler  General  McClelian,  with 
whom  he  remained  until  after  the  battle  of  Antietam,  wlien 
he  was  transferred  with  a  like  position  to  the  .Army  of  the 
Oliio,  and  sul)se(pient]y  to  the  .Army  of  the  ('umlierland, 
upon   \\hi(h  he  received  his  a])])()intmi-nt  as  Captain  of 


PORTER. 

and  meritorious  conduct  in  this  battle,  he  was  made  Major 
in  the  regular  army.  He  also  fought  in  the  series  of 
battles  round  Spottsylvania  Court  House.  He  was  gazet- 
ted Lieutenant  Colonel  in  the  regular  army,  in  August, 
I  <S64,  which  was  the  fifth  time  of  his  promotion  for  gallant 
conduct.  His  rush  through  the  lines  in  com])any  with 
Cieneral  Grant  after  the  failure  to  blow  uj)  Petersburg  by 
mining,  so  as  to  order  a  withdrawal  of  a  part  of  the  army 
and  save  it  from  destruction,  is  one  of  the  most  thrilling 
e])isodes  of  the  war.  From  this  time  until  Lee's  surrender 
at  the  A])])omattox.  General  Porter  (created  Hrigadier- 
General  in  February,  1865)  was  always  with  Grant,  and  was 
present  at  Five  Forks,  at  the  cai)ture  of  Petersburg  and  the 
hot  luirsuit  of  General  Lee's  army.  He  formed  one  of  the 
small  historic  groups,  in  the  little  farm  house  at  Ap])o- 
mattox,  who  saw  Grant  anil  Lee  attach  their  signatures  to  a 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


document  that  will  descend  to  the  remotest  posterity. 
General  Porter  is  in  possession  of  the  flag  brought  into 
requisition  on  that  occasion.  It  was  the  headquarters  flag 
of  the  army,  and  flew  over  the  tent  of  the  Commander-in- 
Chief  in  the  Wilderness.  It  was  presented  to  him  by  General 
Grant,  accompanied  by  a  few  words  he  will  never  forget. 

After  the  war  he  made  a  tour  of  the  South,  and  investigated 
the  condition  of  the  freedmen.  His  rejiorts  and  comments 
upon  their  treatment  were  received  with  respect,  and  his 
suggestions  embodied  in  the  law  regulating  their  cases.  He 
nrxt  accompanied  General  Grant  on  his  tour  through  the 
Northwest  and  Canada.  Hitherto  he  had  distinguished 
himself  as  a  soldier,  but  on  this  trip  he  manifested  a  talent 
for  public  speaking  of  the  very  highest  order  and  at  once 
took  rank  with  the  foremost  living  orators  of  the  day.  His 
style  of  speaking,  in  which  caustic  satire,  subtle  wit,  pathos 
and  fine  humor  were  artistically  mingled,  were  very  effec- 
tive. General  Grant  was  no  orator,  his  old  companion  in 
army  was,  and  so  the  two  got  along  remarkably  well 
together,  the  friendship  that  existed  between  them  increas- 
ing day  by  day.  He  was  after  this  successively  employed 
inspecting  army  posts,  suppressing  the  Ku-Klux  disturb- 
ances in  the  South.  He  held  the  position  of  Assistant 
Secretary  of  War,  under  Grant,  and  when  General  Grant 
was  elected  President,  in  1869,  acted  as  his  private  Secre- 
tary. He  occupied  a  cottage  near  that  of  the  President  at 
Long  Branch,  in  summer,  and,  in  fine,  the  great  General  and 
his  brilliant  Secretary  were  inseparable.  In  1873  he  re 
signed  from  the  army  to  accept  the  Vice-Presidency  of  the 
Pullman  Palace  Car  Company,  a  place  he  holds  at  present; 
in  1875  was  elected  Chairman  of  Extension  Committee  of 
the  Metropolitan  Elevated  Railroad  (now  part  of  the 
Manhattan  system),  and  had  a  large  interest  in  the  road. 

And  just  here,  again,  this  extraordinary  man  developed  a 
rkew  phase  in  his  many-sided  character,  that  of  financier  and 
business  manager.  He  was  elected  a  director  of  the  Equitable 
Life  Assurance  Society  of  the  United  States,  of  the  Continen- 
tal National  Bank,  St.  Louis  &:  San  Francisco  Railroad, 
Burlington,  Cedar  Rapids  &  Northern  Railway,  Ontario  & 
Western  Railway,  Atlantic  and  Pacific  Railway,  Hannibal 
&  St.  Joseph  and  President  of  the  West  Shore  Railroad 
Company.  He  is  a  member  of  all  the  New  York  Clubs 
worth  mentioning,  including  the  Union  League,  Centui  y. 
University,  Metropolitan,  Lotos,  Players',  and  is  also  mem- 
ber of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  and  other  bodies.  The 
Elevated  Railroad  ticket-box  is  an  invention  of  General 
Porter.  He  is  President  of  the  Society  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac,  and  President  General  of  the  Sons  of  the  Ameri- 
can Revolution,  and  President  of  the  Union  League  Club 
and  Grant  Monument  Association.  Among  his  historical 
orations  were  those  deliveries  on  behalf  of  General  Grant, 
before  the  Chicago  Merchants,  after  his  tour  around  the 
world,  in  the  Brooklyn  Academy  of  Music,  on  Grant's 
death,  and  one  on  the  same  subject  before  the  Union 
League  Club.  He  has  at  various  times  written  articles,  by 
request,  for  some  of  the  leading  reviews  and  publications 
in  the  country.  He  speaks  the  French  and  Spanish  lan- 
guages fluently,  and  is  acquainted  with  their  literature.  The 
achievement,  however,  in  his  life,  of  which  he  has  reason  to 
feel  most  proud  and  justly  so,  is  the  raising  of  1*400,000  to 
build  a  monument  to  his  dead  comrade  and  chief.  It  was 
glorious  work  and  as  such  it  will  be  remembered  by  his 
comrades  of  the  G.  A.  R..  and  by  the  nation  generally. 
General  Porter  is  Vice-Chairman  of  the  Committee  of  One 
Hundred,  organized  to  celebrate  in  this  city  in  October, 
1892,  the  discovery  of  America,  by  Christopher  Columbus. 
Mayor  Grant  was  Chairman  of  the  Committee,  which  prac- 
tically means  that  General  Porter  had  charge  of  the  enter- 
prise. He  is  also  Vice-President  of  the  Citizens'  Committee 
to  receive  foreign  bequests  of  the  nation  during  the  quadri- 


centennial  year,  tlic  Mayor  being  President.  His  latest 
achievements  of  note  were  the  speeches  he  delivered  in 
Minneapolis  before  the  Rei)ublican  National  Convention. 
Personally  the  General  is  full  of  magnetism.  He  attracts, 
but  he  does  not  repel.  He  makes  new  friends  every  day 
and  has  very  few  enemies  in  his  circle  of  acquaintance.  He 
is  above  the  medium  height,  with  dark  hair  and  a  military 
cast  of  countenance.  His  voice  is  soft  and  musical,  and 
so  flexible  that  he  can  do  with  it  almost  as  he  pleases. 


JOHN  McANERNEY. 

John  McAnerney  was  born  in  Rhode  Island,  in  1838, 
but  went  at  an  early  age  to  Charleston,  S.  C,  where  he 
was  educated  by  his  lifelong  friend,  Gen.  John  S.  Preston. 
He  first  went  into  the  hardware  business,  then  studied  law, 
but  resumed  business,  and  was  prospering  when  the  war 
broke  out.  Though  he  had  been  opposed  to  secession  he 
joined  the  Confederate  Army  and  served  the  Southern 
cause  brilliantly.  He  had  command  of  the  troops  that 
rej)ulsed  Dahlgren's  raid  and  saved  Richmond.  At  the 
close  of  the  war  he  possessed  the  title  of  Colonel,  but  little 
else.  He  came  to  New  York  and  began  business  as  a 
hardware  commission  merchant.    In  1871  he  was  elected 


JOHN  McANERNEY. 

President  of  the  Savannah  and  Memphis  Railroad,  and  was 
active  in  the  early  development  of  the  mineral  regions  of 
Alabama.  He  was  also  of  great  use  to  the  South  by  in- 
fluencing the  investment  of  large  sums  in  the  railroad  and 
other  properties  of  that  section.  The  panic  of  1873 
paralyzed  the  iron  trade  and  caused  the  suspension  of  John 
McAnerney  &  Co.  A  compromise  was  secured  from  the 
creditors  of  the  concern  on  the  basis  of  20  cents  on  the 
dollar.  Five  years  later  Col.  McAnerney  repaid  these 
creditors  the  remaining  80  per  cent,  of  their  claims,  with 
interest.  The  circular  letters  announcing  his  purpose  to 
do  this  have  been  framed  by  many  of  the  creditors,  and 
adorn  the  walls  of  their  offices.  Subsequently  Col. 
McAnerney  became  interested  in  Southern  Railroads,  and 


200 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


was  a  Director  and  Vice-President  in  several  of  ihe  i)rinci])al 
roads  in  the  Richmond  and  Danville  swstem  until  he  sold 
out  his  stocks  to  the  Richmond  Terminal  system.  He 
became  interested  in  the  Seventh  National  Bank,  was 
elected  its  Vice  President,  and  since  July,  1891,  has 
served  as  its  President.  For  twenty-five  years  he  lived  in 
Jersey  City  and  took  an  active  interest  in  politics  there. 
He  led  the  citizens'  movement  which  defeated  the  Jersey 
City  Ring,  was  prominent  as  a  worker  for  Cleveland  in 
1884,  and  in  1888  was  chosen  as  Elector-at-Large  for  the 
State  of  New  Jersey,  and  afterwards  elected  President  of 
the  Ele(  toral  College  which  cast  the  vote  of  that  State  for 
Cleveland  and  Thurman. 

Col.  McAnerney  now  lives  in  New  Vork.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Manhattan  Club,  the  Lawyers'  Club  and 
the  Southern  Society.  In  the  Presidential  Campaign  of 
1892  he  presided  over  the  great  Wall  Street  Cleveland 


banking  house  of  Kenyon  Cox  &  Co.,  of  Wall  Street,  of 
which  Air.  Daniel  Drew  was  then  partner.  In  1875  Mr  Cox 
was  elected  Assistant  Treasurer  of  the  Canada  Southern  Rail- 
way Company,  in  which  capacity  he  had  charge  of  its  New 
York  office  for  several  years  until  the  purchase  of  the  road 
by  Commodore  Vanderbilt.  In  1883,  upon  the  retirement 
of  Mr.  William  H.  Vanderbilt  from  active  business,  his  son, 
Mr.  Cornelius  Vanderbilt,  was  made  President  of  the  Can- 
ada Southern  Railway  Company,  and  Mr.  Cox  Vice-Presi- 
dent, which  relation  has  continued  until  the  present  lime. 
In  1887  ''^Ir.  Cox  became  Vice-President  of  the  Richmond 
&  Alleghany  Railroad  Company,  and  had  a  leading  ]>art  in 
the  reorganization  of  that  property  in  the  interests  of  the 
Vanderbilts,  remaining  in  its  management  until  its  absorp- 
tion into  the  Chesapeake  &  Ohio  R.  R.  system  in  1889. 
Mr.  Cox  is  now  President  of  the  Carthage  &  Adirondack 
Railway  Company,  and  is  also  an  officer  or  director  of  sev- 


CHARLES  KINNKV  COX. 


business  men's  meeting.  He  is  also  -a  member  of  the 
N.  Y.  Chaml)er  of  (Commerce,  Trustee  of  St.  Patrick's 
t^-ithtdral  and  one  of  the  Trustees  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
Orjjhan  .Asylum. 

CHARLES  FINNEY  COX. 

Charles  Finney  Cox  was  born  on  Staten  Island,  N.  Y., 
in  January,  1846.  He  isol  New  England  and  Dutch  extrac- 
tion, his  paternal  ancestors  having  settled  in  New  York  in 
the  early  part  of  the  last  century,  and  his  mother  having 
been  a  Miss  Kenyon,  of  the  well  known  Connecticut  family 
of  that  name,  long  residents  in  the  vicinity  of  Norwich. 
His  father  was  a  successful  builder  of  this  city,  who  made  a 
specialty  of  church  erection,  and  here  Mr.  Cox  has  always 
resided,  save  during  his  attendance  at  Oberlin  College,  Ohio, 
of  which  institution  he  is  an  alumnus.  He  is  the  youngest 
brother  of  (ieneral  J.  D.  Cox,  ex-(iovernor  of  Ohio,  and 
Secretary  of  Interior  in  (ieneral  (Irant's  first  cabinet.  Soon 
after  leaving  college,  in  1867,  Mr.  Cox  entered  as  clerk  tiu' 


eral  of  tlie  branc  h  lines  of  the  Vanderbilt  system.  He  is 
Vice-President  of  the  Second  Avenue  (horse)  Railroad. 
First  Vice-President  of  the  United  States  Savings  Bank  of 
New  York,  also  Chairman  of  its  Funding  Committee,  and 
President  of  the  .American  Safe  Deposit  Company,  of  501 
Fifth  Avenue.  Although  of  necessity  much  absorbed  in 
the  details  of  the  vast  interests  committed  to  his 
charge  Mr.  Cox  is  a  hard  student  and  has  found  time 
for  much  imjiortant  scientific  research.  He  is  well  known 
as  an  authority  on  the  microscope  and  is  the  possessor  of  one 
of  the  finest  instruments  in  America.  He  was  for  two  years 
President  of  the  New  York  Microscopical  Society,  and  is 
now  Treasurer  of  the  New  Vork  A'  ademy  of  Sciences  as 
well  as  the  President  of  the  Council  of  "The  Scientific  Alli- 
ance of  New  Vork,"  an  association  of  the  seven  iirinci])al 
scientific  societies  of  the  city.  He  is  also  one  of  the  corpo- 
rators of  the  Botanical  (larden  whicli  is  to  be  established 
in  Ikonx  Park,  and  Sec  retary  of  its  Finance  Committee,  of 
which  Mr.  J.  I'ieri)C)nl  Morgan  is  Ciiairman.     He  has  writ- 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


20I 


ten  numerous  articles  on  the  microscope  and  other  scien- 
tific subjects,  and  is  the  author  of  a  book  entitled  "  Proto- 
plasm and  Life."  As  a  musician  Mr.  Cox  is  an  amateur  of 
note,  having  for  many  years  been  an  active  member  of  the 
Mendelssohn  Glee  Club  of  this  city,  and  at  one  time  its 
Vice-President.  He  is  an  admirer  and  connoisseur  of  paint- 
ings, and  is  a  life  patron  of  the  American  Fine  Arts  Soci- 
ety, of  which  his  nephew,  Mr.  Kenyon  Cox,  the  well-known 
artist  and  writer,  is  a  prominent  member.  Mr.  Cox  is  a 
book  collector  and  possesses  a  valuable  library  of  rare  and 
curious  works,  relating  particularly  to  the  early  history  of 
science.  In  addition  to  his  pursuit  as  business  man  and 
man  of  letters,  he  is  actively  interested  in  benevolent  move- 
ments, and  is  a  jirominent  member  of  the  Charity  Organ- 
ization Society,  serving  not  only  upon  one  of  its  District 


the  [joet  and  essayist,  was  the  most  celebrated  member.  It 
is  from  this  gentle  critic  that  Mr.  James  derives  the  poetic 
side  of  his  nature.  His  father  is  General  Thomas  L.  James, 
for  many  years  the  model  Postmaster  of  New  York  City, 
Postmaster-General  of  the  United  States  under  Garfield, 
and  now  President  of  the  Lincoln  National  Bank  of  New 
York,  sometimes  called  the  Vanderbilt  Bank,  one  of  the 
most  conservative  and  successful  financial  institutions  of 
this  or  any  other  city.  Receiving  his  early  education  in  the 
best  of  all  schools,  the  Public  School  system  of  New  York, 
Mr.  Charles  F.  James  acquired  that  inclependence  and  self- 
reliance  which  come  from  contact  in  early  life  with  the  cos- 
mopolitan classes  found  in  the  public  schools.  T-^ndowed 
with  a  splendid  physicpie,  passionately  fond  of  all  athletic 
sports,  easily  holding  his  own  in  his  classes,  with  his  genial, 


CHARLES  V.  JA.MhS. 


Committees,  but  also  in  its  Central  Council  and  Executive 
Committee.  Mr.  Cox  married  in  1878  Helen,  the  daughter 
of  Mr.  Charles  B.  Middlebrook,  of  Bridgeport,  Conn.,  and 
afterward  of  New  York,  by  whom  he  has  one  daughter.  Mr. 
Cox  is  a  member  of  Dr.  Parkhurst's  Presbyterian  Church, 
and  of  the  L^ni()n  League,  Century  and  Grolier  Clubs. 


CHARLES  F.  JAMES. 

Charles  F.  James,  Ph.B.,  A.M.,  LL.B.,  President  of  the 
Franklin  National  Bank,  lawyer,  financier  and  man  of  affairs, 
was  born  in  Hamilton,  Madison  County,  N.  Y.,  on  July  12, 
1856,  and  comes  of  old  American  stock.  He  is  of  Welsh 
and  Scottish  extraction.  On  the  mother's  side  Mr.  James 
traces  his  descent  from  the  famous  Ethan  Allen,  and  also 
from  a  branch  of  the  Lamb  family,  of  which  Charles  Lamb, 


frank  and  open  nature,  he  made  friends  readily,  and  retained 
them,  and  was  the  chosen  companion  of  the  best  class  of 
students.  When  the  faculty  of  the  College  of  the  City  of 
New  York  determined  to  send  a  crew  to  compete  in  the 
Intercollegiate  Regatta  on  Saratoga  Lake,  Mr.  James  was 
unanimously  selected  by  the  faculiy  and  students  as  captain 
and  stroke  of  the  crew.  Mr.  James  is  a  fine  swimmer,  having 
saved  the  lives  of  two  persons,  one  of  whom  would  not  be 
now  on  Governor  Flower's  staff  had  he  not  been  rescued 
from  drowning,  ninny  years  ago,  by  the  subject  of  this 
sketch.  His  father,  wishing  him  to  take  his  degree  from  the 
same  college  from  which  he  had  received  his,  he  left  the 
College  of  the  City  of  New  York  at  the  commencement  of 
his  Junior  year,  and,  passing  the  examination  at  Madison 
University  for  the  Senior  Class,  graduated  with  honors  with 


202 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


the  class  of  '76,  one  year  ahead  of  his  old  class.  After 
leaving  college  his  father  sent  him  abroad,  from  which,  after 
spending  some  time,  he  returned  and  entered  Columbia 
College  Law  School.  He  was  for  a  time  a  student  in  the 
law  offices  of  Seaward,  Blatchford,  Griswold  ^:  Da  Costa, 
from  which  firm  he  went  to  Steward  L.  Woodford,  into  the 
U.  S.  District  Attorney's  office.  From  such  a  beginning  we 
may  confidently  look  for  a  brilliant  future,  and  watch  with  in- 
terest and  ])rofit  the  career  of  such  a  man  as  Chas.  F.  James. 


DAVID  BANKS. 

Perhaps  one  of  the  most  jjopular,  historically  interesting 
and  |)icturesque  characters  in  New  York  City  is  David 
Banks,  the  well  known  law  publisher  of  Nassau  street.  Mr. 
Banks  comes  of  old  Revolutionary  stock.  He  was  born  in 
New  York  City  sixty-six  years  ago.  His  father  was  David 
Banks,  the  founder  of  the  firm  of  Banks  &:  Gould.  His 
mother  was  Miss  Harriet  Breneck  Lloyd,  daughter  of  Paul 
B.  Lloyd,  of  old  Knickerbocker  stock,  and  his  great-uncle. 


and  Chief  Justice  Nelson.  Martin  Van  Buren  was  also  a 
constant  visitor,  and  "  Old  Hickory  "  himself  always  came 
here  when  in  town.  In  this  atmosphere  of  men  that  '  made 
history  "  Mr.  Banks  was  reared,  and  he  reveres  the  memo- 
ries of  his  youth,  and  emulates  the  manners  of  his  father's 
distinguished  friends.  At  one  time  the  firm's  name  was 
Gould,  Banks  &  (iould.  David  Banks,  the  grandfather, 
was  intimate  with  Washington,  with  whom  he  crossed  the 
Delaware,  and  fought  all  through  the  Revolution.  This 
patriot's  wife  once  saved  (ieneral  Washington  from  capture 
by  the  Hessians  at  Newark,  N.  J.  But  to  return  to  the 
David  Banks  of  to-day.  Though  so  generally  popular  and 
taking  great  interest  in  jniblic  affairs  and  the  welfare  of  the 
city,  Mr.  Hanks,  like  his  father,  always  refused  publ  c  office, 
but  he  has  filled  many  places  of  honor  in  connection  with 
financial  and  social  institutions.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Governing  Council  of  the  City  of  New  York,  the  chairman 
of  its  Building  Committee,  and  a  member  of  its  Executive 
and  Library  Committees.    He  also  belongs  to  the  Sons  of 


D.WID  B.\NKS. 


the  famous  Sir  Joseph  Hanks,  who  was  with  Captain  Cook 
when  he  was  killed  by  the  Sandwich  Islanders.  When  only 
twenty  he  joined  the  law  ])ublishing  house  which  today 
bears  his  name  and  which  is  one  of  the  historical  landmarks 
of  old  New  York.  The  house  was  established  in  1X04,  and 
while  it  is  the  oldest,  it  is  one  of  the  largest  law  publishing 
houses  in  America.  The  business  was  at  first  carried  on 
where  the  ])resent  Drexel  building  stands.  In  twenty-five 
years  the  building  on  Wall  Street  became  too  small  for  the 
in<  rea:>ing  business  of  the  firm,  and  a  move  was  made  u])  to 
the  present  site  of  the  Tribune  building.  The  new  build- 
ing was  noted  then  for  its  immense  si/e,  and  it  was  also 
noted  for  the  famous  men  who  used  to  meet  there.  Old 
Mr.  I'anks  was  an  uncomproinising  "hardshell"  Democrat 
and  his  office  was  called  "Tammany  Hall,  Jr."  Here  su(  h 
men  would  congregate  as  ex-Governors  Morgan  Lewis, 
Wright  and  Marcy  ;  Chancellors  Kent,  Walworth  and 
McCown  ;  Surrogate  Miller  ;  Judges  Sanford,  Samuel  Jones 


the  Revolution  and  the  Sons  of  Veterans  of  181 2.  He  was 
the  last  captain  of  the  Old  City  Guard,  and  honorary  mem- 
ber of  the  Old  (iuard.  He  is  also  a  |)rominent  Mason,  a 
Sir  Knight,  and  a  member  of  the  Veteran  Firemen's  .Asso- 
ciation. Socially  he  is  a  prince.  He  was  recently  elected 
President  of  the  New  York  Club,  and  was  one  of  the  Com- 
mittee of  One  Hundred  of  the  Columbian  Celebration,  and 
a  member  of  the  Auditing  Committee.  He  belongs  to 
the  following  other  clubs  :  The  Lawyers',  the  Union,  the 
Manhattan,  and  the  St.  Nicholas.  Mr.  Banks  is  a  most 
enthusiastic  yachtsman,  and  the  hero  of  a  hundred  gales. 
He  owns  and  cajjtains  the  fast  and  beautiful  Water  \Vitch. 
He  is  Commodore  of  the  .Atlantic  Yacht  Club,  of  Brooklyn, 
and  a  member  of  the  New  York  \'acht,  the  City  Club,  and 
the  .Vtalanta  Moat  Club.  Of  the  financial  institutions  he  is 
director  of  is  the  East  River  National  Bank,  an  old  institu- 
tion whose  charter  dates  from  1852,  of  which  his  father  was 
the  first  President. 


203 


AUGUST  BELMONT. 

The  great  banking  house  of  August  Behnont  &  Co.,  the 
American  representatives  of  the  Rothschilds,  was  founded 
in  1837  by  August  Belmont,  Sr.,  who  for  fifty  years  was  one 
of  the  most  prominent  financiers  of  the  Metropolis,  and  who, 
in  addition,  identified  himself  socially  and  politically  with 
the  interests  of  the  city  and  country,  serving  as  United 
States  Minister  to  the  Hague,  and  for  many  years  Chairman 
of  the  National  Democratic  Committee,  and  taking  a  most 
active  part  in  municijjal  and  national  ])olitics.  Mr.  Belmont 
was  not  only  a  financier,  statesman  and  publicist  of  the  front 
rank,  but  he  had  a  mind  well  bent  for  the  amenities  of  life. 
During  the  course  of  his  long  and  busy  career  as  banker, 
diplomat,  confidential  agent  of  the  government  and  politi- 
cian, he  also  made  his  house  the  rendezvous  of  fashionable 
New  York  ;  he  caused  the  American  Jockey  Club  to  be  held 
the  standard  for  pure  and  clean  sport  in  the  United  States  ; 
he  created  a  taste  for  art,  a  discretion  in  music,  and  his 
counsel  was  paramount  on  all  club  committees.  The  firm 
has  always  occupied  a  leading  and  dignified  position,  not 
only  as  drawers  of  exchange,  but  as  the  representatives  of 
vast  foreign  investment  interests  in  American  railroad  and 
other  corporations,  their  European  connections  extending 
to  every  city  of  importance  abroad.  The  present  head  of 
the  house  is  August  Belmont,  the  son  of  the  founder.  Mr. 
Belmont  was  born  in  New  York,  February  18,  1853,  was 
educated  at  the  Rectory  School,  Hamden,  Conn.,  at  Haver- 
ford,  Penn.,  Phillips  Exeter  Academy,  and  graduated  from 
Harvard  in  1875.  He  entered  his  father's  banking  house 
in  September,  1875,  and  married  in  1881  Miss  Bessie  Ham- 
ilton Morgan,  of  New  York,  by  whom  he  has  three  sons, 
August,  Raymond  and  Morgan.  Inheriting  great  wealth 
and  all  the  force  of  character  and  directness  of  purpose  for 
which  his  father  was  famous,  young  Belmont  has  become  a 
power  in  the  financial  world.  His  self-})oise  and  perfect 
judgment  in  large  financial  undertakings  and  pursuits  have 
made  him  conspicuous.  He  is  at  the  present  time,  while 
barely  forty  years  of  age,  Chairman  of  the  Board  of  the 
Eouisville  and  Nashville  Railroad,  a  director  of  the  St.  Paul 
Railroad,  Vice-President  of  the  Kings  County  Elevated 
Railroad,  a  Director  of  the  E(iuitable  Life  Insurance  Com.- 
pany  and  of  the  Manhattan  Trust  Company,  of  the  National 
Park  Bank  and  of  the  Bank  of  the  State  of  New  York,  and 
also  of  many  industrial  corporations.  Socially  he  is  one  of 
the  most  companionable  of  men,  and  his  popularity  has  made 
him  a  natural  clubmate,  and  the  best  clubs  of  the  city  and 
suburbs  are  pleased  to  claim  him  as  a  member.  The  Union, 
Knickerbocker,  Manhattan,  Lawyers',  Racquet,  New  York 
Athletic  (of  which  latter  he  is  President),  the  Meadowbrook 
and  Country,  the  New  York  Larchmont,  Seawanhaka,  East- 
ern and  Corinthian  Yacht  Clubs,  being  Flag  Officer  of  the 
latter,  and  he  is  also  member  of  the  American  Kennel  Club, 
which  his  presidency  has  brought  to  its  present  command- 
ing influence  throughout  the  country.  He  is  an  uncompro- 
mising Democrat,  a  hard  working  business  man.  and  an  active 
and  thorough  sportsman  in  his  leisure  hours.  A  man  with 
a  purpose,  backed  by  vast  wealth  and  thorough  education  in 
and  knowledge  of  the  path  he  is  pursuing,  with  industry, 
talent  and  good  judgment,  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  Mr. 
Belmont  will  speedily  scale  the  uppermost  rounil  of  the  lad- 
der of  successful  results.  What  the  ripe  harvest  will  be,  if 
life  is  spared  to  such  a  man,  it  is  comparatively  easy  to 
foresee.   

D.    D.  McKOON. 

Hon.  1).  D.  McKoon,  of  the  New  York  Bar,  was  born  in 
Herkimer  County,  N.  Y.,  on  October  17,  1827,  and  comes  of 
good  Scottish-American  ancestry.  His  great-grandfather, 
James  McKoon,  came  to  this  country  and  settled  in  Her- 
kimer County,  where  his  descendants  followed  the  vocation 
of  farming.    The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  a  son  of  Martin, 


Jr.,  and  Margaret  McKoon  and  was  educated  in  the  Fulton 
.'\cademy,  Oswego  County.  His  legal  training  was  gained 
in  the  office  of  Judge  Ransom  H.  Tyler  and  his  admission 
to  the  bar  took  place  in  1854.  He  at  once  began  the  prac- 
tice of  his  profession  at  Phoenix,  where  he  was  associated 
in  law  with  Francis  David,  who  is  now  serving  his  second 
term  as  Surrogate  of  Oswego  County.  While  located  at 
Phoenix  Mr.  McKoon  was  elected  to  the  County  Judgeship 
for  three  consecutive  terms,  but  in  1862,  at  the  beginning  of 
his  third  term,  resigned  his  position  to  enlist  in  the  Army. 
He  joined  Company  D,  iioth  Regiment,  New  York  \'olunteer 
Infantry,  and  went  to  the  front.  He  was  made  First  Lieu- 
tenant of  his  company  and  during  a  portion  of  his  time 
acted  as  adjutant  of  the  Regiment,  but  his  military  career 
was  cut  short  through  an  attack  of  typhoid  fever,  which 
illness  necessitated  his  retirement  from  the  army  and  was 
of  such  severity  as  to  incapacitate  him  from  mental  or 
physical  work  for  the  three  following  years.  In  1866  he 
resumed  the  practice  of  law  in  Middletown,  Orange  County, 


and  for  three  years  of  his  time  in  that  place  was  a  partner 
in  the  law  firm  of  Foote,  McKoon  &  Stoddard.  In  1874 
he  came  to  the  Metropolis  and  opened  an  ofifice,  at  the  same 
time  and  for  three  subsecjuent  years  retaining  one  in  Mid- 
dletown. He  finally  devoted  his  entire  time  to  his  New 
York  business,  and  five  years  ago  admitted  his  son,  D.  Gil- 
bert McKoon,  to  partnership  under  the  firm  name  of  D.  I), 
is:  D.  G.  McKoon,  which  about  two  years  ago  became 
McKoon  &  Luckey  upon  the  admission  to  membership  of 
David  B.  Luckey.  Judge  McKoon  has  confined  his  practice 
to  the  civil  department  of  the  law  and  made  a  specialty  of 
Real  Estate  litigation.  His  career  has  not  only  been  finan- 
cially successful,  but  is  also  unmarked  by  a  sing  e  unpro- 
fessional act,  and  he  is  accordingly  highly  esteemed  and 
respected  by  both  Bench  and  Bar  for  his  honorable  methods 
and  integrity  of  character.  Judge  McKoon  was  married  in 
1852  to  Miss  Mary,  daughter  of  Andrus  Gilbert,  of  Oswego 
County,  whom  he  and  an  only  son  survive.  At  present  he 
is  a  director  in  and  Treasurer  of  the  Richmond  Homestead 


204 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


Association  of  New  York,  ca])ital  ^50,000.  Also  is  a  direct- 
or and  Vice-President  of  the  Frontier  Bank  of  Niagara, 
and  is  President  of  the  Mannahasset  Park  Association  of 
Monmouth  County,  New  Jersey.  His  chief  recreation  con- 
sists in  supervising  his  large  real  estate  interests  in  North- 
ern New  York  and  on  the  Jersey  Coast.  And  at  the  ripe 
age  of  sixty-six  years  he  may  be  justly  called  one  of  the 
most  active  professional  men  of  New  York. 


JOHN  A.  AMUNDSON. 

John  .\.  Amundson,  one  of  the  talented  and  successful 
lawyers  of  the  New  York  bar,  like  many  other  prominent 
professional  men  of  the  Metropolis  is  a  representative  of  the 
Western  States.  He  was  born  at  Madison,  Wis.,  on  April  2, 
1856.  l"he  height  of  his  boyhood  ambiiion  was  a  collegiate 
education,  and  his  i)reparatory  course  was  accomplished 
solely  through  close  personal  application  to  study  of  those 
elementary  branches  of  education  which  are  usually  more 
readily  obtained.  Though  wholly  self-prepared,  he 
passed  his  entrance  examinations  to  Yale  College  with- 
out a  condition,  and  after  a  brilliant  course  was  gradu- 
ated with  honors  in  the  class  of  1880,  delivering  the 
I^e  Forest    ])rize   oration.       He    subsecpiently   was  ad- 


JOHN  A.  AMUNDSON. 

mitted  to  the  bar  and  his  talents  and  ability  soon 
brought  him  into  prominence.  His  ])ractice  is  confined 
chiefly  to  the  civil  de])artments  of  the  law,  and  his  clientlie 
includes  corporations  mercantile  concerns,  and  large  estates, 
like  those  of  Hugh  Smith,  Martha  M.  Huylar,  and  others. 
As  a  corporation  lawyer,  he  has  specially  distinguished  him- 
self, and  figured  as  leading  counsel  in  many  important 
litigations.  No  little  of  his  success  is  attributable  to  his 
integrity  and  thoroughly  reliable,  personal  character.  On 
Seplcml)er,  1884,  Mr.  .\mundson  was  married  to  Miss  Carrie 
Monson,  daughter  of  Curtis  J.  Monson,  of  New  Haven,  and 
resides  in  Medford  Park,  in  the  nortiiern  section  of  the  city. 
Though  taking  an  a(  live  interest  in  politics,  he  has  never 
sought  politii  a!  honors,  but  has  (le\  ()ted  his  assiduous  atten ■ 


tion  to  his  profession.  The  success  attained  by  Mr. 
Amundson  is  an  illustration  of  what  a  self-made  and  well- 
made  man  may  accomplish  through  indomitable  will  power, 
and  what  obstacles  may  be  overcome  by  perseverance. 


STEPHEN   V.  WHITE. 

Hon.  Stephen  V.  White,  a  distinguished  financier  and 
ex-member  of  Congress  from  the  Third  Congressional  Dis- 
trict, was  born  in  Chatham  County,  N.  C,  August  i,  1831. 
On  his  father's  side  his  ancestors  were  sturdy  Quakers,  who 
removed  from  Chester  County,  Pa.,  to  North  Carolina  imme- 
diately after  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  War.  His 
mother,  Julia  Brewer,  was  a  direct  descendant  of  Oliver 
Cromwell  and  a  member  of  one  of  the  oldest  and  best  known 
families  in  North  Carolina.  After  the  famous  Nat  Turner 
insurrection  in  1831  the  family  removed  to  Illinois,  then  a 
remote  wilderness,  where  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
reared  amid  the  wildest  surroundings  and  inured  to  all  the 
hardships  of  frontier  life.  The  first  direct  jjay  he  ever  re- 
ceived for  his  labor  was  from  the  sale  of  furs  he  had  himself 
trapped.  He  nevertheless  managed  to  acquire  a  practical 
English  education,  and  entering  Knox  College,  Illinois,  was 
graduated  from  that  institution  in  1854.  In  1888  his  Alma 
Mater  conferred  upon  him  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Laws. 
Upon  leaving  college  he  immediately  struck  out  for  himself. 
Locating  in  St.  Louis  he  obtained  employment  as  a  book- 
keeper in  the  wholesale  store  of  Clatlin,  Allen  &  Stinde, 
and  in  1855  began  the  study  of  the  law  in  the  office  of  Brown 
&  Kasson,  composed  of  the  late  Hon.  Brown,  afterwards 
Governor  of  Missouri  and  United  States  Senator  from  that 
State,  and  the  Hon.  John  A.  Kasson,  afterwards  United 
States  Minister  to  Berlin.  November  4,  1856,  he  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar,  and  began  the  practice  of  his  profession 
at  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  at  once  taking  a  leading  ])Osition  and 
being  retained  in  many  of  the  most  important  cases  in  the 
F  ederal  Courts.  His  restless  ambition,  however,  led  him  to 
abandon  the  profession  he  had  so  brilliantly  adorned  and 
seek  elsewhere  a  larger  and  more  exciting  field.  Accord- 
ingly, in  1865  he  removed  to  New  York,  and  with  Caj)tain 
Charles  B.  Marvin  established  the  banking  house  of  Marvin 

White.  'J'his  firm  was  dissolved  two  years  later,  Mr. 
White  continuing  in  business  alone  until  January  i,  1882, 
when  the  firm  of  S.  V.  White  Co.  was  organized,  corn- 
loosed  of  Mr.  White,  Mr.  Arthur  ClaHin  and  Mr.  Franklin 
W.  Hopkins.  Mr.  Claflin  retired  from  the  firm  on  January 
I,  1886.  Mr.  White  has  been  connected  with  the  New  York 
Stock  Exchange  for  more  than  a  quarter  of  century,  during 
which  time  he  has  been  actively  engaged  both  as  a  broker 
and  as  an  operator  on  his  own  account  It  is  owing  to  his 
career  in  the  latter  respect  that  he  has  attained  fio  high  a 
distinction  in  the  turbulent  life  of  Wall  Street  and  so  splendid 
a  record  in  financial  circles  at  home  and  abroad.  Mr.^Vhite's 
individual  operations  have  been  of  a  most  gigantic  kind,  and 
such  as  could  only  have  been  conducted  by  a  man  possessing 
phenomenal  prescience,  a  well  balanced  brain,  the  jiower  of 
cool  calculation  and  a  su])reme  confidence  in  his  convictions.' 
Politically,  Mr.  W  hite  has  been  a  staunch  Republican  ever 
since  the  birth  of  the  j)arty.  He  was  an  earnest  worker  for 
John  C.  Fremont,  the  first  candidate  of  the  party  for  the 
presidency  in  1856.  Until  1886  Mr.  White  had  never  been  a 
candidate  for  political  preferment,  but  was,  in  that  year, 
elected  to  the  Fiftieth  Congress  from  the  Third  Congres- 
sional District.  The  achievements  of  Mr.  White  during 
the  memorable  events  of  1891-2  are  unparalleled  in  the  his- 
torv  of  Wall  Street.  The  firm  of  S.  V.  White  Co.  failed, 
and  during  the  dark  days  following  Mr.  White  drank  deeply 
of  thecui)of  bitterness.  The  accumulations  of  a  lifetime 
were  gone,  prestige  was  gone,  self  confidence  was  shaken, 
age  coming  on,  and  above  all  tiiere  was  a  great  mountain  of 
debt.     His  associates  in  those  days  were  humiliation  and 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS.  205 


distress,  but  never  despair,  and  through  all  the  gloom  there 
were  gleams  of  sunshine.  Plymouth  Church  promptly  re- 
elected Mr.  White  treasurer  of  the  society,  with  assurances 
of  confidence  and  hope  doubly  gratifying  at  such  an  hour. 
The  value  of  a  character  became  evident.  Mr.  White's  ver- 
bal promise  to  pay  when  he  could  was  found  to  be  a  tangible 
asset.  Men  regarded  Mr.  White's  word  as  better  than  some 
debtors'  notes.  When  an  obdurate  creditor  was  found, 
there  was  found  also,  not  far  away,  some  one  willing  and 
able  to  make  that  creditor  sign,  and  there  came  a  day  in 
January,  1892,  when  Mr.  White  could  say  that  he  had 
not  a  dollar  of  legal  obligation  outstanding.  That  great 
debt  which  had  been  released  from  the  grasp  of  the  law  had, 
however,  only  bound  tighter  uj^on  Mr.  White's  heart,  and  it 
weighed  his  spirit  down.  Everything  that  he  touched  turned 
to  gold,  but  as  money  poured  in  he  did  not  forget  that  he 
was  only  a  steward,  and  every  clean-up  was  followed  by  the 
transmission  of  a  flight  of  checks  to  creditors  of  honor. 
Creditors  believed  to  be  needy  were  paid  first,  principal  and 
interest.  Others  got  chtcks  on  account.  It  began  to  be 
noised  about  that  Mr.  White  was  paying  off  debts  at  a  pro- 
digious rate.  This  brought  following  and  strengthened  his 
hands.  On  the  31st  of  December  the  work  was  done.  The 
last  creditor  had  his  money.  The  Chicago  creditors  who 
settled  at  fifty  cents  on  the  dollar  had  all  received  the  other 
fifty  cents  on  the  dollar,  with  interest,  and  S.  V.  White 
walked  the  floor  of  the  E.xchange  conscious  of  having  made 
a  record  which  would  endure  where  most  other  financial 
incidents  of  this  generation  have  been  forgotten.  Men  have 
failed  for  larger  sums.  Men  have  extricated  themselves  in 
the  course  of  years  from  greater  embarrassments.  Men  have 
made  more  than  a  million  dollars  in  a  year.  But  no  other 
man  has  failed  for  a  million  dollars  in  attempting  to  do  some- 
thing which,  almost  immediately  after  his  failure,  did  itself 
in  obedience  to  natural  laws.  No  other  man  has  obtained 
release  from  legal  obligation  to  pay  $1,000,000  upon  his 
mere  assurance  that  he  would  pay  when  he  could.  No  other 
man,  starting  with  $t;o,ooo  capital,  has  made  a  million  dol- 
lars in  less  than  eleven  months,  and  paid  it  all  to  people  to 
whom  he  was  under  no  legal  obligation  to  pay  anything. 
Such  a  combination  of  dramatic  incident  with  such  a  display 
of  intellectual  and  moral  qualii  ies  is  absolutely  unique.  The 
effects  of  sui  h  an  achievement  upon  the  minds  of  young 
men,  upon  the  business  world  and  upon  the  communitv  as 
showing  a  phase  of  Wall  Street  life  not  generally  believed 
to  exist  must  be  great,  good  and  enduring.  Such  is  an  all 
too  brief  sketch  of  a  man  who,  by  pure  force  of  ability,  cour- 
age, character  and  integrity,  became  one  of  the  powers  of 
Wall  Street.  Lawyer,  legislator,  journalist  and  financier,  he 
has  always  done  well  whatever  he  has  attempted,  and  has 
won  success  and  hosts  of  warm  friends  by  traits  of  character 
as  rare  as  they  are  enviable.  He  has  always  had  the  courage 
of  h's  convictions  and  the  decision  of  character  that  make 
abilities  such  as  he  possesses  doubly  respected.  His  prac- 
tical knowledge  of  public  affairs,  his  brilliant  powers  as  a 
financier,  his  experience  in  dealing  with  men,  his  marvellous 
gift  of  self-reliance  and  his  attractive  social  qualities  mark 
him  as  one  of  those  rare  sons  of  fortune  whom  riches  have 
not  spoiled  nor  adversity  subued. 


SUMNER   F.  DUDLEY. 

The  old  and  well-known  surgical  instrument  manufac- 
turing house  of  Shepard  &  Dudley  was  established  in  1840  by 
William  R.  Cioulding,  who  was  a  physician  and  surgeon  as 
well  as  surgical  instrument  maker.  Dr.  Cioulding  o])erated 
for  clubfoot  and  other  pedal  deformities  long  before 
orthopaedic  surgery  became  a  specialty.  In  1861  he  was 
appointed  curator  in  the  Army  Museum,  Washington,  where 
many  anatomical  specimens  prepared  by  him  may  be  seen 


to-day.  He  was  possessed  of  fine  artistic  tastes,  and  made 
anatomical  drawings  and  etchings  of  surgical  operations 
that  have  been  sought  after  by  many  distinguished  specialists. 
Dr.  Cioulding  carried  on  the  surgical  instrument  business 
from  1840  until  1850,  when  the  firm  name  was  changed  once 
more  to  F.  H.  Walsh  &  Co.,  and  in  1854  to  Goulding  &  Ford. 
In  1858  it  changed  again  to  George  Wade  and  1859  to  Wade 
&:  Ford.  This  last  named  firm  conducted  the  business  dur- 
ing the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  and  made  surgical  instruments 
for  the  United  States  Army  and  Navy,  ancl  also  for  ex])ort- 
ing.  In  1866  the  firm  became  W.  F.  Ford  &  Co.,  in  1867 
W.  F.  Ford  alone,  and  in  1869  assumed  its  present  title  of 
Shepard  &  Dudley.  Henceforth  they  manufactured  a  more 
extensive  line  of  goods,  and  went  largely  into  export  and 
wholesale  dealings.  In  1879  the  firm  issued  an  illustrated 
catalogue  more  complete  than  anything  in  that  line  hitherto 
published,  either  in  Europe  or  America.  Mr.  F.  M.  Shepard 
retired  from  the  concern  in  1869,  and  is  now,  and  has  been 


SUMNER  F.  DI  DLEV. 


for  year.^.  President  of  the  Rubber  Clothing  Company  and 
the  Goodyear  Rubber  Company.  Mr.  F.  D.  Dudley  also 
retired  in  1889,  leaving  the  concern  to  his  two  sons,  Sumner 
F.  and  Frederick  A.  Dudley,  who  have  been  connected  with 
the  business  since  1872.  They  were  both  born  in  Wor- 
cester, Mass.,  and  there  received  a  high  school  education. 
Associated  with  them  is  Dr.  William  R.  Leonard,  who  has 
been  connected  with  the  business  since  his  boyhood,  so  that 
a  professional  understanding  of  all  the  necessities  and  detail 
of  the  business  has  been  added  to  a  perfect  mechanical 
knowledge  This  has  contributed  materially  to  their  suc- 
cess. The  senior  partner,  Sumner  F.  Dudley,  whose  por- 
trait is  here  given,  has  been  for  years  actively  employed 
with  the  work  of  the  V'oung  Men's  Christian  Association. 
He  was  for  six  years  Treasurer  of  the  New  York  State 
Executive  Committee  of  that  body,  and  is  now  a  member  of 
the  New  Jersey  State  Executive  Commitlee  and  one  of  the 
Secretaries  of  the  State  Association  of  New  York. 


2o6 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


DANIEL   ADDISON  HEALD. 

Daniel  Addison  Heald,  President  of  the  Home  Insurance 
Co.,  and  the  leading  fire  underwriter  of  the  United  States, 
was  born  in  the  town  of  Chester,  Vermont,  May  4,  1818. 
The  family  comes  of  old  Puritan  stock,  of  English  descent, 
coming  to  this  country  in  1635  from  Berwick,  England,  and 
were  among  the  first  settlers  of  Concord,  Mass.  His 
maternal  grandfather  was  named  Edwards.  Both  of  his 
grandfathers  were  soldiers  in  the  Revolution,  and  fought  at 
Concord  Bridge,  Bunker  Hill,  and  in  other  engagements. 
His  grandfather  Pklwards  was  a  captain  in  the  army  under 
Washington.  His  father,  Amos  Heald,  married  a  daughter 
of  Captain  Edwards,  and  lived  at  Chester,  Vermont,  where 
he  owned  one  of  the  best  farms  in  the  State.  Daniel 
Addison  Heald  was  their  youngest  child.  On  bis  father's 
farm  he  passed  the  first  sixteen  yeiirs  of  his  life,  assisting 


pany  of  New  York  invited  him  to  become  its  general  agent. 
He  accepted  the  offer  and  entered  upon  his  duties  in  New 
York  City.  After  twelve  years  of  service,  he  was  chosen 
Second  Vice-President  of  the  Company.  In  1883,  u)jon  the 
resignation  of  Vice-President  Wiilmarth,  Mr.  Heald  suc- 
ceeded him.  In  1888,  he  was  elected  to  the  Presidency, 
President  Martin  having  resigned.  When  Mr.  Heald 
joined  the  company  its  capital  was  $500,000;  total  assets 
$872,823.  The  capital  is  now  $3,000,000,  its  gross  assets 
$9,300,000,  with  a  surplus  over  capital  and  all  babilities 
of  $1,250,000.  In  cajMtal  and  assets  it  is  only  equalled  by 
one  other  American  company.  Its  income  is  over 
$4,750,000  and  insures  property  to  more  than  $700,000,000. 
It  has  passed  through  all  the  great  fires,  paying  all  losses 
promjitly  and  in  full.  It  is  one  of  the  four  great  fire  com- 
l)anies  of  the  world.    A  large  share  of  the  credit  of  this 


DAXIEL    .'VDDISdN  HE.\LD. 


him  in  the  various  labors  of  farm  work.  But  his  inclina- 
tions and  ambitions  were  in  other  directions  than  those  of  a 
farmer.  He  neglected  no  o])portunity  for  mental  improve- 
ment, and  was  ambitious  of  obtaining  a  liberal  education. 
He  attended  the  public  schools  of  this  native  town,  and 
then  attended  a  preparatory  school  at  Meriden,  New 
Hampshire,  where  he  remained  two  years,  and  entered  Yale 
C'ollege,  graduating  with  honors  in  1841  at  twenty-three 
years  of  age.  During  his  senior  year  at  Yale,  he  read  law 
under  the  direction  of  Judge  Daggett,  of  New  Haven,  and 
sul)se(piently  for  two  years  in  the  ohice  of  judge  Washburn, 
of  Ludlow,  Vt.  He  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  of  Vermont, 
May,  1843.  He  also  conducted  an  insurance  business 
while  engaged  in  ])ractice  of  law,  as  Agent  for  the  /Etna 
and  other  Hartford  com])anies,  and  obtained  su(  h  an 
excellent  reputation  that  in  1856  the  Home  Insurance  Com- 


record  belongs  to  Mr.  Heald,  who  has  been  described  as  the 
possessor  of  "  the  most  active  fire  insurance  brain  on  the 
continent."  Early  Mr.  Heald  realized  that  the  successful 
conduct  of  fire  insurance  business  dejjended  upon  its  mastery 
as  a  science,  well  knowing  that  no  one  can  know  too  much 
to  conduct  it  successfully.  He  is  not  only  a  lawyer,  but 
chemist,  architect,  financier  and  an  excellent  judge  of  men, 
and  of  values  of  all  things  insurable.  He  has  investigated 
with  great  care  the  causes  of  fire  and  the  means  and 
a])pliances  for  prevention  and  extinction.  He  has  conducted 
the  business  of  tlu'  Home  Insurance  Com])any  so  as  to 
take  care  of  the  policyholders  as  well  as  the  stockholders, 
and  obtain  fair  rates  in  face  of  all  competition.  The 
policies  of  the  company  are  sought  for  by  the  best  class  of 
insured  all  over  the  United  States.  After  the  great  Portland 
fire  of  1867,  Mr.  lleaid  was  one  of  the  prime  movers  in  the 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS.  207 


organization  of  the  National  Board  of  Fire  Underwriters,  of 
which  important  organization  he  has  served  either  as  Chair- 
man of  the  Executive  Committee  or  President,  holding  the 
latter  office  for  ten  years.  He  has  made  numerous  addresses 
on  the  subject  of  fire  insurance,  which  hold  a  high  ])lace  in 
the  literature  of  the  profession.  He  has  been  an  active  and 
permanent  member  of  the  New  York  Board  of  Fire  Under- 
writers, having  held  many  official  positions  and  has  been  a 
hard  worker  in  its  interests.  Loved  and  honored  by  all  who 
know  him,  active  and  alert,  despatching  business  easily  and 
rapidly,  no  name  has  become  more  deeply  engraved  on  the 
history  of  Fire  Insurance  in  America  than  that  of  Daniel 
Addison  Heald. 


GRANVILLE    P.  HAWES. 

Hon.  Granville  P.  Hawes,  one  of  New  York's  most  dis- 
tinguished lawyers,  was  born  in  the  State  of  Maine,  in  1838, 
and  educated  in  Bowdoin  College.  He  had  for  fellow- 
classmates  such  eminent  men  as  the  Hon.  Thomas  B. 
Reed,  one  of  the  leaders  of  the  Republican  party  ;  Judge 
Symonds,  General  W.  W.  Thomas,  and  other  well-known 
men.  Judge  Hawes  himself  is  a  man  of  national  reputation. 
Coming  to  the  city  he  studied  law  in  Columbia  College,  at 
the  same  time  taking  charge  of  the  literary  department  of  a 
leading  Metropolitan  morning  paper,  and  subsecpiently 
becoming  Professor  of  Rhetoric  and  English  in  the  Mary- 
land State  College.  When  the  war  broke  out  and  the  country 
called  its  children  to  arms  in  defence  of  the  Union,  Mr. 
Hawes  answered  the  appeal,  and  joining  the  army,  served 
throughout  the  great  struggle.  He  was  on  the  staff  of 
Major-General  William  H.  F^mory,  and  as  such  belonged  to 
the  Nineteenth  Army  Corps  and  fought  with  Sheridan  in  the 
famous  Shenandoah  Valley  Campaign.  After  the  war  he 
came  to  New  York  once  more  and  resumed  practice,  a  pro- 
fession in  which  since  then  he  has  achieved  marked  success. 

In  1879  he  was  nominated  Judge  of  the  City  Court  and 
elected  after  a  very  exciting  contest.  He  was  the  only 
Republican  elected  at  the  time  on  the  county  ticket.  At 
the  end  of  his  term  of  office,  renominated  somewhat  against 
his  will,  he  polled  30,000  votes  more  than  the  nominees  for 
the  other  offices  on  the  same  ticket,  coming  within  400  votes 
of  a  re-election.  Nominated  subsequently  for  the  Superior 
Court  Bench,  he  received  10,000  votes  more  than  the  remain- 
der of  his  ticket.  From  187010  1876  he  was  Chairman  of 
the  Board  of  School  Trustees  of  the  Twelfth  Ward,  and  in 
187 1  member  of  the  committee  which  elected  Mayor 
Havemeyer  and  annihilated  the  Tweed  Ring.  He  is  direc- 
tor of  the  New  England  Society,  and  for  a  number  of  years 
has  been  Chairman  of  its  Committee  on  Charities.  He 
organized  the  D.  K.  E.  Club  of  this  city,  and  for  two  years 
was  its  President.  Judge  Hawes  is  also  a  prominent  mem- 
ber of  the  Union  League  Club,  of  which  he  was  for  three 
years  Secretary,  and  frequently  served  on  its  executive  com- 
mittee. He  also  belongs  to  the  University  and  Lawyers' 
clubs  and  the  Bar  Association.  He  has  written  extensively 
for  magazines,  newspapers  and  periodicals,  and  is  the 
author  of  a  well  known  work  on  General  Assignments  He 
is  counsel  for  a  number  of  large  corporations,  and  enjoys  a 
lucrative  practice. 


SHEPPARD  HOMANS. 

Shep])ard  Homans,  son  of  the  late  I.  Smith  Homansand 
Sarah  A.  Sheppard,  was  born  in  Baltimore  Md.,  April  12, 
1831.  He  graduated  from  St.  Mary's  College,  and  was 
from  youth  a  Ijrilliant  mathematician  and  ripe  scholar.  He 
entered  Harvard  in  1849,  and  after  passing  all  the  exam- 
inations for  a  degree  in  that  University,  was  appointed  by 
the  Government  to  conduct  an  expedition  for  determining 
the  difference  in  longitude  between  Liverpool  and  Boston. 
The  result  of  this  was  to  secure  for  him  an  appointment  on 


the  coast  survey,  and  astronomer  on  several  exploring  expe- 
ditions across  the  country.  In  1865  he  succeeded  Pro- 
fessor Charles  Gill  as  Actuary  of  the  Mutual  Life  Insurance 
Company  of  New  York.  In  that  capacity  he  immediately 
began  upon  the  original  work  of  com])iling  the  American 
Experience  Table  of  Mortality  to  replace  the  foreign  table 
previously  relied  upon.  It  is  now  in  use  by  every  Ameri- 
can Life  Insurance  Company  of  consequence  in  the  coun- 
try. Mr.  Homans  was  twice  sent  to  Europe  by  his  Com- 
pany: the  first  time  in  1861,  to  study  the  work  of  British 
life  offices,  and  the  second  time  in  1869,  to  attend  the  In- 
ternational Statistical  Congress  held  at  Hague,  at  which  he 
also  represented  the  American  Geographical  Society.  Hardly 
had  he  finished  his  work  upon  the  American  Experience 
Table  of  Mortality  when  he  suggested  the  ])lan  known  as 
the  "  Contribution  Plan,"  for  the  etpiitable  distribution  of 


SHEPPARD  HOMANS. 

the  surplus  of  life  companies  among  the  persons  who  con- 
tribute to  its  surplus  accumulations.  Mr.  Homans  is  un- 
questionably the  leading  authority  on  life  insurance  statis- 
tics in  the  United  States,  and  is  as  well  known  abroad  as  at 
home.  He  is  Consulting  Actuary  of  various  comjjanies, 
President  of  the  Englewood  Club,  Brookside  Cemetery  As- 
sociation, and  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Englewood 
School  for  Boys.  He  is  also  a  prominent  club  member,  be- 
longing to  the  Union  League,  Lawyers'  and  New  York  and 
Atlantic  Yacht  Clubs.  In  1875  Mr.  Homans  organized  the 
Provident  Savings  Life  Assurance  Society  of  New  York,  the 
specialty  of  which  is  to  furnish  renewable  term  life  insur- 
ance. The  success  of  this  company  is  a  marvel  of  public 
confidence  reposed  in  a  sound  and  vigorous  organization. 

CHARLES    F.    BEACH,  Jr. 

Charles  F.  Beach,  Jr.,  who  enjoys  distinction  as  one  of 
the  prominent  and  talented  members  of  the  younger  genera- 
tion of  the  Bar  of  the  Metropolis,  was  born  in  Paris,  Ken- 
tucky, on  February  4th,  1854.  His  father,  Rev.  Charles  F. 
Beach,  was  born  in  this  State,  but  early  removed  to  the 


208 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


South,  where  he  was  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  emi- 
nent Presbyterian  divines.  The  subject  of  this  sketch 
received  his  preparatory  education  at  Dr.  \Vm.  L.  Yerkes' 
(Grammar  School  in  his  native  town,  entered  Centre  College 
in  1872,  and  was  graduated  in  1877  with  the  degree  of 
B.A;-)  to  which  was  added  in  1881  that  of  M  A.  For  some 
time  he  was  connected  in  an  editorial  capacity  with  the 
Louisville  Courier  Journal,  but  seeing  the  greater  a(l\  an- 
tages  to  be  derived  from  a  professional  career  he  came  to 
the  Metropolis  in  1879  and  took  a  course  in  Columbia  Law 
School,  graduating  in  1881.  He  immediately  began  the 
practice  of  law  and  soon  gained  re])utation  as  a  lawyer  of 
superior  ability.  His  legal  treatises,  "  Law  of  Private  Cor- 
porations," "  Modern  Law  of  Railways,"  "  Law  of  Public 
Corporations,"  "Modern  Equity  Juris])rudence "  (all  two 
vol'.mie  works),  "  Law  of  Receivers,"  "  Law  of  Con- 
tributory Negligence,"  and  Law  of  Wills,"  have  received 
many  encomiums  in  legal  circles  and  are  regarded  as 
excellent  authority   on  the  subjects  of  which  they  treat. 


CHAkl.l.s  I  .        \(  I ..  jr. 


In  addition  to  meeting  the  recpiircments  ot  liis  large 
law  ])ractice,  Mr.  Beach  edited  the  Raiht<ay  a/ul  Coi- 
poration  Law  Journal  from  1887  to  1891,  and  his  forci- 
ble editorials  were  the  leading  features  of  that  ])ublica- 
tion.  He  devotes  his  attention  to  a  general  civil  ])rac- 
tice,  making  a  specialty  of  corporation  matters,  in  which 
department  of  his  profession  he  has  distinguished  him- 
self in  many  celebrated  and  important  cases  before  the 
higher  courts.  He  was  for  four  years  the  as.sociate  General 
Counsel  of  the  Missouri,  Kansas  &  Texas  Railway  Co.,  and 
was  one  of  the  attorneys  in  the  Carload-Lot  Cases  and  in 
ihe  .Anthracite  Coal  Cases  before  the  Interstate  Commerce 
Commission.  He  was  also  counsel  for  the  Congressional 
Committee  a|)i)ointed  10  investigate  the  workings  of  tlu' 
Reading  Railroad  Coal  combination  in  1892.  His  social 
career  has  also  been  a  su(  cess.  He  is  a  popular  member 
of  the  City  Bar  Assuriation,  the  i\Linhattan,  Reform  and 
Southern  Clul).s,  and  though  his  life  is  too  busy  to  devote 
much  time  to  ])olitics,  he  is  an  enthusiastic  DeiiKx  rat.  lie 


is  Vice-President  of  the  Collins- Beach  Varnish  Co.,  of 
Louisville,  and  is  interested  in  many  other  large  industrial 
enterprises.  In  conclusion  it  can  be  truthfully  said  that 
few,  if  any,  members  of  the  Bar  have  made  a  higher  or 
better  record  in  so  short  a  length  of  time  than  Charles  F.  » 
Beach,  Jr. 

WILLIAM  RHINELANDER. 

William  Rhinelander,  head  of  one  of  the  most  distin- 
gurshed  families  in  America,  was  born  in  New  York  City. 
His  father,  Wdliam  C.  Rhinelander,  also  born  in  New  York, 
died  in  1878,  at  the  age  of  eighty-eight  years.  William 
Rhinelander  was  educated  in  the  i)rivate  schools  of  the  city 
and  in  Columbia  College  Grammar  School,  from  which  he 
graduated,  and  then,  with  his  father,  assumed  control  of  the 
Rhinelander  estate,  which,  after  the  Astor's,  is  the  largest  in 
the  city.  The  first  of  the  American  Rhinelanders,  Philip  Ja- 
cob,cameto  this  country  in  1685, and  settled  in  NewRochelle. 
Ever  since  then  the  Rhinelanders  have  been  prominent  in 
the  affairs  of  city.  State  and  country  at  large.  On  the  ma- 
ternal side  Mr.  Rhinelander  comes  from  the  Crugers,  a 
name  equally  illustrious  in  the  annals  of  this  State.  John 
Cruger  settled  in  this  city  ini696,  and  married  Miss  Cuyler, 
of  Albany,  whose  grandfather,  Jean  Shepmoes.  had  come 
out  from  Holland  as  early  as  1638.  'I'his  John  Cruger  was 
Mayor  of  New  York  in  1739  i744>  ^"d  held  many  other 
unportant  offices.  His  son  Henry  was  for  fourteen  years 
member  of  the  Provincial  Assembly,  was  Chamberlain  of 
New  York  City,  and  a  member  of  His  Majesty's  Council, 
from  which  position  he  retired  at  the  beginning  of  the  Rev- 
olution and  became  one  of  the  most  stubborn  and  spirited 
Revolutionary  leaders.  His  son,  also  a  Henry  Cruger,  after- 
wards ^Layor  of  Bristol,  England,  in  1775,  from  his  place 
in  the  imperial  Parliament  had  the  audacity  to  proclaim 
that  the  American  Colonies  had  the  right  to  be  free.  Mr. 
Rhinelander  has,  therefore,  descended  from  three  of  the 
most  eminent  families  in  New  York  State — the  Crugers,  the 
Rhinelanders,  and  the  Cuylers.  Henry  Cuyler,  one  of  his 
ancestors,  was  Captain  and  Major  of  the  Albany  troop  who 
fought  in  the  French  and  Indian  camjjaigns.  Mr.  Rhine- 
hinder  married  Miss  Matilda  Caroline  ( )akley,  granddaugh- 
ter of  the  famous  Jesse  Oakley  who  raised  and  e(iuip])ed  a 
company  of  his  own,  and  fought  in  many  battles  of  the  Rev- 
olutionary War.  The  equally  famous  Judge  Oakley  was 
Jesse's  son  and  Mrs.  William  Rhinelander's  father.  The 
original  Philip  Jacob  Rhinelander  had  three  sons,  who  were 
Phdip  Jacob,  Jr.,  Bernard  and  William.  It  is  from  William, 
the  voungest,that  the  present  head  of  the  family  is  descended 
in  the  fourth  generation.  One  of  the  landmarks  of  New 
York  up  ti)  last  year  (1892)  was  the  Rhinelander  sugar  house 
on  Rose  Street,  which  served  as  a  British  prison  from  1777 
to  1782.  On  the  new  ten-story  structure  erected  on  its  site 
the  dates  I  763-1893  are  inscribed.  The  main  entrance  is 
constructecl  of  the  stone  and  brick  taken  from  the  old  struc- 
ture, and  one  of  the  old  windows,  iron  bars  and  casing,  is 
incorporated  in  the  building,  so  that  the  spot  will  not  lose 
its  historic  character  altogether. 

IRVING  TOWNSEND.  M.D. 

Irving  Townsend,  M.l).,  was  l)orn  at  La  Grangeville, 
Dutchess  Coanty,  N.  Y.,  on  May  28,  1864,  and  for  a 
physician  of  his  standing  is  one  of  the  youngest  in  this  city. 
He  received  an  elementary  education  in  the  public  schools 
of  his  native  town,  after  which  he  entered  the  De  Garno 
Institute,  where  he  completed  his  education,  after  which  he 
began  tiie  study  of  inedii  ine  under  the  tutorship  of  Dr.  J. 

Otis,  of  i^iughkeepsie,  N.  Y.  In  1884  he  entered  the 
New  York  Homcvopathic  College,  and  immediately  after 
graduating  from  that  institution  in  1887  was  apjiointed  res- 
ident physician  to  the  Waid's  Island  Homoeopathic  Hos- 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


209 


pital.  After  several  months'  service  he  resigned  to  accept 
an  appointment  on  the  staff  of  the  Children's  Hospital  of 
the  Five  Points  House  of  Industry,  of  which  he  was  ap- 
pointed physician  in  charge  three  months  later,  which  posi- 
tion he  held  for  nearly  a  year.  In  the  fall  of  1888  he  began 
private  practice,  which  has  since  grown  to  large  proi)ortions. 
Dr.  Townsend  was  for  a  time  clinical  assistant  to  Professor 
Smith  at  the  New  York  Homoeopathic  College  and  also 
attending  physician  to  the  West  Side  Homoeopathic  Dis- 
pensary. He  is  now  one  of  the  consulting  staff  of  the 
latter  institution.  He  is  attending  physician  to  the  Laura 
Franklin  Hosjjital  for  children,  assistant  surgeon  to  the 
New  York  Ophthalmic  Hospital,  a  member  of  the  State  and 
County  Homoeopathic  Societies  and  member  of  the  Amer- 
ican Institute  of  Homoeopathy.  Apart  from  the  onerous 
duties  of  his  profession  Dr.  Townsend  found  time  for  the 
past  two  years  to  attend  to  the  business  management  of  the 
North  American  Journal  of  Honuvopathy,  the  leading  and 
oldest  homoeopathic  journal  in  the  country,  a  position 
which  an  increasing  practice  has  obliged  him  to  relinquish. 


ALFRED  STECKLER. 

Alfred  Steckler,  Justice  of  the  Fourth  District,  is  one 
of  the  famous  Steckler  brothers,  recognized  in  New  York 
as  a  political  power  in  themselves,  a  triumvirate  of  intelli- 
gence, sagacity  and  energy.  He  was  born  in  this  city  on 
December  10th,  1856,  and  attended  the  public  schools. 
Graduating  from  Columbia  College  Law  School  he  was 
called  to  the  bar  in  1867  and  immediately  associated  him- 
self with  his  brother  as  a  law  partner.  He  soon  made  his 
mark  and  in  1881  was  elected  (!ivil  Justice  on  an  indepen- 
dent ticket,  having  opposed  to  him  the  nominee  of 
Tammany,  Irving  Hall,  the  County  Democracy  and  the 
Republicans.  He  was  re  elected  in  1887  and  still  occu- 
pies the  position.  But  it  is  his  achievements  in  his  profession 
Judge  Steckler  will  always  look  back  upon  with  most  pride, 
and  especially  his  success  in  one  branch  of  it,  namely,  the  law 
as  it  bears  upon  benevolent  and  benefit  organizations  and 
associations,  their  members  and  their  heirs  and  assigns. 
Judge  Steckler  is  counsel  for  many  of  those  societies  and 
has  had  every  conceivable  question  which  concerns  them  to 
handle  before  the  courts,  from  time  to  time,  to  such  an 
extent  that  he  has  come  to  be  looked  upon  by  the  bar  as  an 
authority  on  such  subjects.  The  latest  case  of  this  nature 
which  Judge  Steckler  won  in  the  Court  of  Appeals  was 
Beechel  as  Administrator  versus  the  Imperial  Council  of 
Friends.  This  case  established  the  important  principle  that 
the  endowment  due  the  widows  and  orphans  of  deceased 
members  could  not  be  attached  or  levied  upon  to  satisfy 
the  debts  of  such  deceased  members. 


WILLIAM    E.  TEFFT, 

Senior  partner  of  the  firm  of  Tefft,  Weller  &  Co.,  was  born 
in  Syracuse,  New  York,  January  15,  1841.  A  few  years  later 
his  father,  Erastus  T.  Tefft,  removed  to  New  York  and 
engaged  in  the  drygoods  trade  as  the  head  of  the  firm  of 
Tefft,  Griswold  &  Co  He  grew  apace  and  prospered,  and 
successfully  passed  through  the  financial  troubles  of  1857 
and  1873,  which  wrecked  so  many  of  their  contemporaries. 
William  E.  Tefft  entered  his  father's  employment,  and  at  an 
early  age  was  taken  into  partnership,  having  exhibited  an 
aptitude  and  fondrtess  for  business  which  has  made  him  one 
of  the  foremost  merchants  of  the  present  day.  When  Mr. 
Erastus  T.  Tefft  returned  from  business,  the  firm  of  Tefft 
Griswold  tJt  Co.  was  dissolved,  and  the  present  firm  of  Tefft, 
Weller  &  Co.  organized  wath  Mr.  William  E.  Teft't  as  senior 
partner,  and  Mr.  Joseph  Weller,  formerly  of  the  firm  of 
J.  M.  Wentz  &  Co.,  second  member  of  the  firm,  a 
merchant  of  large  experience  and  ability.    Mr.  Tefft  is  the 


financial  manager  of  the  house  and  has  maintained  for  it  a 
high  degree  of  credit  and  enviable  degree  of  jjrosperity  at 
home  and  abroad.  The  annual  sales  of  the  house  now  exceed 
fifteen  millions.  The  popularity  and  business  tact  of  the 
elder  Mr.  Tefft  has  not  diminished  in  the  son,  but  as  the 
years  have  rolled  by  has  become  more  extended  and  secure. 


SPENCER    D.    C.    VAN  BOKKELEN. 

S.  D.  C.  Van  Pokkelen  was  born  in  the  city  of  Brooklyn, 
N.  Y.,  in  1828.  From  the  year  1849  to  1869  he  was  engaged 
in  the  general  commission  business  in  this  city,  since  which 
time  he  has  been  practising  as  a  public  accountant.  Mr. 
Van  Bokkelen  has  devoted  his  whole  life  to  the  study  of 
accounts,  and  was  one  of  the  first  professional  accountants 
in  New  York.  He  is  engaged  by  several  large  corporations 
to  investigate  and  report  on  confidential  matters,  and  is 
often  called  upon  to  testify  in  court  in  regard  to  disputed 


SPENCER  D.  C.  VAN  BOKKELEN. 

matters  of  account.  He  makes  a  specialty  of  preparing 
statements  of  accounts  for  executors,  administrators  and 
trustees,  and  the  arrangement  of  books  for  manufacturers, 
merchants  and  others,  adapted  to  their  various  require- 
ments. His  office  is  at  No.  71  Broadway,  where  he  has 
many  able  experts  in  his  employ.  His  father,  Adrian  H. 
Van  Bokkelen,  was  born  in  Holland,  and  came  to  this  coun- 
try (with  his  parents)  in  the  year  1793,  and  took  up  his  res- 
idence in  the  city  of  New  York. 


WILLIAM    FOWLER  FOSTER. 

William  Fowler  Foster  was  born  near  Taunton,  England, 
on  October  nth,  1841.  He  came  to  the  United  States 
in  1856.  The  great  Chicago  fire  of  187 1  found  him  a 
successful  merchant  worth  about  $50,000,  but  left  him 
financiallv  ruined  and  $30,000  in  debt.  The  fire  did  not 
consume  his  ambition  or  pluck,  however,  and  he  started 
again.    During  1876  he  came  to  New  York.    Mr.  Foster  is 


2IO 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


the  leading  representative  of  the  kid  glove  industry  of 
America,  and  probably  of  the  world,  as  the  European  and 
American  manufactories  owned  or  controlled  by  the 
corporation  of  which  he  is  President  produce  more  than 
any  other.  It  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  the  greatest  im- 
provements have  met  the  greatest  opposition.  Mr.  Foster 
invented  a  simple  device  which  has  completely  revolution- 
ized glove  fastening.  It  consists  of  a  little  row  of  hooks 
upon  each  side  of  the  opening,  with  a  silk  cord,  by  which 
the  glove  is  quickly  and  perfectly  laced.  It  has  become 
generally  adopted.  When  the  patent  was  granted  the 
inventor  realized  need  of  the  co-operation  of  glove  importers, 
and  begged  them  to  take  an  interest  in  it.     Not  one  would 


ladies  now  wear  the  elegantly  fitting  gloves  with  their  pretty 
gilt  hooks,  emblems  of  success  so  well  deserved.  In  1881, 
after  five  years  of  struggles  and  triumphs,  and  with  health 
impaired,  xMr.  Foster  decided  to  retire,  delegating  to  others 
the  details  of  what  had  become  a  large  business,  and  the 
firm  of  Foster,  Paul  &  Co.  was  organized,  composed  of 
young  men  of  merit,  who  had  bravely  and  loyally  supported 
their  chief.  A  large  five-story  building  had  been  erected  in 
New  York  City  solely  for  the  application  of  the  fastening, 
which  by  this  time  had  been  adopted  by  the  leading 
importers,  who,  however,  did  not  take  kindly  to  it,  and  in 
order  to  supply  the  demand  the  firm  was  compelled  to 
increase  their  production.    As  before  stated,  kid  gloves  are 


do  so,  but  all  opposed  it.  When  he  suggested  that  unless 
some  glovers  took  an  interest  in  it  he  would  be  comjielled 
to  import  gloves  himself,  one  said,  "  You  had  better  not  try 
it.  I  am  the  Najjoleon  of  the  glove  trade."  "  I  concede 
that  ;  but  Napoleon  met  a  Wellington — so  may  you," 
replied  Foster.  Within  five  years  Foster's  imports  far 
exceeded  his,  and  the  Napoleon  "  met  both  Wellington 
and  Waterloo.  When  the  glovers  ignored  the  inventor  he 
said,  "  Gentlemen,  the  time  will  come  when  you  shall  hear 
me  ;  I  will  fight  this  battle  alone."  From  time  immemo- 
rial the  glove  has  been  used  as  an  emblem  of  challenge. 
With  manly  courage  he  threw  it  down,  bravely  fought  and 
proudly  won  the  victory.     Thousands  of  fair  American 


difficult  to  make,  at  least  to  make  properly,  and  the  firm 
decided  that  it  was  necessary  to  erect  their  own  factories  in 
Kurope  for  that  jnirpose.  'Phis  was  a  serious  undertaking, 
and  at  one  of  their  meetings  the  ipiestion  was  asked,  "Who 
will  undertake  it  ?"  "  I  will,"  said  Foster,  and  within  forty- 
eight  hours  he  was  on  board  an  ocean  steamer  bound  for 
(iermany.  The  success  he  met  with,  both  in  France  and 
Germany,  is  now  ]Kirt  of  the  commercial  history  of  New- 
York.  He  purchased  a  building  site  of  three  acres  within 
five  miles  of  Berlin,  and  within  six  months  built  what  both 
Cierman  and  .\merican  experts  pronounced  the  best  glove 
factory  in  (iermany.  Herlin  is  the  headquarters  for  German 
skins,  and  a  favorable  place  for  workpeople.     But  its  facil- 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


211 


ities  could  not  supply  the  demand  for  gloves  and  Mr.  Fos- 
ter went  to  Grenoble,  France,  where  the  best  qualities  of  kid 
gloves  are  made.  Mr.  Foster  obtained  models  of  the  lead- 
ing gloves  in  Paris  and  London,  and  to  his  astonishment 
found  great  irregularities  in  most  of  them.  In  the  system 
used  by  one  large  manufacturer  he  found  the  "  ammpome  " 
(space  between  thumb  and  index  finger)  precisely  the  same 
in  all  sizes.  This  very  serious  and  inexcusable  defect  in 
dies  had  escaped  the  manufacturers'  observatioji,  and 
had  been  in  actual  daily  use  for  several  years.  With  that 
care  for  details  characteristic  of  the  man,  he  worked  almost 
night  and  day,  studying  every  point  until  a  satisfactory 
system  was  obtained  and  perfect  dies  produced.  Experts 
pronounced  them  the  best,  and  the  Foster  system  was  soon 
adopted  by  leading  glovers  both  in  France  and  Germany. 
Within  five  years  he  shipped  from  Grenoble  more  gloves 
than  any  other  manufacturer.  Each  year  he  spent  a  part 
of  his  time  in  America,  France  and  Germany,  having  gloves 
made  under  his  instruction  by  different  manufacturers.  In 
1886,  immediately  after  constructing  a  factory  in  Berlin,  he 
again  visited  Grenoble  and  within  a  year  erected  a  dupli- 
cate one  in  that  city  for  the  production  of  French  gloves. 
Every  detail,  from  the  first  stroke  of  the  architect's  pencil 
to  the  locating  of  every  employe  and  machine,  was  person- 
ally superintended  by  him.  Both  factories  completed  and 
he  again  landed  in  America  within  two  years.  In  1887  he 
called  upon  creditors  for  statements  of  his  old  fire  liabili- 
ties incurred  in  1871,  and  surprised  them  with  checks 
for  the  full  amount  with  six  per  cent,  interest  for  fifteen 
years,  amounting  to  about  $75,000,  although  he  had  legally 
been  discharged  from  all  obligations.  For  several  years  Mr. 
Foster  and  his  wife  had  been  planning  to  secure  a  per- 
manent home,  and  during  their  travels  made  sketches  of 
the  attractive  features,  exterior  and  interior,  of  many  homes 
visited  by  them  in  this  and  foreign  countries.  Their  well- 
known  residence  at  the  corner  of  Riverside  Avenue  and 
io2d  Street,  New  York  City,  is  the  result.  It  is  the  only 
residence  built  of  iron  in  the  city.  Mr.  Foster  wanted  to 
duplicate  an  Italian  villa  which  he  had  seen  and  admired. 
The  material  used  in  Italy  could  not  stand  the  American 
climate,  but  iron  would  and  was  decided  upon.  While  it 
is  successfully  used  in  business  buildings  and  produces  fine 
effects,  on  account  of  the  architectural  difficulty  of  con- 
struction architects  are  prejudiced  against  it,  and  a  strong 
pressure  was  exerted  to  prevent  its  use  by  Mr.  Foster.  He 
said  he  was  not  building  to  p'ease  architects,  and  the  house 
must  be  of  iron.  Stone  absorbs  moisture.  The  shady  side 
of  stone  houses  is  never  free  from  dampness.  In  this  an 
air  space  between  the  iron  exterior  and  the  brick  walls,  act- 
ing as  a  non-conductor,  keeps  the  house  cool  in  summer, 
warm  in  winter,  and  always  dry,  while  ventilators  connected 
with  said  air  space  gives  perfect  ventilation.  The  interior 
is  decorated  and  furnished  after  designs  selected  as  before 
stated  from  the  many  homes  visited  in  different  countries. 
A  perfect  home,  surrounded  by  trees  and  flowers,  upon  a 
green  terrace,  commanding  a  charming  view  of  the  beauti- 
ful Hudson  River,  it  is  much  admired  by  all  who  see  it, 
and  we  sincerely  hope  the  owners  may  live  long  to  enjoy  it. 


MICHAEL  C.  GROSS. 

Michael  C.  Gross,  one  of  the  representative  members  of 
the  Bar  of  the  Metropolis,  was  born  in  this  city  on  February 
18,  1838,  and  comes  of  respectable  German  parentage.  He 
attended  the  German  schools  of  the  city  until  his  eleventh 
year,  and  for  the  following  three  years  pursued  his  studies  in 
the  English-speaking  institutions  of  New  York,  his  education 
being  further  perfected  through  instructions  of  private 
tutors.  When  sixteen  years  of  age  he  began  the  study  of 
law  in  the  office  of  Daniel  Ullmann  and  Charles  C.  Egan, 
and  at  once  displayed  superior  aptitude  for  the  profession. 


In  1857  he  became  the  junior  member  of  the  firm  of  Egan 
&  Gross.  In  1859  he  was  admitted  to  the  Bar.  In  his 
seventeenth  year  he  became  actively  interested  in  politics. 
In  i860  Mr.  Gross  was  elected  First  Vice-President  of  the 
German  Democratic  organization  of  the  city,  and  later  was 
selected  as  its  President.  From  1861  to  1864,  inclusive,  he 
represented  the  Fifth  Senatorial  District  as  Councilman,  and 
demonstrated  his  ability  as  a  leader  in  politics.  Mr.  Gross 
was  elected  to  the  Bench  of  the  Marine  Court,  on  the 
Democratic  ticket,  in  1865,  and  performed  the  duties  of  the 
position  with  ability.  He  was  further  honored  in  being 
re-elected,  in  1869,  by  the  immense  majority  of  52,000  votes. 
Judge  Gross,  while  on  the  bench,  established  many  prece- 
dents which  were  sustained  by  the  higher  courts,  and  his 
sound  decision  upon  the  "Legal  Tender"  question  was 
based  upon  the  same  grounds  as  given  subsequently  by 
the  U.  S.  Supreme  Court.  The  Marine  Court  (as  its  name 
implies)  had  many  suits  wherein  the  interests  of  the  ship- 
owners, captains  and  sailors  were  adjudicated.  The  com- 
plaints of  sailors  against  captains  for  assault  upon  the  high 


MICHAEL  C.  GROSS. 


seas  were  numerous,  and  redress  was  sought  in  the  Marine 
Court.  It  often  occurred  that  those  complaints  were  either 
frivolous  or  founded  upon  fiction,  but  all  the  same,  if  the 
courts  were  not  in  session,  defendant  had  to  be  in  jail  all 
night,  or  perhaps  longer.  It  was  not  even  necessary  to 
make  an  affidavit  upon  which  to  obtain  an  arrest,  and  this 
abuse  brought  into  existence  a  class  of  sharks  who  solicited 
complaints  and  made  them  an  instrument  of  oppression  and 
extortion.  Judge  Gross,  with  the  assistance  of  his  associate. 
Judge  Alker,  put  a  stop  to  this,  obviating  much  expense  and 
annoyance  to  sailing  masters  and  depriving  a  lot  of  legal 
sharks  of  opportunities  for  blackmail.  Since  then  a  law  has 
been  framed  rendering  the  thing  imjjossible.  Judge  Gross 
retired  from  the  bench  on  January  i,  1876,  and  resumed 
his  practice  immediately,  which  is  mostly  confined  to  the 
civil  courts  and  is  connected  with  corporation  litigation. 
He  is  member  of  the  State  Bar  Association,  the  German 
Society,  the  Liederkranz,  the  German  Hospital  and  the 
Isabella  Home. 


212 


JV£IV  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


A.   J.  DITTENHOEFER. 

Ex-Judge  A.  J.  Dittenhoefer  was  born  in  the  City  of 
Charleston,  South  Carolina,  on  the  17th  of  March,  1H36. 
His  parents,  both  German,  arrived  in  the  City  of  Baltimore 
in  1834;  from  there  they  removed  to  Charleston,  where  the 
Judge  was  born.  From  Charleston  they  removed  to  the  City 
of  New  York,  when  he  was  about  four  years  old,  and  here  he 
has  resided  continuously  since.  His  father  became  a  prom- 
inent merchant  and  very  ]>opular  among  the  Germans  of  this 
city,  many  of  whom  he  befriended.  After  receiving  a  public 
school  education  he  entered  Columbia  College  Grammar 
School  and  subsequently  Columbia  College.  At  that  time  the 
College  was  situated  in  College  Place  in  the  City  of  New  York, 
and  Charles  King  was  President.  While  at  college  he  was 
mostly  at  the  head  of  his  class  and  received  invariably  the 
first  prizes  in  Latin  and  Greek.    He  dis])layed  such  pro- 


coin,  with  whom  he  was  on  terms  of  friendship.  He  was 
offered  by  President  Lincoln  the  position  of  L'nited  States 
Judge  for  the  District  of  South  Carolina,  his  native  State, 
which  he  declined,  being  unwilling  to  abandon  the  large 
jjractice  he  had  built  up  in  the  City  of  New  York.  He 
was  delegate  to  the  Republican  Convention  that  nominated 
President  Hayes.  Though  a  Southerner  by  birth.  Judge 
Dittenhoefer  identified  himself  with  the  Republican  party  in 
its, infancy.  He  served  as  Chairman  of  the  German  Repub- 
lican Central  Committee  for  twelve  consecutive  terms  and 
for  years  was  a  leader  in  the  councils  of  the  jiarty.  As  a 
lawyer  the  Judge  has  gained  a  high  reputation.  While 
his  services  have  been  required  in  every  branch  of  the 
legal  profession,  he  has  been  conspicuous  in  litigation 
relating  to  the  law  of  the  stage,  and  is  recognized  as  an 
authoritv  in  that  branch  of  the  law.    There  have  been  few 


A.  J.  DITTKNHOEFER. 


ficiency  in  those  branches  that  the  distinguished  professor, 
C'harles  Anthon,  was  in  the  habit  of  referring  to  him  as  the 
"  Ultima  Thule  "  of  his  class.  At  twenty-one  he  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  and  .soon  made  rapid  progress.  At  the 
age  of  twenty-two  he  was  selected  by  the  Republican  party 
as  its  candidate  for  Justice  of  the  City  Court,  and  some 
years  thereafter  was  appointed  by  Governor  Fenton  a  Judge 
of  that  court  to  fill  the  vacancy  caused  by  the  death  of 
Judge  I'"lorence  McCarthy.  Upon  the  e.\]>iration  of  his 
term  he  declined  a  renomination.  While  on  the  bench  he 
gave  his  entire  salary  to  the  widow  of  his  ])redecessor,  who 
had  been  left  in  destitute  circumstances.  In  1856  he  mar- 
ried a  lady  of  Cleveland,  Ohio.  His  family  consists  of  a 
son,  Irving  Mead,  who  is  one  of  his  partners  in  business, 
and  four  daughters.  In  i860  he  was  a  Republic  an  elector, 
and  cast  his  vote  in  the  Electoral  College  for  .\braham  Lin- 


cases  of  that  character  in  which  he  has  not  appeared  on  one 
side  or  the  other,  and  usually  on  the  successful  one.  He 
procured  the  incorporation  of  that  most  beneficent  institu- 
tion, "The  Actors'  Fund,"  and  has  ever  since  been  its  coun- 
sel without  compensation.  While  successful  in  stage  litiga- 
tions, he  has  also  been  prominent  in  every  other  branch  of 
the  law  and  has  been  counsel  in  many  commercial  and  cor- 
poration cases.  He  is  at  present  counsel  for  the  Lincoln 
National  liank,  the  Franklin  National  Rank,  and  the  Mer- 
cantile Credit  Guarantee  ('om|)any  and  other  institutions. 
At  times  he  has  been  retained  in  important  criminal  cases 
that  have  attracted  public  attention.  Years  ago  he  was  ap- 
|)oinled  by  the  Hoard  of  .Vldermen  as  one  of  its  counsel  to 
re])resent  them  when  they  were  indicted  for  granting  per- 
mits to  encumber  the  streets  with  newsjiaper  stands,  and 
succeeded  in  quashing  the  indictment.    He  was  counsel  for 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


213 


the  old  Excise  Commissioners.  Dr.  Nerkle,  Richard,  and 
Mapelson,  when  they  were  indicted  for  an  infraction  of  the 
law,  and  succeeded  in  obtaining  a  verdict  of  acquittal.  In 
the  more  recent  indictments  against  the  Excise  Commis- 
sioners, Meakim,  Fitzpatrick  and  Koch,  he  was  one  of  the 
leading  counsel  for  the  Commissioners,  and  afier  years  of 
litigation  the  indictments  were  dismissed  on  a  motion  argued 
by  him.  An  amusing  incident  in  the  Judge's  career,  taken 
from  the  daily  papers,  may  be  worth  perusing.  On, his  tri]) 
to  Europe  in  1892,  on  board  the  "  Lahn,"  one  of  his  fellow- 
passengers  was  Mark  Twain.  A  mock  court  was  instituted 
for  the  trial  of  Mark  Twain  on  the  charge  of  being  the  most 
unconscionable  liar  in  the  world.  Judge  Dittenhoefer  was 
appointed  the  Judge,  and  the  jury  consisted  of  twelve  Yale 
students,  who  happened  to  be  on  board.  The  prisoner  was 
brought  in  handcuffed.  The  proceedings  were  filled  with 
sallies  of  wit  by  Mark  Twain,  counsel  and  witnesses.  The 
jury  having  brought  in  a  verdict  of  guilty,  Judge  Ditten- 
hoefer sentenced  the  prisoner  to  read  his  own  works  three 
hours  each  day  until  the  vessel  arrived  in  Bremen.  On 
hearing  the  judgment  Twain  fell  in  a  swoon  on  the  floor,  cry- 
ing out  aloud,  "  For  God's  sake.  Judge, change  that  sentence! 
Any  punishment  but  that.  Hang  me  rather  than  make  me 
endure  such  torture  condensed."  A  petition  for  the  pardon 
of  the  prisoner  having  been  presented  to  the  Judge,  it  was 
granted  on  the  condition  that,  as  the  prisoner  was  going  to 
Germany,  he  remain  there  and  assume  the  German  form  of 
the  name  Mark  Twain — Bis-Mark. 


JAMES   RIDDLE  GOFFE,  M.D. 

Dr.  James  Riddle  Goffe  was  born  in  Wisconsin  in  185  i, 
and  is  one  of  the  Sons  of  the  Revolution, being  descended  from 
Wm.  Goffe,  regicide,  one  of  the  signers  of  the  death  warrant 
of  Charles  First,  King  of  England,  a  friend  of  ("romwell  and 
brother  in  law  of  Hampden.  As  a  matter  of  Goffe  history 
we  might  add  that  upon  the  restoration  and  accession  of 
Charles  Second  he  declared  these  judges  outlaws,  and  Goffe 
in  company  with  Whalley  and  other  regicides  fled  to  the 
United  States  and  sought  the  protection  of  the  Colonists, 
and  were  by  them  secreted  and  protected  until  their  deaths. 
Major  John  Goffe  and  Captain  John  Goffe,  descendants  of 
the  regicide  and  direct  progenitors  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  commanded  important  detachments  in  the  Revolu- 
tionary war.  Their  field  of  operation  was  confined  to  New 
England  and  Canada.  Dr.  Goffe's  mother,  Betsy  Riddle, 
was  born  in  New  Hampshire  in  1819,  and  also  numbers 
among  her  ancestors  prominent  Revolutionary  heroes.  Dr. 
Goffe  entered  the  Michigan  University  in  1869,  graduating 
in  1873.  He  became  principal  of  the  public  schools  of  La 
Porte,  Indiana.  His  leisure  hours  were  spent  in  studying 
natural  sciences  and  comparative  anatomy,  which  devel- 
oped a  taste  for  the  study  of  medicine.  In  1879  he  entered 
Bellevue  Hospital  Medical  College,  where  he  remained  two 
years,  graduating  in  1881,  after  which  he  served  two  years 
as  Intern  in  Charity  and  Woman's  Hospital.  In  1883  he  be- 
gan a  regular  practice  in  this  city  which  has  since  developed 
a  most  successful  and  lucrative  one.  Dr.  Goffe  is  recog- 
nized as  one  of  the  most  skillful  and  successful  surgeons  of 
the  city  in  his  special  department  of  diseases  of  women.  He 
is  associated  with  Dr.  J.  E  Janvrin,  in  one  of  the  most  pros- 
perous of  the  many  sanitariums  for  women  of  which  the 
city  boasts.  Dr.  Goffe  has  made  a  name  for  himself  among 
his  medical  and  surgical  confreres  by  contributing  to  surgical 
science  an  original  method  for  the  removal  of  fibroid  tumors. 
In  this  particular  field  his  success  has  been  phenomenal.  His 
name  is  frequently  seen  in  the  prominent  medical  journals  of 
the  country  in  connection  with  advanced  surgical  work.  He 
also  makes  his  influence  felt  through  the  columns  of  the  Anier- 
ican  Medico- Surgical Bulletin^ol  which  he  is  one  of  the  editors. 
In  his  position  of  adjunct  professor  in  the  New  York  Poly- 


clinic he  is  also  known  as  a  successful  and  popular  teacher. 
Dr.  Goffe  is  Visiting  Gynaecologist  to  Randall's  Island  Hos- 
pital, is  connected  with  New  York  Skin  and  Cancer  Hospi- 
tal and  Northwestern  Dispensary,  is  a  member  of  the  New 
York  .Academy  of  Medicine,  New  York  County  Medical,  New 
York  Obstetric,  and  American  Gynsecological  Societies.  He 
was  one  of  the  original  members  of  Troop  A,  N.  Y.  S.  Mi- 
litia. He  is  also  a  member  of  the  University  Club.  Dr. 
Goffe  was  married  in  1890  to  Miss  Elenor  Taylor,  a  young 
lady  prominent  in  New  York  society,  and  daughter  of  an 
old  Massachusetts  family. 


ISRAEL    J.  MERRITT. 

Captain  Israel  J.  Merritt  was  born  in  New  York  City  on 
the  23d  of  August,  1829.  He  has  been  engaged  in  the 
wrecking  business  since  1844.  Captain  Merritt  brought 
into  his  business  an  inventive  genius,  together  with  energy 
and  push.  He  invented  pontoons  for  raising  vessels,  and 
there  has  been  no  improvement  since  in  this  line.  The  war 
interfered  somewhat  with  his  life  work.  He  rendered  service 
during  that  eventful  period  under  Assistant  Secretary  Fox. 
He  has  received  letters  for  saving  life  at  sea.  In  1880  he  estab- 
lished the  Merritt  Wrecking  Organization,  of  which  he  and 
his  son,  Mr.  I.  J.  Merritt,  Jr.,  are  the  sole  owners.  It  is  the 
largest  and  most  successful  house  in  the  world  engaged  in 


ISR.\EL  J.  MERRITT. 


the  wrecking  business.  Besides  their  main  offices  at  49  Wall 
Street,  New  York,  and  a  large  storehouse  and  docks  at  Staple- 
ton,  Staten  Island,  they  have  offices,  storehouses  and  docks 
at  Norfolk,  Va.,  and  are  permanently  stationed  there.  They 
own  a  fleet  of  steamers,  sailing  vessels,  and  pontoons,  spe- 
cially built,  rigged,  and  fitted  out,  regardless  of  cost,  for  the 
work.  They  have  thirty  steam  pumps  and  boilers,  all  por- 
tal)le,  capable  of  throwing  from  twenty  to  seventy  barrels 
of  water  each  per  minute;  twenty  manila  cables,  fourteen 
to  twenty  inches  in  circumference,  each  207  fathoms  long  ; 
twenty-six  large  wrecking  anchors,  and  all  tools  for  handling 
wrecked  cargoes.  They  do  nearly  all  the  heavy  wrecking 
on  the  Atlantic  coast,  and  have  saved  the  most  difficult 


214 


JVEW  YORIt,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


cases  known.  Captain  Merritt,  who  can  justly  claim  the 
honor  of  being  the  pioneer  wrecker,  served  thirty-five  years 
with  the  Underwriters  and  Coast  Wrecking  Company  as 
manager  before  establishing  the  present  organization.  The 
Captain  served  full  time  in  the  Volunteer  Fire  Department 
of  New  York  City,  and  enjoys  the  honor,  respect  and 
admiration  of  the  community  for  a  life  spent  in  aiding 
others. 


GEORGE  WICKE. 
George  Wicke,  founder  of  the  house  of  Wm.  Wicke  & 
Co.,  was  born  in  Germany,  and  came  to  this  country  in 
1848,  at  the  age  of  22  years.  He  established  the  business 
of  the  company  in  1852,  and  began  manufacturing  cigar 
boxes  without  a  dollar  of  capital.  The  business  he  devel- 
oped has  since  been  almost  indefinitely  extended  by  his  suc- 


boxes  and  cigars.  They  are  also  extensive  manufacturers 
of  silk  taffetas  and  narrow  silk  ribbons,  of  which  latter 
industry  they  may  be  considered  the  pioneers  in  this 
country.  They  are  now  the  largest  manufacturers  in  the 
United  States.  They  make  all  the  bindings  used  on  Pull- 
man cars,  which  were  once  imported.  The  McKinley  tariff  has 
not  affected  them  directly,  but  it  has  indirectly,  by  develop- 
ing other  industries  which  require  their  tapes  and  ribbons, 
such  as  knit  goods,  ladies'  shoes,  blankets,  etc.  The  fac- 
tory of  the  firm  was  located  by  the  founder,  George  Wicke, 
on  Willett  Street,  and  subsequently  they  moved  to  Goerck 
Street.  In  1882  the  company  purchased  twenty-two  city 
lots  on  Thirty-first  Street  and  First  Avenue  and  erected 
extensive  works  thereon.  They  are  at  present  utilizing  the 
last  of  these  lots  for  building  purposes.  They  import  raw 
materials  direct,  which  consist  chiefly  of  cedar  wood  and 


GEORGE  WICKE. 


cessors.  In  1872,  Mr.  George  Wicke,  after  an  honoral)le 
career,  retired  from  business.  In  1858  his  health  had 
failed  him  and  he  found  it  imperatively  necessary  to  abstain 
from  work  and  travel  in  order  to  recuperate.  On  his  re- 
tirement, William  Wicke,  his  brother,  present  head  of  the 
firm,  was  taken  into  partnership,  and  also  August  Roesler, 
who  had  been  connected  with  the  concern  since  1865  as 
bookkeeper,  and  the  firm  of  Wm.  Wicke  &  Co.  established. 
The  work  of  the  estal)lishment  at  first  was  the  manufacture 
of  cigar  boxes,  for  which  they  had  also  to  make  narrow 
ribbon  for  tying  purjjoses.  After  a  while  they  found  tastes 
and  fashions  in  this  branch  liable  to  changes,  and  while  at 
one  time  they  received  large  orders,  necessitating  the  em- 
ployment of  extra  hands,  at  others  their  looms  were  idle, 
upon  which  to  keep  the  looms  going  they  conceived  the 
idea  of  manufacturing  for  other  purposes  than  binding  cigar 


raw  silk.  The  cedar  comes  from  Cuba,  and  the  silk  mostly 
from  Japan.  They  employ  800  hands,  pay  from  six  tto 
seven  thousand  dollars  a  week  in  wages,  and  an  annual  out- 
put of  $1,000,000,  an  illustration  of  what  brains  and  labor 
can  accom]>lish  without  capital  to  start  with.  William 
Wicke,  head  of  the  comi)any  and  brother  of  the  founder, 
was  born  in  Germany  in  1840,  and  came  to  this  country 
when  fourteen  years  old.  He  immediately  went  to  work 
with  his  brother  George,  and  having  from  the  first  displayed 
bright  intelligence  and  great  industry,  his  jirogress  was 
rapid.  He  was  not  more  tiian  three  years  in  the  business 
when  he  had  mastered  its  most  minute  details,  and  tliat  in 
the  thorough  manner  which  lias  since  distinguished  him  in 
still  greater  develoi)ments  of  the  concern.  His  advent  in 
the  work  was  in  1855,  from  which  time  he  received  a  salary 
until  1861,  when  he  obtained  an  interest  in  the  business. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS.  215 


When  in  1858  George's  health  failed  him,  and  he  found  it 
imperatively  necessary  to  abstain  from  work,  and  travel  in 
order  to  recuperate,  William  was  placed  in  absolute  con- 
trol, though  only  eighteen  years  of  age.  It  was  a  trying 
time  for  the  concern,  but  that  George  was  not  mistaken  in 
his  estimate  of  his  young  brother's  capacity  was  soon  made 
manifest.  The  business  prospered  in  his  hands  and  he  dis- 
played consummate  executive  ability.  In  1864  he  was  ad- 
mitted to  partnership,  and  the  firm  name  became  "  George 
Wicke  &  iko.,"  so  remaining  until  1872,  when  George  re- 
tired and  August  Roesler  was  admitted  to  partnership,  and 
the  firm  assumed  the  title  of  William  Wicke  &  Co.  In  1890 
another  change  was  made  and  the  concern  made  into  a 
joint  stock  company,  with  Mr.  Wm.  Wicke  as  President, 
Mr.  Roesler  as  Secretary,  and  Mr.  Brander  as  Treasurer. 
Mr.  Brander  had  for  years  been  the  foreman  of  the  silk  de- 
partment. Mr.  Roesler  was  also  born  in  Germany  and 
came  to  New  York  when  sixteen  years  old.  When  the  war 
broke  out  he  joined  the  Eighth  N.  Y.  Volunteers,  and 
fought  many  battles  with  the  army  of  the  Potomac. 
Wounded  at  the  battle  of  Cross  Keys,  while  serving  under 
General  John  C.  Fremont,  he  retired  from  the  service  and 
is  still  in  receipt  of  a  pension.  After  leaving  the  army  he 
obtained  the  appointment  of  bookkeeper  with  the  Hoe 
Press  Company  and  remained  with  them  until  1865,  when 
he  entered  the  Wm.  Wicke  Co.  as  bookkeeper,  and  pro- 
gressed as  mentioned. 


ALEXANDER  CAMERON. 

The  membership  of  the  New  York  bar  is  composed  in  a 
large  measure  of  representatives  from  the  various  States  of 
the  Union.  The  South  has  contributed  her  quota,  and 
among  the  prominent  professional  men  of  the  Metropolis 
of  Southern  origin  is  Alexander  Cameron,  a  well  known 
corporation  lawyer.  He  was  born  in  Charleston,  on  March 
9,  1849,  '^"d  is  descendant  from  good  Scotch-American 
ancestry.  His  father,  George  S.  Cameron,  was  born  in 
Scotland,  came  to  this  country  early  in  life,  and  became  a 
prominent  banker  and  financier  of  South  Carolina.  Alexan- 
der Cameron  early  displayed  a  taste  for  science  and  entered 
the  Brooklyn  Polytechnic  Institute,  from  which  he  was  gradu- 
ated and  subsequently  took  a  post-graduate  course.  He  was 
graduated  from  Yale  in  the  class  of  1869  with  the  Bachelor 
of  Laws  degree,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1870.  After 
spending  two  years  in  railroad  engineering  he  began  his 
legal  career  in  the  office  of  Messrs.  Ramey,  Butler  &  Par- 
sons, where  he  rose  to  the  position  of  managing  clerk.  In 
1876  he  became  associated  with  James  H.  Gilbert  under  the 
firm  name  of  Cameron  &  Gilbert,  which  continued  until 
1886,  since  which  date  he  has  practistd  his  profession  un- 
associated.  Mr.  Cameron  has  devoted  his  attention  princi- 
pally to  corporation  and  admiralty  litigation,  and  has  gained 
a  high  reputation  as  a  talented  and  successful  lawyer.  He 
is  largely  interested  in  industrial  enterprises,  is  a  director 
of  the  New  York  and  New  J  ersey  Telephone  Co.,  and  presi- 
dent of  the  National  Automatic  Fire  Alarm  Company  of  Long 
Island.  His  popularity  is  not  confined  to  professional  and 
mercantile  circles,  but  extends  throughout  social  and  club 
life.  He  is  a  member  of  the  University  and  Alpha  Delta 
Phi  Clubs  of  this  city,  and  the  Excelsior,  Hamilton,  Cres- 
cent Athletic,  and  riding  and  driving  clubs  of  Brooklyn,  in 
which  city  he  resides. 


HENRY   A  ROGERS 

Is  one  of  the  leading  American  dealers  in  railroad  and 
machinists'  supplies  and  tools,  and  has  a  very  large  trade 
with  many  of  the  best  railroad  companies  in  the  United 
States  and  other  countries.  Commencing  with  the  food, 
clothing  and  shelter  used  by  railroad  construction  parties, 
continuing  with  rails  and   tools,  such  as  shovels,  picks, 


graders  and  rock-drills  for  the  construction  of  a  railway's 
road-bed,  and  continuing  with  bridges,  cars,  and  locomo- 
tives and  machinery,  this  busy  house  is  able  to  equip  a  rail- 
road from  its  first  breaking  ground  to  maintaining  it  in  its 
fullest  operation.  Equally  important  with  his  railroad  suj)- 
l)lies  business  is  his  trade  in  tools  and  machinery  with  ma- 
chinists and  manufacturers  all  over  the  country.  All  run- 
ning machinery  needs  supplies,  like  belting,  waste,  oil,  files, 
hammers,  wrenches,  etc.,  and  these  articles  are  carried  in 
stock  by  Mr.  Rogers,  who  has  a  large  government  business, 
furnishing  machinery  and  tools  to  navy  yards  and  military 
posts.  Everything  for  constructing  railroads  can  be  fur- 
nished to  the  best  advantage  from  the  stores  and  business 
allies  of  Henry  A.  Rogers.  From  busy  headquarters 
vast  supplies  have  been  sent  through  his  export  depart- 
ment to  Australia,  Cuba,  Mexico  and  South  America. 
He  has  furnished  nearly  all  the  articles  used  in  build- 
ing the  new  Cartagena  Railway  in  the  United  States  of 
Colombia.      This  house  is  the  sole  American  agent  for 


HENRY   A.  ROGERS. 

Moncrieff's  "  Perth"  glass  tubes,  which  are  manufactured 
in  Perth,  Scotland,  and  have  an  immense  sale  in  the  United 
States,  leading  every  other  make  of  gauge  glass  used.  The 
high  quality  of  these  glasses,  attested  by  their  universal 
adoption  as  "  the  best  "  by  engineers  in  all  parts  of  the 
world,  has  gained  for  them  the  highest  awards  and  medals 
wherever  they  have  been  exhibited.  Over  twenty-five  years 
ago  Mr.  Rogers  was  connected  with  the  house  of  Messrs. 
Walton  &  Co.,  who  were  prominent  in  this  department  of 
trade.  In  1867  he  established  himself  at  57  John  Street, 
and  in  1871  he  formed  a  partnership  with  Mr.  W.  C.  Duyc- 
kinck  under  the  title  of  H.  A.  Rogers  &  Company.  They 
purchased  the  entire  business  of  John  Ashcroft  and  occu- 
pied the  premises  50  and  5  2  John  Street.  Fouryears  later  this 
was  dissolved,  and  now  for  eighteen  years  Mr.  Rogers  has 
conducted  the  business  alone  with  noteworthy  success.  For 
years  he  has  had  a  branch  office  at  Chicago,  where  he  is 
represented  by  Mr.  John  S.  Brewer.    Mr.  Rogers  is  identi- 


2l6 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


fied  with  several  banking  and  other  institutions,  was  treas- 
urer for  a  long  time  of  the  New  York  Athletic  Club,  and  is 
a  member  of  many  of  New  York's  famous  clubs.  He  has 
been  for  many  years  a  school  trustee  in  the  Twenty  second 
Ward,  and  largely  interested  in  the  educational  affairs  of  the 
city;  is  a  member  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  and  under 
two  administrations  has  been  United  States  Commissioner 
of  Jurors. 

FREDERICK    G.  GEDNEY. 

Among  the  native  New  Yorkers  who  have  gained  honor 
and  distinction  in  the  legal  and  jiolitical  fields  of  this  city, 
State  and  county,  the  name  of  Frederick  G.  Gedney,  coun- 
sellor-at-law,  occupies  a  foremost  and  representative  posi- 
tion. This  gentleman  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1862,  and 
on  the  day  following  his  admission  marched  to  the  war  with 
his  regiment,  the  Thirty-seventh,  N.  Y.  N.  G.  In  1865  he 
went  into  journalism,  and  was  employed  at  various  times 
upon  the  Times  and  the  Tribune  as  a  writer  in  the  city  de- 
partments. In  1867  he  was  appointed  United  States 
Weigher  under  Collector  Moses  H.  Grinnell  ;  was  examiner 
in  the  .Appraiser's  office  in  187 1-2,  and  from  1873  to  1876 
was  attorney  to  the  Department  of  Buildings.  In  1876  he 
was  elected  Justice  of  the  Eighth  District  Court,  and  per- 


FKEDEKICK  G.  GEDNEY. 


formed  his  judicial  duties  with  such  wisdom  and  satisfac- 
tion that,  in  1882,  he  was  re-elected  by  the  largest  majority 
ever  given  in  the  Sixteenth  and  Twentieth  Wards  of  this 
city,  running  ahead  of  his  party  ticket  many  thousand 
votes.  Judge  Gedney  was  one  of  three  men  who  organized 
the  Republican  Club  of  New  York  City  in  1879,  and  was 
elected  its  first  president,  lie  was  re  elected  without  op])o- 
sition,  and  declined  a  unanimous  nomination  for  a  third 
term.  His  political,  judicial  and  professional  career  has 
been  marked  by  the  ])raciice  of  strict  principles  of  integ- 
rity ;  he  jjlanned  and  carried  out  many  desired  reforms  in 
the  District  Court,  and  he  is  to-day  recognized  and  respected 
by  the  entire  community  as  a  brilliant  lawyer,  upright  judge, 
honest  official  and  patriotic  citizen.     He  is  a  fine  orator. 


and  when  taking  part  in  political  campaigns  is  in  great  de- 
mand. He  is  Past  Master  of  Howard  Lodge  of  Freema- 
sons, Past  Captain  General  of  Palestine  Commandery, 
Knights  Templar  ;  is  a  member  of  the  Lawyers'  and  Lotus 
Clubs  and  the  Sons  of  the  Revolution.  Judge  Gedney  was 
at  one  time  a  great  first-nighter  at  the  theatres  and  a  famous 
after-dinner  speaker,  ever  uproariously  welcomed  at  the 
festive  board  ;  but  of  late  years  he  has  almost  entirely  aban- 
doned political  and  social  life,  devoting  himself  assiduously 
to -the  profession  of  law.  He  is  employed  almost  exclu- 
sively by  corporations  and  in  matters  connected  with  the 
city  government — a  field  in  which  he  has  wide  experience 
and  has  made  great  success. 


EGBERT  GUERNSEY,  M.D. 
Dr.  Egbert  Guernsey  occupies  a  prominent  place  among 
the  distinguished  physicians  of  New  York.  Identified  with 
the  history  of  the  city  in  the  active  work  of  his  profession 
since  1850,  he  has  been  among  the  foremost  to  advance 
every  measure  calculated  to  relieve  sufferings,  in  hospital 
and  dispensary,  and  to  encourage  literature,  science  and 
art,  and  takes  high  rank  among  the  leaders  of  scientific  cul- 
ture and  advanced  thought  in  his  profession.  The  founder 
of  Dr.  Guernsey's  family  in  this  country  came  from  the 
Island  of  Guernsey  in  1637,  and  was  one  of  the  New  Haven 
Colony  who  settled  there  in  1639.  Through  his  grand- 
mother the  family  history  goes  back  to  the  Clintons,  the 
head  of  which  in  the  reign  of  Henry  the  VIII.  was  elevated 
to  the  earldom  of  Lincoln,  and  was  for  many  years,  during 
the  last  of  his  reign  and  the  first  of  Elizabeth,  Lord  High 
Admiral  of  P^ngland.  In  the  struggles  of  the  American  col- 
onists for  Indei)endence,  thirteen  of  the  family  were  in  the 
Continental  Army.  Dr.  Guernsey  was  educated  at  Phillips 
Academy,  Andover,  Mass.,  the  scientific  department  of 
Yale,  and  graduated  at  the  medical  department  of  the  L'ni- 
versity  of  the  City  of  New  York  in  1846,  having  been  a 
pupil  in  the  office  of  Dr.  Valentine  Mott.  The  year  fol- 
lowing he  was  connected  with  the  editorial  department  of 
the  Evening  Mirror,  edited  by  N.  P.  Willis  and  Gen.  George 
P.  Morris,  and  then  in  connection  with  George  Bennett 
and  Aaron  Smith  established  the  Brooklyn  Daily  Times,  of 
which  he  was  for  two  years  the  editor.  In  1850  Dr.  Guern- 
sey commenced  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  New  York, 
and  gradually  built  up  a  large  and  lucrative  practice.  At 
the  breaking  out  of  the  Civil  War  he  felt  that  he  could  bet- 
ter serve  his  country's  cause  at  home  than  in  the  field,  and 
every  soldier  or  soldier's  family  applying  to  him  for  medical 
aid  was  carefully  attended  without  charge,  while  in  a  more 
])ublic  position  as  a  member  of  the  Union  League  Club  he 
was  also  enabled  to  render  material  service  to  the  cause.  For 
several  years,  including  those  of  the  Civil  War,  Dr.  Guern- 
sey held  the  ])osition,  first  as  professor  of  Materia  Medica 
and  then  of  Theory  and  Practice  in  the  New  York  Homoe- 
opathic Medical  College.  He  was  the  founder  and  for 
many  years  President  of  the  Western  Dispensary  and  the 
(iood  Samaritan  Hospital,  which  have  been  recently  incor- 
porated with  the  Hahnemann  Hospital,  of  which  he  was  one 
of  the  founders,  and  has  since  been  a  member  of  the  med- 
ical staff ;  he  was  also  one  of  the  originators  of  the  Homoe- 
oi)athic  State  Insane  Hospital  at  Middleton,  New  York,  of 
which  he  has  been  a  trustee  for  the  past  nineteen  years. 
The  Ward's  Island  Hos])ital,  one  of  the  largest  hospitals 
in  the  Department  of  Ciiaritics  and  Corrections,  owes  in  a 
measure  its  existence  to  the  indefatigable  efforts  of  Dr. 
Guernsey,  who  has  been,  since  its  organization,  the  Presi- 
dent of  its  Medical  Board.  Dr.  Guernsey  has  written  sev- 
eral literary  and  scientific  works,  but  for  the  j'.ast  few  years 
most  of  his  contributions  to  the  jiress  have  been  through 
the  New  York  Medical  Times,  an  independent  medical 
journal  established  nearly  twenty  years  ago,  and  of  which 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


217 


he  has  always  been  the  senior  editor.  Dr.  Guernsey  mar- 
ried in  early  life  Miss  Sarah  Lefferts  Schenck,  one  of  whose 
ancestors  was  knighted  by  Charlemagne  ;  another,  Sir  Mar- 
tin Schenck,  the  cliampion  of  Holland's  liberty,  was  buried 
in  the  Royal  Mausoleum,  and  another  was  a  member  of  the 
Continental  Congress.  Of  a  family  of  five  children  two  have 
survived.  Miss  Florence  Guernsey  and  Dr.  Egbert  Guernsey, 

Jr.,  of  Florida.   

J.  M.  HORTON. 
Mr.  J.  M.  Horton,  manufaclurer  of  ice  cream  and 
interested  in  building  and  real  estate  investments,  and 
man  of  affairs  generally,  by  which  is  meant  a  gentleman 
who  in  a  business  capacity  has  identified  himself  with 
life  of  the  city.  Mr.  Horton  was  born  on  August  3,  1835, 
in  Rockville,  near  Middleton,  Orange  County,  New  York, 
and  like  many  of  our  most  successful  business  men  is 
a  farmer's  son.  His  father,  Barnabas  Horton,  took  a 
patriotic  part  in  the  war  of  181 2-1 4  and  at  one  period  in 
his  military  career  was  stationed  on  Staten  Island.  The 
Hortons  are  of  English  descent  and  can  trace  their  Amer- 
ican ancestry  back  to  1633,  when  the  first  of  their  blood  and 
name  landed  at  Hampton,  Mass.,  from  the  "Swallow." 
The  descendants  of  this  founder  of  American  branch  of  the 
family  removed  to  Long  Island  in  after  years  and  settled 
on  a  farm  there.  The  old  Horton  Homestead,  erected 
more  than  a  century  ago  in  Southold,  Long  Island,  was 
still  in  existence  as  late  as  1873  and  in  good  condition. 
Young  Horton  attended  the  Gemung  school  house  in  Rock- 
ville, and  subsequently  the  Academy  in  Middleton  for  a 
year  or  so.  From  1849  to  1853  he  worked  on  his  father's 
farm  and  in  the  latter  year  went  into  the  wholesale  milk 
business  in  this  city  in  partnership  with  his  brother  and 
brother-in-law.  Being  possessed  of  industry,  intelligence 
and  a  capacity  for  hard  and  unremitting  work  it  is  not  to  be 
wondered  at  that  he  was  eminently  successful.  At  the  age 
of  twenty-three  after  having  been  engaged  in  the  milk  busi 
ness  with  his  brother  and  brothrr-in-law,  he  was  invited  by 
a  committee  representing  the  Orange  County  Milk  Asso- 
ciation to  purchase  an  interest  therein  and  assume  its 
presidency,  to  which  position  he  was  duly  elected  and  held 
the  same  until  1869.  The  Orange  Ci  unty  Milk  Association 
was  incorporated  by  Mr.  Horton  abc  t  the  year  i860  by 
special  act  of  the  Legislature.  About  this  time  Mr.  Horton, 
seeing  there  was  a  prospect  of  success  in  the  ice  cream  busi- 
ness, engaged  in  its  manufacture  with  a  result  that  every  one 
knows.  Horton's  ice  cream  has  more  than  a  local  reputa- 
tion. In  May,  1870,  he  purchased  his  present  business,  gave 
it  an  impetus,  organized  a  joint  stock  com])any  with  a 
capital  of  !|4o,ooo,  incorporated  the  company,  was  elected 
its  President  and  has  retained  that  office  up  to  the  present. 
Mr.  Horton  is  largely  interested  in  the  real  estate  business 
and  is  extensively  engaged  in  building  business  and  apart- 
ment houses,  uptown  chiefly  And  he  is  a  busy  man  in  other 
directions.  He  was  for  two  years  director  of  the  Hamilton 
Bank,  and  some  time  ago  was  elected  on  the  directorate  of 
the  Third  Avenue  Savings  Bank.  He  is  one  of  the  trustees, 
though  not  a  member,  of  the  Pilgrim  Congregational  Church, 
One  Hundred  and  Twenty-first  Street  and  Madison  Avenue, 
and  is  a  member  of  the  Harlem  Club.  He  is  recognized  in  the 
business  community  as  a  man  of  integrity  and  high  character. 


GEORGE  TIEMANN, 

The  founder  of  the  house  of  George  Tiemann  &  Co., 
surgical  instrument  makers,  emigrated  to  this  country  from 
Germany,  where  he  had  been  a  practical  cutler  and  instru- 
ment maker,  in  the  year  1826.  Being  possessed  of  some 
funds  he  was  able  to  establish  himself  in  this  city  as  an 
instrument  maker,  which  trade  was  at  that  time  almost 
unknown  in  America,  all  instruments  being  imported  and 
only  repairs  made  by  cutlers.     He  rented  the  house  which 


is  still  the  business  headquarters  of  the  present  firm  from  Mr. 
Christian  G.  Gunther,  for  the  annual  rental  of  $400,  and  the 
original  receipt,  dated  November  i,  1826,  is  still  in  posses- 
sion of  the  firm.  From  a  modest  shop  the  business  grew 
under  his  management  and  the  assistance  of  Mr.  F.  A. 
Stohlmann  and  Mr.  Edward  Pfarre,  who  joined  him  in  1837, 
and  soon  became  known  throughout  the  world  as  a  surgical 
instrument  manufactory  second  to  none.  Mr.  George  Tie- 
mann died  aged  seventy-six  years,  in  the  year  1868,  and  the 
business  was  continued  under  the  old  firm  name  by  the 
surviving  partners,  who  are  still  active.  In  1871  it  was 
found  expedient  to  establish  an  uj)to\vn  branch  establish- 
ment, which  was  opened  at  107  East  Twenty-eighth  Street, 
under  the  name  of  Stohlmann,  Ffarre  &  Co.  This  store 
has  recently  been  enlarged,  and  extensive  alterations  to  the 
outside  and  interior  have  made  it  the  handsomest  establish- 
ment of  its  kind  m  the  city.  In  1882,  Mr.  C.  Fred.  Stohl- 
mann, Mr.  Louis  G.  Pfarre,  and  Mr.  Julius  A.  Pfarre,  who  had 


GEORGE  TIEMANN. 
Died  Sept.  26,  1868. 

been  connected  with  the  business  for  ten  years,  were  ad- 
mitted to  partnership,  and  in  1890  Mr.  George  A.  Stohl- 
mann. In  the  large  steam  factory  in  Brooklyn,  E.  D.,  and 
repair  shops  in  the  rear  of  107  Park  Row  and  the  basement 
of  107  East  Twenty-eighth  Street  the  firm  gives  steady 
employment  to  a  force  of  nearly  one  hundred  skilled  arti- 
sans, besides  a  large  and  efficient  corps  of  clerks  in  their 
stores.  The  aim  of  the  firm  has  invariably  been  to  furnish 
the  best  quality  of  goods,  and  all  instruments  manufactured 
by  the  firm  are  warranted  for  all  time  and  are  cheerfully 
exchanged  if  any  should  break  or  bend  while  in  legitimate 
use.  The  firm  has  recently  issued  a  catalogue,  which  has 
received  flattering  notices  from  the  medical  journals,  not 
only  of  this  country,  but  from  England,  Germany,  France, 
Hungary,  Switzerland  and  Australia.  It  is  the  most  exten- 
sive surgical  catalogue  ever  published  and  the  most  expen- 
sive, as  the  cost  has  been  borne  exclusively  by  the  pub- 
lishers, who  have  refused  to  insert  any  advertising  matter. 


2l8 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


JOHN    H.  TINGUE. 

There  is  at  least  one  industry,  and  a  very  important  one, 
that  a  protective  tariff  has  called  into  existence  in  this  coun- 
try ;  that  is  the  manufacture  of  mohair  plush.  To  John 
H.  Tingue  must  be  given  the  credit  of  founding  the  new 
industry  of  mohair  plush  in  the  United  States.  Mr.  Tingue 
was  born  in  the  State  of  New  York,  and  entered  upon  his 
business  career  in  the  retail  drygoods  trade.  He  eslal)- 
lished  the  well-known  house  of  Moore,  Tingue  &  Co.  in 
this  city,  and  ten  years  ago  retired  on  a  competence.  After 
two  years  of  rest  and  European  travel,  however,  he  took  up 
the  idea  of  the  seal  and  upholstery  plush  business.  He  had 
observed  while  in  the  drygoods  trade,  among  other  things, 
that  the  demand  for  mohair  plush  in  America  was  limited, 
but  he  shrewdly  suspected  that  this  demand  could  easily  be 
increased.  While  in  Europe  he  found  that  orders  from 
America  were  very  slow  of  fulfillment;  also  that  a  heavy 
duty  on  its  importation  would  afford  an  .'\merican  manu- 
facturer the  chance  of  establishing  an  industry.    On  his 


JOH.N    H.  TI.NGUE. 

return  to  this  country  he  built  a  factory  in  Seymour,  Conn., 
with  salesrooms  in  this  city,  and  it  was  a  success  from  the 
start.  He  took  in  Mr.  Charles  Coupland  as  a  partner,  and 
a  valuable  one  he  proved  to  be.  Mr.  Coupland  was 
possessed  of  that  Yankee  genius  for  invention  for  which 
Americans  are  so  famous,  and  the  result  was  the  new  and 
improved  machinery  which  enabled  the  company  to  supply 
the  increasing  demand  for  mohair  plush.  The  consecjuence 
was  a  revolution  in  the  trade.  Orders  from  the  West  and 
the  South  were  promj^tly  filled,  and  not  only  that,  but  the 
article  su])plied  was  found  to  be  more  durable,  elegant  and 
cheai)er  than  the  imported  aricle.  The  company  began  by 
emijloying  twelve  hands.  They  now  employ  250.  Tiieir 
factory  buildings  in  Seymour  cover  five  acres,  and  their 
monthly  output  averages  60,000  yards.  They  imi)ort  their 
raw  materials,  the  chief  item  of  which  is  .Angora  goat  hair, 
which  they  luring  from  Asiatic  Turkey.  The  trade  of  the 
company  is  confined  to  the  United  States,  and  three-fourths 
of  their  products  are  sent  West.     Mr.  Tingue,  the  founder 


of  the  industry,  died  in  1885,  universally  esteemed  and 
regretted,  not  only  for  his  business  push  and  energy,  but  on 
account  of  his  high  rei)utation  and  many  admirable  traits  of 
character.  His  place  as  President  of  the  company  was 
taken  by  his  brother  William  J.,  who  had  been  with  him 
from  the  start.  A  third  brother,  Mr.  E.  W.  Tingue,  is  also 
a  member  of  the  com])any  and  takes  an  active  part  in  its 
management.  William  J.  Tingue  was  born  in  Fort  Plain, 
N.  _Y.,  in  1837,  and  resides  in  Hawthorn,  Conn.  He  spends 
a  good  deal  of  his  time  in  this  city,  where  their  offices  and 
salesrooms  are  located.  He  is  married  and  has  three 
children.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Union  League  Club,  of 
the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  is  Chairman  of  the  Board  of 
Trustees  of  Dr.  Cha;)in's  old  church,  of  which  the  present 
pastor  is  the  Rev.  Dr.  Eaton.  He  is  also  President  of  the 
Hawthorn  Mills  Company.  The  company  was  incorporated 
in  1889,  and  it  may  be  stated  in  conclusion  that  its  present 
flourishing  condition  is  a  monument  to  the  foresight  and 
sagacity  of  its  founder,  John  H.  Tingue. 


JOHN    W.  JACOBUS. 

John  W.  Jacobus,  United  States  Marshal,  is  a  well- 
known  name  in  this  city  of  New  York,  and  its  owner  a 
familiar  and  popular  figure.  He  was  born  on  September 
19,  1844,  and  was  educated  in  the  public  schools.  When 
the  war  broke  out  he  was  only  seventeen  years  of  age  ;  but 
that  did  not  prevent  him  responding  to  the  call  to  arms.  In 
April,  1861,  he  enlisted  in  the  Ninth  New  York  Regiment, 
called  Hawkins'  Zouaves,  and  having  served  his  term  of 
two  years  was  mustered  out  May  26,  1863.  But  young 
Jacobus  enlisted  for  the  war,  and  he  iinmediately  joined 
Company  G,  of  the  Seventy-first  New  York  Regiment, 
served  thirty  days,  and  having  been  appointed  to  staff  duty 
under  General  Meade,  remained  in  harness  till  the 
surrender  of  Lee  at  Appomattox.  Having  been  finally 
mustered  out  he,  like  hundreds  of  thousands  of  others,  was 
absorbed  in  the  great  army  of  industry,  and  we  find  him  in 
1868  connected  with  the  Willimantic  Spool  Cotton 
Company.  He  is  connected  with  it  still.  He  was  elected 
Alderman  in  1878  by  a  majority  of  1,600  over  his  opponent 
and  again  in  1879  by  a  majority  of  4,600,  and  1880  by  over 
7,000.  In  1882  Mayor  (irace  appointed  him  a  member  of 
the  Board  of  A])])raisers,  and  three  years  later  he  ran  for 
Sheriff  on  the  Re|)ublican  ticket.  He  came  within  4,000  votes 
of  being  elected.  In  connection  with  it  it  may  be  noted 
that  no  Republican  ever  came  so  near  beating  a  Democrat 
running  for  that  office  in  New  York  City.  He  ran  for  Sheriff 
once  more  in  1888  and  again  led  the  county  ticket.  He  was 
appointed  United  States  Marshal  by  President  Harrison  on 
January  13,  1890,  and  holds  that  ofifice  now.  Marshal  Jacobus 
is  a  Director  of  the  West  Side  Savings  Bank,  Post  Com- 
mander of  Kimball  Post  G.  A.  R.,  Past  Master  of  Bethel 
Lodge,  733,  F.  &  A.  M.,  member  of  the  Mount  Zion 
Chai)ter,  Palestine  Commandery  K  'J".,  Mecca  Temple,  the 
Old  Guard,  and  of  the  Republican  Club,  among  many  other 
organizations,  both  i)olitiral  and  social. 

JERE.  JOHNSON,  Jr., 
Whose  transactions  in  real  estate,  since  1886,  when  he 
commenced  business  as  a  real  estate  broker  and  auctioneer, 
amount  to  hundreds  of  millions  of  dollars,  in  city  property 
alone,  besides  many  tens  of  millions  in  suburban  property, 
was  born  at  the  okl  Johnson  homestead,  in  what  is  now  the 
Nineteenth  Ward,  city  of  Brooklyn.  He  is  a  direct  descend- 
ant of  Sarah  Rapclje,  the  first  white  child  born  in  the  New 
Netherlands.  His  great-grantlfalher  was  an  officer  in  the 
Kings  County  militia  during  the  Revolutionary  War.  His 
son,  Major-(ieneral  Jeremiah  Johnson,  is  remembered  as  a 
statesman,  soldier,  scholar  and  churchman.  He  was  thrice 
Mayor  of  Brooklyn,  and  was  four  times  elected  to  the  State 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS.  219 


Legislature.  During  tlie  latter  part  of  the  War  of  181 2  he 
commanded  the  troops  stationed  at  Fort  Greene,  Brooklyn. 
Barnet  Johnson,  father  of  Jere.  Johnson,  Jr.,  was  a  man  of 
pure  and  upright  character  and  one  of  Brooklyn's  foremost 
citizens.  When  Mr.  Johnson  attained  his  majority  he  en- 
gaged in  the  lumber  business,  but  seeing  what  great  possi- 
bilities there  were  in  suburban  property  of  New  York  and 
Brooklyn,  entered  upon  his  present  business,  which  he  has 
conducted  with  phenomenal  success.  He  made  auction 
sales  attractive  by  issuing  free  passes,  free  lunches,  and  ren- 
dering them  more  enjoyable  by  music  from  the  finest  regi- 
mental bands  of  the  city.  Thousands  of  the  wage-earners 
of  the  city  have  been  enabled  to  buy  home  sites  by  investing 
their  earnings,  in  small  monthly  payments,  in  choice  prop- 
erty offered  by  him  at  low  prices.  He  is  a  free  advertiser 
and  spends  upward  of  $100,000  per  year  for  that  ])urpose. 
He  is  a  firm  believer  in  the  Greater  New  York,  that  many 
now  living  will  see  the  great  city  contain  8,000,000  souls, 
and  that  no  one  to-day  can  believe  the  wonderful  things 
the  future  has  in  store  for  it.  In  order  to  perpetuate  his 
business,  he  recently  incorporated  it  as  the  Jere.  Johnson, 
Jr.,  Co.,  of  which  he  is  President.    Its  capital  is  $150,000. 


HENRY  M.  GOLDFOGLE. 

Henry  M.  Goldfogle,  one  of  New  York's  Justices,  was 
born  in  New  York  City,  May  23,  1854  ;  was  educated  in  its 
public  schools,  and  subsequently  in  a  private  college.  After 
leaving  college  he  studied  law  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar, 
receiving  honorable  mention.  Judge  Goldfogle's  first 
important  case  came  to  him  when  he  was  twenty-three  years 
old  and  gained  him  a  solid  reputation  for  so  young  a  man. 
The  case  was  one  which  involved  the  title  to  $150,000  worth 
of  real  estate,  and  the  claimants  were  minors.  Opposed  to 
Judge  Goldfogle  were  many  lawyers  of  high  standing  in  their 
profession,  but  in  spite  of  this  and  the  fact  that  many  legal 
authorities  had  pronounced  the  case  hopeless,  the  young 
aspirant  for  fame  and  fortune  gained  a  decisive  victory,  and 
the  Supreme  Court  in  rendering  judgment  complimented 
him  for  his  ability.  He  has  achieved  many  successes  in 
both  criminal  and  civil  cases,  and  is  especially  successful  in 
addressing  juries  ;  in  fact  he  is  well  equipped  both  by  train- 
ing and  intellect  for  either  the  bench  or  the  bar.  His  political 
career  began  in  the  campaign  of  1876,  when  he  took  the 
stump  for  the  Democratic  party  and  distinguished  himself 
both  as  a  speaker  and  an  organizer.  He  also  rendered 
effective  political  service  in  the  campaigns  of  1884,  1888,  and 
notably  so  in  the  last  presidential  contest.  In  1885  he  was 
offered  the  nomination  for  State  Senator,  but  declined,  and 
in  1887  was  nominated  and  elected  to  his  present  position  as 
Judge  of  the  Fifth  District  Court.  He  has  spent  much 
time  and  money  in  supporting  charitable  institutions,  and  is 
the  President  of  the  Independent  Order  of  B'nai  Berith,  the 
leading  Hebrew  organiz  ition  of  this  country,  having  a  mem- 
bership of  over  twenty-six  thousand  ;  is  also  the  president 
of  the  Seminole  Club,  and  a  member  and  director  of  a  large 
number  of  other  societies. 


ALONZO    R.    MORGAN,  M.D. 

Alonzo  R.  Morgan,  M.D.,  graduated  from  the  Homoeo- 
pathic Medical  College  of  Pennsylvania,  March,  1852,  and 
immediately  going  abroad  after  graduating  spent  about  one 
year  in  the  different  schools  and  hospitals  of  Europe.  Re- 
turning to  this  country  in  the  fall  of  1853  he  located  in 
Syracuse,  N.  Y.,  and  at  once  went  into  active  practice.  In 
1867  he  was  solicited  to  accept  the  chair  of  Institutes  and 
Practice  of  Medicine  in  the  Homoeopathic  Medical  College 
of  Pennsylvania.  This  position  he  accepted  and  filled  for 
one  year.  In  1868  he  was  appointed  to  thechairof  Theory 
and  Practice  in  the  New  York  Medical  College.  Owing 


to  ill  health  he  had  to  resign  the  position  as  well  as  give  up 
his  i)rivate  practice  in  1870.  For  several  years  he  virtually 
gave  himself  up  to  the  care  of  his  health.  Having  success- 
fully combated  his  ailments  he  again  went  into  practice,  and 
in  May,  1891,  received  the  reappointment  to  the  chair  of 
Theory  and  Practice  of  Medicine  in  the  New  York  Homoe- 
opathic Medical  College.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Ameri- 
can Institute  of  Homoeopathy,  the  New  York  State 
Homoeopathic  Medical  Society,  and  many  county  societies. 


WILLIAM    H.  BURKE. 

One  of  the  youngest,  and  at  the  same  time  ablest,  of 
New  York's  Police  Judges,  is  William  Henry  Burke,  a  man 
who,  by  force  of  character  and  intelligence,  has  lifted  him- 
self from  the  honorable  case  of  the  compositor  to  the  bench 
of  the  New  World's  Metropolis.  Judge  Burke  was  born  in 
this  city,  on  December  11,  1852,  and  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools,  after  which  he  studied  and  i^ractised  the 
printer's  craft  until  1883,  when  he  opened  a  coal  office  on 
io6th  Street.  He  conducts  a  flourishing  business  in  that  line 
at  present,  and  is  looked  upon  as  one  of  the  leading  up- 
town dealers  in  "  Black  Diamonds."  Young  Burke  imbibed 
a  taste  for  politics  at  an  early  age,  and,  like  most  bright 
young  men  of  New  York,  joined  the  forces  of  Tammany 


» 


WILLIAM   H.  BURKE. 

Hall,  among  whom  he  soon  became  a  leader  in  his  district. 
When  the  present  Mayor,  Hon.  Thomas  F.  Gilroy,  was 
placed  in  charge  of  the  Public  Works  Department,  he 
appointed  Mr.  Burke  to  the  position  of  water  purveyor, 
which  position  he  filled  to  the  satisfaction  of  all  concerned 
until  in  1893,  when  Mr.  Gilroy,  now  chief  magistrate,  ap- 
pointed his  trusty  lieutenant  of  the  26th  District  to  the  bench, 
filling  the  place  made  vacant  by  the  retirement  of  Judge 
Duffy.  He  has  yet  to  make  a  reputation  as  police  justice, 
but  his  friends  and  those  who  know  him  best  entertain  no 
fear  for  his  future.  Indeed,  his  short  experience  on  the 
bench  has  made  it  evident  that  Mayor  Gilroy  made  no 
mistake  in  the  appointment.  He  examines  witnesses  in- 
telligently and  skilfully,  and  handles  the  lawyers  in  a  way 


220 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


that  impresses  them  with  respect,  not  unmixed  with  ad- 
miration. Judge  Burke  is  member  of  the  Sagamore  Chib, 
President  of  the  Stuyvesant  Democratic  Ckib,  and 
member  of  the  Harlem  Democratic  and  Lenox  Hill  Clubs. 
In  1877,  he  married  Miss  Florinda  Callaghan,  of  New 
York  City,  with  whom  he  resides  in  a  handsome  house  in 
Harlem. 


WOODBURY  LANGDON. 

Woodbury  Langdon,  one  of  New  York's  representative 
merchants,  was  born  in  Portsmouth,  New  Hampshire,  on 
October  2,  1836,  and  is  ninth  in  descent  from  the  American 
founder  of  the  family.  The  first  Langdon  was  an  Phiglish 
Puritan  and  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  of  New  England 
who  came  to  this  country  nearly  three  centuries  ago. 
Since  then,  as  the  annals  of  Massachusetts  and  New  Hamp- 
shire go  to  show,  the  name  has  been  prominent  in  the  poli- 


family  has  been  almost  as  prominent  in  New  Hampshire 
State  affairs  as  the  Langdons  themselves.  Mr.  Langdon 
was  educated  in  the  famous  High  School  of  Portsmouth, 
where  so  many  men  afterwards  distinguished  in  life  received 
their  elementary  education,  and  was  prepared  for  a  college  » 
course  by  private  instructors,  but  evincing  more  taste  for 
a  mercantile  than  a  professional  career  he,  with  his  parents' 
consent,  entered  the  drygoods  commission  house  of  Froth- 
ingham  &:  Co.,  Hoston,  in  1863,  and  placed  in  charge  of  the 
N'ew  York  branch  of  the  business.  He  was  admitted  as 
member  of  the  firm  in  1868.  In  1870  Mr.  Frothingham 
died  and  the  business  was  continued  under  the  style  of  Joy, 
Langdon  &  Co.,  a  name  which  it  still  retains  and  by  which  it  is 
favorably  known  and  esteemed  all  over  the  country,  repre- 
senting as  it  does  many  of  the  manufacturers  of  the  Eastern 
States.  Mr.  Langdon  has  been  for  many  years  associated 
with  the  New  York  Chamber  of  Commerce,  and  since  1888 


WOODBURY  LAXODOX. 


tical  and  literary  life  of  the  country,  every  generation  fur- 
nishing its  quota  of  distinguished  men.  The  great-grand- 
father of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  who  was  also  a  Wood- 
bury Langdon,  was  a  native  of  Portsmouth  and  a  leading 
merchant  of  that  town,  and  took  an  active  part  in  the  revolu- 
tionary movement  which  culminated  in  American  indepen- 
dence. He  was  Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  New 
Hampshire  for  the  years  between  1786  and  1789.  His  bro- 
ther John  also  look  a  leading  jjart  in  the  Revolution,  and 
as  a  reward  for  his  patriotic  services  was  elected  Ciovernor 
of  New  Hampshire,  and  afterwards  a  Senator  when  there 
was  neither  a  President  nor  a  Vice-President  of  the  L;nited 
States.  Mr.  Langdon's  father  (another  Woodbury)  was  a 
merchant  and  shi])master  of  Portsmouth,  as  many  of  his 
ancestors  had  been  before  him,  and  his  mother,  Frances 
Cutter,  a  daughter  of  Jacob  Cutter  of  the  same  town,  whose 


has  been  a  member  of  its  Executive  Committee.  He  is  a 
director  of  National  Bank  of  Commerce  and  of  the  Central 
National  Hank,  anil  also  of  the  German  .\nierican  Insurance 
Company  and  Trustee  of  New  York  Life  Insurance  Co. 
He  has  always  been  a  strong  Republican,  ready  and  willing 
to  help  his  party,  and  yet  does  it  with  so  little  noise  that  he 
is  poj^ular  with  men  of  all  parties.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Union  League  Club,  and  in  1889  was  elected  it  vice-presi- 
dent, an  office  he  still  holds  and  fills  with  a  dignity  all  his 
own.  He  is  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Merchants'  Club 
of  New  York,  was  chosen  its  president  in  1888  and 
re-elected  in  1889.  He  is  also  one  of  the  directors  of  the 
New  England  Society.  Mr.  Langdon  has  lived  in  New  York 
for  a  ipiarter  of  a  century,  is  acipiainted  with  the  city's 
affairs  and  takes  a  keen  interest  in  them,  as  indeed  he  does 
in  all  matters  affecting  the  public  welfare.    .At  the  urgent 


JVEIV  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


221 


solicitation  of  many  leading  men  of  all  parties  he  was 
appointed  one  of  the  Rapid  Transit  Commissioners  for  New 
York  city  and  county  and  with  his  colleagues  has  done 
excellent  work  in  that  connection.  Mr.  Langdon  is  unmar- 
ried. His  brother  Francis  E.,  a  graduate  of  Harvard 
University  and  a  member  of  New  Hampshire  State  Senate, 
died  in  1890.  To  conclude,  he  is  a  man  well  known  in  the 
country  for  his  integrity  and  public  spirit. 


M.    BELLE    BROWN,  M.D. 

Doctor  M.  Belle  Brown  is  a  Western  woman.  She  was 
l)orn  in  Southern  Ohio,  near  Cincinnati,  and  was  educated 
in  the  high  school  of  her  native  town  and  at  the  Oxford 
Female  College,  at  Oxford,  Ohio.  During  the  time  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Scott,  the  father  of  President  Harrison's  wife,  was 
principal  of  the  Oxford  Female  College,  it  was  known  as  the 
"  Scott  House."  Her  ancestors  on  both  sides  were  English. 
The  genealogy  of  the  Brown  family  can  be  found  in  the 
"  Chad  Brown  Memorial  "  at  the  Berkley  Lyceum.  Her 
mother's  maiden  name  was  Telford.  The  Telfords  were 
from  Kentucky  and  descendants  of  the  Jennings  family  of 
England.  Dr.  Brown  commenced  the  study  of  medicine  in 
1874  with  Dr.  B.  F.  Lukens,  the  family  physician.  At  that 
time  homoeojiathy  was  not  popular  in  the  West.  It  was 
during  the  absence  of  the  regular  family  physician  (who 
was  an  allopath)  that  Dr.  Lukens  was  called.  His  success 
in  curing,  and  without  morphine,  an  intractable  neuralgia 
from  which  her  mother  had  suffered  for  years  led  her  to 
study  homoeopathy  and  to  the  employment  of  the  "  little 
pill "  doctor,  as  he  was  derisively  called,  for  the  family 
physician.  She  came  to  New  York  in  1876  and  entered  the 
New  York  Medical  College  and  Hospital  for  Women.  She 
graduated  in  1879,  immediately  began  the  general  practice 
of  medicine,  and  located  in  West  Thirty-fourth  Street,  where 
she  still  resides.  She  studied  electricity,  after  she  gradu- 
ated, with  the  late  Dr.  John  Butler  and  was  one  year  in  his 
office.  Dr.  Brown  makes  a  s]jecialty  of  diseases  of  women 
and  is  Professor  of  Diseases  of  Women  in  the  New  York 
Medical  College  and  Hospital  for  Women,  Secretary  of 
Faculty  in  the  New  York  Medical  College  and  Hospital  for 
Women,  member  American  Institute  of  Homoeopathy,  mem- 
ber New  York  County  Medical  Society,  member  consulting 
staff  Memorial  Hospital.  Brooklyn,  member  New  York 
Homoeopathic  Sanitarium  Association. 


DAVID  LEVENTRITT. 

David  Leventritt,  one  of  the  disfinguished  members  of 
the  New  York  Bar.  was  born  at  \Vinnsboro,  South  Carolina, 
on  January  31,  1845.  His  father,  Geo.  M.  Leventritt, 
came  to  the  Metropolis  in  1854  and  become  a  prominent 
'merchant  who  was  highly  esteemed  and  respected  for  his 
benevolence  and  integrity  of  character.  David  Leventritt 
was  educated  at  the  Free  Academy,  now  known  as  the 
College  of  the  City  of  New  York.  He  entered  that  insti- 
tution in  1859,  and  after  a  brilliant  course  was  graduated  in 
July,  1864,  with  the  honor  of  salutatorian.  During  his  course 
he  was  awarded  the  Burr  Medal  as  the  leading  scholar  in 
methematics,  and  also  received  the  Greek  and  other  medals 
for  scholarship.  His  early  legal  training  was  gained  in  the 
L'niversity  Law  College,  from  which  he  graduated  in  1870. 
Mr.  Leventritt  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1870  and  at  once 
began  active  practice.  He  has  devoted  his  attention  to  a 
general  civil  practice,  and  is  recognized  as  one  of  the 
America's  greatest  trial  lawyers.  He  is  recognized  as  a  peer 
of  any  lawyer  in  the  cross  examination  of  adverse  witnesses, 
and  in  addressing  a  jury  he  has  few  equals.  He  is  often  termed 
the  silver  tongued  orator.  During  the  past  few  years  he  has 
conducted  the  trial  of  as  many,  if  not  more,  causes  than  any 
individual  lawyer  at  the  New  York  Bar.    These  trials  were 


important  legal  controversies,  involving  questions  of  cor- 
poration and  commercial  law,  insurance  causes  and  the 
disposition  of  theatrical  actions.  During  the  judicial  year  of 
nine  months  four-fifths  of  his  time  has  been  occupied  in  the 
trial  of  causes  and  the  argument  of  motions  and  appeals.  As 
ConsultingCounscl  in  important  cases  in  intricateand  compli- 
cated litigated  matters,  he  is  constantly  retained  by  a  number 
of  New  York  lawyers  who  find  his  legal  advice  sound  and  his 
co-operation  a  guarantee  of  success.  Mr.  Leventritt  has  a 
large  and  influential  clientele,  and  his  success  is  due  to  his 
marked  ability,  his  1  eliable  judgment,  his  unswerving  fidelity 
to  the  interests  of  his  clients  and  his  never  flagging  activity 
in  behalf  of  their  causes.  His  career  has  been  marked  by 
thoroughly  honorable  and  strictly  professional  methods 
which  have  gained  him  the  unlimited  respect  of  both  Bench 
and  Bar.  Every  one  has  a  word  of  commendation  for  his 
ability  and  worth.  Mr.  Leventritt's  private  life  has  also 
been  one  of  usefulness  and  much  of  his  time  and  means 
have  been  devoted  to  the  promotion  of  benevolent  and 


DAVID  LEVENTRITT. 

charitable  institutions  and  associations.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Congregational  Temple  Emanuel,  of  the  .American 
Legion  of  Honor,  the  B'nai  Berith,  the  Montefiore  Home 
for  Chronic  Invalids,  Free  School  Association,  the  Free 
Sons,  the  Progress  Club,  the  Young  Men's  Democratic  Club, 
the  Sagamore  Club,  the  German  Turn  Verein,  Mount  Sinai 
Hospital,  the  Hebrew  Orphan  Asylum,  and  other  societies 
and  organizations.  He  is  also  the  Vice-President  of  the 
Aguilar  Free  Library,  located  in  the  Institute  Building,  on 
the  corner  of  East  Broadway  and  Jefferson  Street  in  this 
city,  and  having  a  branch  on  the  corner  of  Lexington 
Avenue  and  58th  Street.  Mr.  Leventritt  was  married  on 
June  9,  1868,  to  Miss  Matilda  Lithauer,  eldest  daughter  of 
Leopold  Lithauer,  a  prominent  wholesale  merchant  of  the 
Metropolis,  whose  death  in  1881  was  sincerely  mourned  by 
a  host  of  friends  who  were  attached  to  him  by  his  attractive, 
whole-souled  nature.  Mr.  Leventritt  resides  at  34  West 
77th   Street,  where  he  is  surrounded   by  a  refined  and 


222 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


cultured  family  of  one  daughter  and  three  sons.  He  is 
passionately  fond  of  music,  a  gift  which  his  daughter  has 
inherited  and  cultivated  to  such  an  extent  that  she  is  recog- 
nized as  a  highly  accomplished  ])ianiste  and  soprano.  His 
eldest  son  graduated  at  Phillips  Exeter  Academy,  is 
studying  law  and  pre])aring  for  his  admission  to  the  Bar  in 
September,  1893. 

HORATIO  N.  TWOMBLY. 

Horatio  N.  Twombly,  lawyer,  statesman,  editor  and  well 
known  man  of  affairs,  was  born  in  Berwick,  York  County, 
Maine,  in  1831,  and  comes  of  excellent  Puritan,  Revolu- 
tionary and  Colonial  ancestry.  Ralph  Twombly  was  the 
first  of  his  ancestors  to  arrive  in  America  and  settled  at 
Dover,  New  Hampshire,  in  1640.  His  descendants  for 
many  generations  were  farmers  and  known  for  their  ster- 
ling integrity  of  character.  By  the  death  of  his  father, 
Moses  N.  Twombly,  Horatio  was  thrown  upon  his  own 
resources  at  the  age  of  eleven,  but  proved  himself  more  than 
a  match  for  adversity.  By  working  on  the  farm  in  the 
summer  and  teaching  school  during  the  winter  he  was 
enabled  to  gain  a  preparatory  education  in  South  Berwick 
Academy  and  entered  Dartmouth  College  at  the  age  of  nine- 


HORATIO  N.  TWOMBLY. 

teen.  He  defrayed  his  college  expenses  by  teaching  during 
vacations  and  after  a  brilliant  course  graduated  in  1854, 
standing  second  in  a  class  of  sixty  graduates.  He  went 
West  and  took  charge  of  a  private  school  numbering  300 
pupils,  at  Waukegan,  111.  During  his  sojourn  in  that  town 
he  studied  law  and  edited  the  VVaukei^an  Gazette.  Upon 
his  admission  to  the  bar  he  went  to  Prescott,  Wisconsin, 
began  active  ])ractice  and  was  ajjpointed  District  .Attorney 
of  the  county.  While  located  in  Prescott  Mr.  Twombly 
edited  the  Prescott  Tninscript  and  at  the  same  time  was 
made  Lieutenant  Colonel  of  the  Wisconsin  Militia.  In  i860 
he  went  to  Shanghai,  Cliina,  to  look  after  some  of  his 
family's  estate,  remained  two  years  and  became  sole  partner 
of  Hiram  Fogg  &  Co.,  returned  to  New  York  and  joined  the 


firm  of  William  Fogg  &:  Co.,  from  whom  he  severed  his 
connections  in  1867  to  become  a  member  of  the  firm  of 
Messrs.  Benedict,  Torrey  &  Twombly,  manufacturers  of 
rub])er.  Having  made  profitable  investments  in  the  oil 
fields  of  Pennsylvania  he  retired  from  the  firm  in  1869, 
and  in  1870  he  was  the  cause  of  a  political  controversy 
which  was  largely  instrumental  in  bringing  about  the 
downfall  of  the  Tweed  regime.  Mr.  Twombly  had  been 
elected  as  Republican  re])resentative  to  the  Assembly  of 
the  State  of  New  York  over  his  Tammany  opponent,  John 
Carey,  by  a  majority  of  17.  The  victory  was  in  itself 
remarkable,  as  he  ran,  in  the  language  of  politics,  largely 
ahead  of  the  State  ticket.  His  election  made  the  Assembly 
a  tie  politically.  It  was  therefore  highly  important  to  Mr. 
Tweed  that  some  Republican  should  be  unseated.  The 
sacrifice  of  Mr.  Twombly  was  determined  upon.  Nothing 
fraudulent  could  be  discovered  in  his  election.  Two 
technical  pretexts  were  chosen.  It  was  discovered  that  in 
one  election  district,  where  Mr.  Twombly  had  received  67 
majority,  a  number  of  the  inspectors  had  taken  a  recess  for 
a  few  minutes  between  the  counting  of  the  Congressional 
and  Assembly  votes  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  something 
to  eat.  In  another  election  district,  where  Mr.  Twombly's 
majority  was  20,  it  was  learned  that  the  United  States 
Su])ervisor  had  been  invited  and  did  assist  in  the  counting 
of  the  votes.  The  fight  in  the  Assembly  was  prolonged, 
but  finally,  the  "Board  of  .\ldermen "  throwing  out  the 
returns  from  the  last  mentioned  election  district,  Mr.  Carey 
was  declared  elected  by  a  majority  of  three  votes.  In  the 
following  year  the  same  Assembly  district  elected  Mr. 
Twombly  by  a  majority  of  3,180,  which  was  1,200  votes 
ahead  of  the  Re])ublican  State  ticket.  After  this  emphatic 
mark  of  public  vindication  Mr.  Twombly  refused  further 
political  honors,  and,  in  1883,  went  to  Bogota,  South 
America,  to  advance  a  railroad  enterprise.  In  1884  he 
returned,  became  President  of  the  China  and  Japan  Trad- 
ing Co.,  and  under  his  guidance  the  company  has  become 
the  largest  concern  of  its  kind,  with  branches  in  China, 
Ja])an  and  England.  Mr.  Twombly's  social  career,  like  his 
professional  and  commercial  one,  has  been  a  success  and 
commands  the  respect  of  all.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Board 
of  Trustees  of  the  New  York  HomcKO|jathic  Medical  College 
and  Hospital,  is  President  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of 
Berwick  Academy  and  belongs  to  the  Union  League, 
Reform,  University  and  Delta  Phi  Clubs. 

BROOKS    H,  WELLS,    M  D. 

Brooks  H.  Wells,  M.D.,  was  born  in  New  Haven,  Conn., 
on  July  28,  1859,  of  Edward  Livingston  Wells  and  Mary 
Hiider  Hughes.  He  received  an  elementary  education  in 
private  schools  and  a  classical  training  in  the  College  of 
Physicians  and  Surgeons,  whence  he  graduated  in  1884. 
After  serving  the  regular  term  in  both  the  New  York 
Charity  and  Maternity  hospitals,  he  became  (1885) 
connected  with  the  New  York  Polyclinic,  first  as  assistant 
and  then  as  adjunct  ])rofessor  in  the  deimrtment  of  gynae- 
cology. Dr.  Wells  has  filled  many  important  places  in  the 
medical  literature  of  this  country.  He  for  several  years 
edited  the  department  of  Gyniecology  in  Sajou's  "  Annual  of 
the  Medical  Sciences,"  and  is  at  present  editor  of  the 
American  Journal  of  Obstetrics.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
New  York  Academy  of  Medicine  and  the  New  York 
Obstetrical  Society  and  is  Secretary  of  the  Section  of 
Crynascology  and  Abdominal  Surgery  of  the  Pan-.^merican 
Congress,  which  is  to  assemble  in  1893.  He  has  recently 
edited  an  American  edition  of  Pozzi's  "Gynaecology,"  a 
standard  French  work,  which  has  received  mucli  favorable 
comment  from  the  medical  press.  Dr.  Wells  is  married  to 
Mary,  daughter  of  the  late  Benjamin  Pomeroy,  of  Connec- 
ticut, and  has  three  children.     The  Pomeroy  and  Weils 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


223 


families  are  of  very  old  stock.  The  Pomeroys  trace  their 
pedigree  to  Eltwood  Pomeroy,  founder  of  the  family,  who 
came  to  this  country  in  1692,  and  he  (Eltwood)  in  turn  was 
a  lineal  descendant  of  one  of  the  sons  of  William  the 
Conqueror.  One  branch  of  the  Wells  family  can  be  traced 
back  to  the  celebrated  Archbishop  Bonner,  while  another  is 
descended  from  Robert  Bruce.  Dr.  Wells's  grandfather 
was  Dr.  Thomas  Wells,  of  Columbia,  S.  C.  Two  uncles, 
Dr.  Charlton  Wells  (deceased)  and  Dr.  William  L.  Wells, 
a  prominent  physician  of  New  Rochelle,  prove  the 'family 
to  be  a  medical  one  in  the  best  sense  of  the  term. 

FREDERICK  WILLIAM  HOLLS. 

Frederick  William  Holls,  who  enjoys  distinction  as  one 
of  the  most  eminent  and  representative  German-American 
members  of  the  New  York  bar,  and  who  is  also  distin- 
guished as  an  eloquent  speaker,  was  born  at  Zelienople,  Pa., 
on  July  ist,  1857,  and  comes  of  good  German  ancestry. 
His  father.  Rev.  Dr.  George  Charles  Holls,  who  was  born 
in  Darmstadt,  Germany,  came  to  this  country  in  1851,  and 
became  a  noted  Lutheran  divine,  educator  and  philan- 
thropist. His  son  underwent  a  preparatory  course  in 
Columbia  Grammar  School,  after  which  he  entered  Columbia 
College  and  was  graduated  from  there  in  the  class  of  1878. 
He  immediately  entered  Columbia  Law  School  and  graduated 
with  ihe  Bachelor  of  Laws  degree  in  the  class  of  1880.  His 
college  career  was  a  distinguished  one  and  during  his 
course  he  founded  the  College  Spectator,  being  its  editor-in- 
chief  during  his  senior  year.  He  began  the  practice  of  law 
in  this  city  and  soon  gained  recognition  as  a  lawyer  pos- 
sessed of  more  than  ordinary  talents.  He  devotes  his  atten- 
tion to  a  general  civil  practice,  making  a  specialty  of  cor- 
poration litigation,  in  which  department  of  his  profession  he 
has  become  unusually  successful.  In  1883  he  was  the 
Republican  candidate  for  Senator  in  the  12th  District,  and 
made  an  excellent  run,  cutting  the  Democratic  majority 
down  from  3,000  to  600  votes.  As  a  lecturer  and  author 
he  is  well-known.  His  German  lecture  upon  the  life  and 
works  of  Francis  Lieber  was  published  here  in  1885  and 
republished  in  other  tongues  abroad.  His  "  Sancta  Sophia 
and  Troitza,"  a  Tourist's  Notes  on  the  Oriental  Church, 
was  favorably  received.  In  1889  Mr.  Holls  was  married  to 
Miss  Carrie  M.  Sayles,  eldest  daughter  of  Hon.  Frederic 
Clark  Sayles,  of  Pawtucket,  R.  I.  His  offices  are  located 
in  the  Equitable  Building,  and  his  residence  is  in  Yonkers, 
where  he  possesses  one  of  the  most  beautiful  summer  resi- 
dences. 

SAMUEL  W.  FAIRCHILD. 

The  career  of  Mr.  Samuel  W.  Fairchild,  of  the  well- 
known  house  of  Fairchild  Bros.  &  Foster,  affords  an  effec- 
tive example  of  what  can  be  accomplished,  even  in  these 
days  of  sharp  business  competition,  by  hard  work,  ambition 
and  determination,  combined  with  sagacity  in  seeing  and 
energy  in  seizing  opportunities.  It  is  something  more  than 
twenty  years  since  Mr.  Fairchild  left  his  native  town  of 
Stratford,  Conn.,  to  become  a  student  at  the  Philadelphia 
College  of  Pharmacy,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in  1873, 
and  almost  immediately  entered  the  employ  of  Messrs^  Cas- 
well, Hazard  &  Co.,  New  York.  Desiring  to  leave  the  dis- 
pensing business,  Mr.  Fairchild  secured  a  position  with  the 
wholesale  drug  firm  of  Messrs.  McKesson  &  Robbins,  with 
whom  he  remained  until  1878,  when  he  joined  his  brother, 
Benjamin  T.  Fairchild,  in  forming  the  firm  of  Fairchild 
Bros.  About  three  years  later,  the  firm  was  constituted  as 
it  at  present  exists  by  the  addition  of  the  third  member, 
Macomb  G.  Foster.  Samuel  W.  Fairchild  has  from  the  first 
controlled  and  directed  all  the  business  affairs  of  the  firm,  his 
acquaintance  with  the  wholesale  drug  trade  and  his  natural 
qualifications  giving  him  peculiar  fitness  for  this  branch  of 


the  business.  Under  his  guidance,  discreet,  yet  progressive, 
the  house  of  P'airchild  Bros,  and  Foster  has  steadily 
advanced  commercially,  winning  its  way  to  an  honorable 
place  in  the  front  rank  with  marvellous  rapidity  ;  but  no  one 
is  so  ready  as  he  to  suggest  that  this  success  is  due  primarily 
to  the  scientific  achievements  of  his  brother,  Benjamin  T. 
Fairchild,  the  close  student  and  accurate  thinker,  the 
originator  of  the  "  Fairchild  "  pepsin  and  all  the  other  pro- 
ducts of  the  digestive  ferments,  which  have  given  the  house 
])restige  among  the  medical  profession  the  world  over. 
That  Mr.  Fairchild  is  esteemed  and  trusted  by  his  associates 
in  the  pharmaceutical  profession  is  shown  by  his  election  to 
the  Presidency  of  the  College  of  Pharmacy  of  the  City  of 
New  York  in  1890  and  re-election  in  '91,  '92  and  '93.  In 
order  to  provide  proper  facilities  for  the  instruction  of 
increasing  number  of  students,  Mr.  Fairchild  soon  saw  and 
suggested  the  imperative  need  of  a  new  building,  and  mainly 
through  his  efforts,  in  the  face  of  many  obstacles,  this  sug- 
gestion is  rapidly  becoming  an  accomplished  fact.  The 


SAMUEL  \V.  FAIRCHILD. 

building  at  68th  Street  and  the  Boulevard,  when  completed, 
will  be  one  of  the  finest  ever  erected  in  this  city  for  educa- 
tional purposes.  Mr.  Fairchild  has  also  been  chairman  of 
the  Drug  Section  of  the  Board  of  Trade  and  Transporta- 
tion, and  when  the  movement  to  secure  the  World's  Fair 
for  New  York  City  was  instituted,  he  was  one  of  the  repre- 
sentatives of  the  drug  trade  sent  to  Washington  to  urge  the 
claims  of  the  city  to  Congress.  Many  other  honors  have 
been  conferred  upon  him  simply  as  a  citizen,  including  an 
appointment  by  Governor  Flower  as  one  of  the  Commis- 
sioners for  the  First  Judicial  District,  World's  Columbian 
Exposition,  Exhibit  of  the  State  of  New  York;  by  Mayor 
Grant  as  one  of  the  Committee  of  one  hundred  in  charge 
of  the  Columbian  Celebration  in  October,  1892,  by  Mayor 
Gilroy,  as  one  of  the  Committee  in  charge  of  the 
Naval  Review  in  April  last,  also  as  one  of  the  Committee  of 
one  hundred  to  receive  the  Duke  of  Yeragua,  and  later 
of    the    Committee   appointed   to   receive    the  Infanta 


224 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


Eulalie.  It  is  not  difficult  to  account  for  Mr.  P'airchild's 
success  and  popularity,  for  it  is  seldom  indeed  that  we  find 
quickness  of  comprehensioti,  decisiveness,  kindliness  and 
courtesy  so  happily  combined  as  in  his  individuality. 

WILLIAM  SULZER. 
The  Hon.  AVilliam  Sulzer,  Speaker  of  the  Assembly  of 
the  State  Legislature,  was  born  in  this  city,  was  educated 
in  the  public  schools,  studied  law  and  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  on  reaching  his  majority.  His  father,  Thomas 
Sulzer,  was  one  of  the  German  Patriots  of  1848,  and  like 
Oswald  Ottendorfer,  F"ranz  Sigel  and  other  distinguished 
German-Americans,  fought  the  people's  battle  for  consti- 
tutionnl  government  in  the  Fatherland.  Defeated  and  im- 
prisoned, after  his  release  be  came  to  this  country  in  1850 
and  married.  William  is  the  second  of  his  seven  children, 
of  whom  five  were  boys  and  two  girls.  As  a  lawyer  Mr. 
Sulzer  achieved  considerable  reputation.  Naturally  elo- 
quent he  accpiired  with  education  and  jjractice  a  wonderful 
command  of  language  which  he  used  with  effect  and  suc- 
cess in  his  legal  career,  especially  with  juries.  Besides 
possessing  the  gift  of  oratory  in  an  eminent  degree  he  can 


WII.I.IAM  sri./.icR, 


accomplish  an  immense  amount  of  work  in  a  comparatively 
short  time  and  is  very  tenacious  and  industrious.  Hence  it 
is  small  matter  for  surprise  that  be  succeeded.  Mr.  Sulzer 
took  an  active  interest  in  politics  early  in  life  and  always  as 
a  pronounced  Democrat.  In  1884  he  stumped  the  States  of 
New  York,  New  Jersey  and  (Connecticut  for  his  party,  and 
so  distinguished  himself  that  in  every  cami)aign  since  he 
has  been  called  upon  to  expound  Democratic  views  from 
the  i)latform.  He  rendered  yeoman's  service  more  espe- 
cially in  the  last  Presidential  contest,  and  delivered  many 
effective  speeches,  'i'he  Democratic  ])arty  leaders  are  al- 
ways on  the  lookout  for  such  bright  young  men  as  William 
Sulzer  and  in  i<S89-90-9i-92  he  was  elected  to  the  .\ssembly 
by  majorities  which  increased  with  his  popularity.  His 
record  in  the  Assembly  was  so  brilliant  and  his  ability  so 
pronounced  that  at  the  convening  of  the  last  session  he  was 


unanimously  elected  speaker  by  his  party.  The  bills  he 
has  been  instrumental  in  passing  into  law  are  both  many 
and  important.  Amongst  others  of  them  which  may  be 
mentioned  are  the  act  for  the  State  Care  of  the  Insane,  the 
Anti-Pinkerton  Law,  the  act  to  secure  free  lectures  for 
workingmen  and  workingwomen,  the  law  limiting  the 
l)o\vers  of  corporations,  the  law  for  a  constitutional  con- 
vention and  the  very  important  act  abolishing  imprisonment 
for  debt.  He  has  during  his  entire  legislative  career  been 
a  feader  in  the  house  and  chairman  of  some  of  its  leading 
committees.  As  Speaker  he  is  pronounced  both  by  jiolitical 
friend  and  foe  to  be  one  of  the  best  that  has  ever  ruled  over 
the  deliberations  of  the  Assembly.  He  is  quick,  diplomatic, 
courteous  and  always  fair  and  impartial.  He  is  one  of  the 
best  parliamentarians  in  this  country.  He  never  had  a 
decision  reversed  or  criticised.  Personally  Mr.  Sulzer  is  a 
man  of  splendid  physique,  standing  over  si.\  feet  high,  while 
the  intellectual  cut  of  his  features  would  single  him  out  of 
a  crowd  as  a  leader  of  men.  This  is  an  all  too  brief  sketch  of 
the  Speaker  of  the  Assembly,  a  man  it  would  be  well  to 
watch,  as  he  has,  in  all  probability,  a  brilliant  career  in  front 
of  him. 


THOMAS   MANLY   DILLINGHAM,  M.D., 

A  descendant  of  Edward  Dillingham,  "gentleman,"  who 
came  from  Leicester,  England,  in  1630,  with  John  Winthrop, 
Governor  of  the  Colony  of  Massachusetts,  and  settled  in 
Salem.  Seven  years  later  he  received  a  grant  of  land  from 
the  Governor  ("extending  from  sea  to  sea"),  in  Sandwich, 
Mass.,  and  settled  there.  Dr.  Dillingham's  great-great- 
grandfather fought  in  the  American  Revolution,  and  died  in 
a  British  pri'-on  in  1779.  His  great-grandfather  settled  in 
Augusta,  Me.,  in  1805.  His  father,  William  Addison  Pitt 
Dillingham,  a  Universalist  clergyman,  although  a  slave  and 
land  owner  in  Mississippi,  was  a  strong  sup])orter  of  the 
Union  during  the  war,  and  Speaker  of  the  Maine  House  of 
Representatives  in  1865,  and  nominated  for  Governor  in 
1866.  His  mother,  Caroline  Price  Townsend,  was  of  the 
old  New  England  Townsends,  who  came  to  America  in 
1620  and  1621.  Young  Dillingham  was  educated  at  the 
]niblic  schools,  and  fitted  for  college  at  the  Waterville 
Classical  Institute;  entered  Dartmouth  College  in  1869,  and 
after  three  years  entered  the  Boston  School  of  Medicine, 
graduating  from  there  as  an  M.D.  in  1874.  Dr.  Dillingham 
l)egan  practice  in  Augusta,  Me.,  his  native  town,  and  speed- 
ily accpiired  a  large  and  profitable  jiractice.  After  five  years 
his  health  broke  down,  and  he  started  on  a  journey  aiound 
the  world,  visiting  extensively  Egypt,  India  and  Ceylon  ; 
the  following  year  was  spent  in  Vienna,  Jena  and  Berlin, 
studying  in  the  hospitals.  On  his  return  to  America  he  set- 
tled in  Boston,  No.  132  Boylston  Street.  Five  years  of  suc- 
cessful and  hard  work  again  brought  on  ill  health,  forcing 
him  to  purchase  a  ranch  in  California,  where  he  remained 
one  year,  after  which  he  again  visited  Europe,  devoting 
himself  to  his  profession  in  the  great  hos|)itals.  During 
this  visit  to  Europe  he  was  the  ])rivate  ])ui)il  and  only  assist- 
ant of  Sir  Lawson  Tate,  the  great  abdominal  s])ecialist  of 
England.  The  young  doctor  then  returned  to  his  native 
country  and  began  practice  at  46  West  36th  Street,  where 
he  ])rescribes  for  a  large  and  high  class  cliental.  He  is  a 
devoted  follower  of  homoeopathy  as  taught  by  Hahnemann, 
after  having  tried  to  find  some  better  system,  but  without 
success.  His  ])receptors  in  medicine  were  Doctors  James 
B.  Bell  and  William  P.  Wesselhoeft,  of  Boston.  Dr.  Dilling- 
ham is  a  member  of  the  International  Hahnemannian  Asso- 
ciation, the  American  Institute  of  Homttojiathy,  the  New 
York  State  and  County  Societies,  the  Massachusetts  State 
Society,  the  Maine  State  Society,  the  Massachusetts  Sur- 
gical Society,  and  an  energetic  member  of  the  Republican 
Club  etc.,  etc.,  etc.,  visiting  physician  at  the  Hahnemann 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


225 


Hospital,  and  superintendent  of  the  outdoor  department, 
and  Trustee  of  the  New  York  Law  School.  He  is  a 
bachelor  and  has  a  country  residence  (Monadnock  Farm) 
at  Chesham,  N.  H.,  where  he  annually  seeks  rest  and  recu- 
peration during  the  three  summer  months.  Dr.  Dillingham 
has  one  brother,  Rev.  Pitt  Dillingham,  Boston,  Mass.,  and 
one  sister,  Mabel  Wilhelmena  Dillingham,  founder  of  the 
Calhoun  Colored  School,  near  Montgomery,  Ala. 


JOSEPH    PATRICK  FALLON. 

Joseph  Patrick  Fallon,  Judge  of  the  Ninth  District  Civil 
Court,  was  born  in  Eyre  Court,  County  Cavan,  Ireland,  March 
1,  1845,  ^'^^  brought  to  this  country  by  his  parents  when 
only  five  years  old.  He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools, 
and  being  destined  for  the  law,  in  i860  entered  the  ofifice  of 
Townsend,  Dyatt  &  Raymond,  one  of  the  leading  legal 
firms  of  the  city,  for  ])urposes  of  study.  In  1864,  like  many 
other  patriotic  youths,  the  war  being  then  in  its  fourth  year, 
he  thought  he  would  take  a  hand  in  the  mighty  conflict  of 
arms,  and  joined  Company  K,  of  the  Ninty-ninth  Regiment 
of  the  National  Guard,  as  Sergeant.  On  his  return  home 
the  year  after  Mr.  Fallon  resumed  his  law  studies  in  the 
same  office,  and  was  called  to  the  bar  in  1865.  During 
those  years  Mr.  Fallon  manifested  a  taste  for  local  politics, 
and  attached  himself  to  the  fortunes  of  Tammany  Hall  and 
attracted  the  notice  of  its  leaders  by  his  bright  qualities. 
He  was  appointed  School  Trustee  for  the  Twelfth  Ward  in 
1873  and  retained  that  position  until  1875,  when  he  was 
elected  to  the  Legislature  from  the  Twenty-first  Assembly 
District.  That  was  a  decided  anti-Tammany  year,  and  Mr. 
Fallon  was  one  of  seven  successful  Tammany  candidates 
out  of  twenty-one,  the  Republicans  and  their  allies  having 
carried  the  other  fourteen  seats.  While  in  the  Legi.slature 
he  had  charge  of  the  New  York  business,  and  all  concede 
he  did  remarkably  well.  He  ran  for  the  Legislature 
again  in  1876,  but  was  defeated,  and  in  1881  was  defeated 
by  Judge  McGowan  for  the  position  he  now  fills  so  worth- 
ily— namely.  Judge  of  the  Ninth  Civil  Court  District,  as 
above  stated.  Meantime  he  has  transferred  his  allegiance 
from  Tammany  to  the  County  Democracy,  and  on  that 
ticket  was  in  the  fall  of  1887  elected  Judge  by  a  handsome 
majority.  The  Judge  was  from  1878  to  1881  member  of 
the  firm  of  Flannigan,  Fallon  &  Cooper,  and  then  prac- 
tised alone  for  seven  years  with  success.  In  1888  he  joined 
himself  to  Solomon,  Brunnener  &  Crandall,  but  is  at  present 
practising  alone  once  more  and  has  an  office  in  Temple 
Court.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Sagamore  Club's  Board  of 
Managers,  of  Tammany  Hall  Executive  Committee  for  the 
Twenty-third  District,  also  member  of  Tammany  Hall 
Committee  on  Organization. 


PHILIP  R.  VOORHEES. 

PhiHp  R.  Voorhees,  one  of  New  York's  lawyers,  whose 
specialty  is  patent  law,  and  who  is  known  in  literary  and 
scientific  circles,  was  born  at  Annapolis,  Md.,  on  October 
II,  1835,  and  comes  of  patriotic  American  ancestry  who 
served  in  defence  of  their  country.  A  great-grandfather 
and  a  grandfather  on  his  father's  side,  citizens  of  New 
Jersey — the  one  a  captain  of  militia,  the  other  a  coadjutor 
of  the  famous  partisan  Huyler  in  New  Jersey's  flotilla — 
suffered  the  horrors  of  the  Provost  Prison,  at  New  York, 
during  a  part  of  the  Revolutionary  War.  His  maternal 
grandfather,  John  Randall,  after  service  as  an  officer  in  the 
same  war,  was  appointed  the  first  collector  of  the  port  of 
Annapolis  by  President  Washington.  Commodore  Philip 
F.  Voorhees,  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  the  father  of  the 
subject  of  these  remarks,  was  a  distinguished  naval  officer 
in  the  war  of  1812,  and  received  a  medal  from  Congress  as  a 
mark  of  recognition  of  his  services.  He  served  under 
Commodore  Decatur  in  the  frigate  United  States  in  the 


capture  of  the  Macedonian,  and  was  with  Commodore 
Warrington  in  the  Peacock,  participating  in  her  captures  of 
the  sloops-of-war  Epervier  and  Nautilus.  Commodore 
Voorhees  commanded  the  Frigate  Congress  on  her  famous 
maiden  cruise  in  1842  to  1845;  and  was  in  command  of  the 
East  India  squadron  in  1 850-1.  Philip  R.  Voorhees  was 
educated  at  St.  John's  College,  Annapolis,  graduating  in  the 
class  of  1855  with  the  Bachelor  of  Arts  degree,  and  sub- 
sequently obtaining  the  degree  of  Master  of  Arts.  His 
legal  training  was  accjuired  in  the  office  of  his  maternal 
uncle,  the  Hon.  Alexander  Randall,  Attorney  General  of 
Maryland,  after  which  he  entered  the  Vulcan  Iron  Works, 
in  Baltimore,  and  took  a  practical  course  in  Mechanical  and 
Marine  Engineering.  He  passed  a  competitive  examination 
in  i860,  and  in  February,  1861,  was  ap])ointed  an  officer  in 
the  Engineer  Corps  of  the  Navy.  During  the  Civil  War  he 
served  in  the  frigate  Wabash  at  the  battles  of  Hatteras 
Inlet,  Port  Royal  and  both  attacks  upon  Fort  Fisher.  He 
next  was  assigned  to   duty  in   the  gunboat  Huron  and 


PHILIP   R.  VOORHEES. 

participated  in  the  attacks  upon  the  approaches  to  Wilming 
ton,  in  the  Cape  Fear  River,  and  was  also  one  of  her  officers 
in  the  James  River  Fleet,  at  the  fall  of  Richmond.  After 
the  war  he  cruised  in  the  South  Seas  in  the  sloop-of-war 
Tuscarora,  one  of  the  ships  in  Commodore  John  Rodgers' 
squadron  which  escorted  the  monitor  Monadnock  from 
Hampton  Roads  to  San  Francisco.  Upon  his  return  from 
this  cruise,  he  was  detailed  assistant  instructor  in  steam 
engineering  at  the  Naval  Academy,  Annapolis,  and  in  1868 
he  resigned  his  commission  as  first  assistant  engineer  in  the 
Navy  with  rank  of  Lieutenant,  reviewed  his  law  studies  and 
was  admitted  to  the  Maryland  bar,  and,  later,  to  practice  in 
the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States.  He  spent  a  short 
time  in  the  examining  department  of  the  Patent  Office  and 
began  the  practice  of  patent  law  at  the  National  Capital. 
He  came  to  the  Metropolis  in  January,  1878,  and  established 
himself  in  the  practice  of  his  profession.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Lawyers',  University  and  Engineers'  Clubs;  is  also  a 
member  of  the  Military  Order  of  the  Loyal  Legion  of  the 


2  26  NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


United  States,  the  Metropolitan  Museum  of  Art,  New  York 
Geographical  Society,  New  York  Genealogical  and  r>io- 
graphical  Society,  American  Society  of  Mechanical  Engi- 
neers, American  Society  of  Naval  Engineers,  and  the  Society 
of  Naval  Architects  and  Marine  Engineers.  He  married  in 
1874  Sarah  Marston  Tuttle,  daughter  of  Commodore  Henty 
Bruce,  an  officer  of  the  war  of  181 2,  and  now  the  oldest 
officer  of  the  United  States  Navy  and  probably  of  any  other 
Navy  of  the  world.   

JEFFERSON  M.  LEVY 
Jefferson  M.  Levy,  resident  of  Virginia,  distinguished  at 
the  New  York  Bar,  and  owner  of  Monticello,  once  the  home 
of  Thomas  Jefferson,  was  born  in  this  city.  His  ancestors 
settled  in  New  York  and  Virginia  early  in  the  seventeenth 
century,  and  among  their  descendants  since  then  have  been 
many  men  of  national  reputation  who  have  rendered  mate- 
rial services. to  their  country.  Their  New  York  land  patent, 
according  to  the  annals  of  Albany,  is  dated  1665.  His 
uncle,  Uriah  P.  Levy,  was,  when  he  died,  in  1862,  the  rank- 
ing officer  in  the  United  States  Navy.  This  officer  had  a 
brilliant  career,  and  distinguished  himself,  particularly  in 
the  War  of  181 2.  After  riding  triumphantly  in  the  Briti.sh 
Channel,  on  board  the  American  war  vessel  Argus,  reverses 
of  fortune  overtook  him  and  his  gallant  comrades,  and  he 


JEl'FKRSOX  M.  I.KVV. 


languished  in  chains  in  Dartmouth  Prison  until  the  close  of 
the  war.  While  in  Brazil  he  saved  the  life  of  a  brother 
officer,  receiving  the  wounds  intended  for  him  on  his  own 
body,  and  subsecjuently  refused  the  command  of  a  frigate, 
offered  him  by  the  Em|)eror  Dom  Pedro,  with  the  remark 
that  "he  would  rather  serve  as  a  cabin  boy  in  his  own 
country's  service  than  as  captain  in  any  other  service  in  the 
world."  He  presented  a  magnificent  bronze  statue  of 
Thomas  Jefferson,  by  David  de  .Anjiers,  to  the  United 
States,  now  in  the  (!apitol  at  Washington  (and  the  original 
cast  in  the  city  of  New  York),  in  return  for  which,  and  in 
api)reciaiion  of  his  services  to  the  country,  he  was  presented 
with  the' freedom  of  the  city  in  a  gold  box.  Commodore 
Levy  was  mainly  instrumental  in  abolishing  flogging  in  the 


United  States  Navy,  a  British  practice  which  he  charac- 
terized as  a  disgrace  to  American  civilization.  After  the 
death  of  Thomas  Jefferson,  the  ('ommodore  purchased  the 
house  and  estate  of  Monticello  by  advice  of  President  An- 
drew Jackson,  and  this  magnificent  domain,  the  pride  of  » 
Virginia  and  of  the  whole  country,  has  passed  by  inherit- 
ance to  Jefferson  M.  Levy.  Monticello  was  begun  by 
Jefferson  in  1764  and  finished  in  1771.  It  is  built  after  the 
manner  of  the  Petit  Trianon,  in  Versailles,  and  its  public 
rooms  consist  of  a  grand  salon,  dining  hall.  President's  room, 
ballroom,  and  grand  hall.  Mr.  Levy's  father  was  Ca])t.  J. 
P.  Levy,  also  of  the  United  States  service,  who  distinguished 
himself  in  the  Me.xican  War  in  command  of  the  United 
States  ship  America,  and  was  appointed  Captain  of  the  Port 
of  Vera  Cruz,  by  Gen.  Winfield  Scott,  upon  its  surrender  to 
the  United  States.  Capt.  Levy  died  in  1885.  The  subject 
of  this  sketch  was  educated  by  private  tutors  and  graduated 
from  the  University  of  the  City  of  New  York,  and  was  called 
to  the  bar  when  he  attained  to  his  majority.  His  first  cele- 
brated case  was  that  of  the  widow  of  James  B.  Taylor,  whom 
Mr.  Levy  defended  against  such  famous  lawyers  as  Roscoe 
Conkling,  Francis  Kernan,  Henry  L.  Clinton  and  Edward 
W.  Stoughton.  He  won  the  suit,  and  established  for  him- 
self a  reputation  which  has  gone  on  increasing  ever  since. 
His  specialty  is  real  estate  litigation,  and  his  advice  on  that 
subject  is  much  sought  after,  especially  by  banking  and 
other  monetary  establishments.  He  is  a  Democrat  in  pol- 
itics, but  in  i89i,in  order  to  ])reserve  harmony  in  his  party, 
refused  the  nomination  for  Congress,  which  meant  an  elec- 
tion. He  is  a  warm  admirer  and  friend  of  President  Cleve- 
land, in  whose  late  election  he  took  a  prominent  part  as 
Chairman  of  the  Virginia  League  of  Democratic  Clubs, 
which  was  organized  September  15,  1892,  and  ])revious  to 
election  day  numbered  35,000  members.  The  League  was 
largely  instrutiiental  in  carrying  Virginia  for  President 
Cleveland  by  50,000.  He  was  first  Vice-President  of  the 
Young  Men's  Democratic  Club,  and  one  of  its  jjrime  pro- 
moters, is  a  member  of  the  ^L^nhatlan  and  Reform  Clubs, 
the  Historical  and  Southern  societies,  Westmoreland  of 
Virginia,  and  the  Sandown  Park  Club  of  England.  Mr. 
Levy  has  every  reason  to  be  a  happy  man.  He  is  rich,  well 
educated,  and  eloquent  of  manners. 


BUKK  G.  CARLETON,  M.D. 

Altiiough  young  in  years,  yet  a  life  of  continuous  study 
has  forced  the  career  of  Dr.  Bukk  G.  Carleton  well  towards 
the  front  rank  of  his  profession.  Born  in  Whitefield,  New 
Hami)shire,  on  November  11,  1856,  of  Ebenezer  and  Lucia 
M.  Carleton,  he  commenced  his  preparatory  studies  at  a 
very  early  age.  Going  through  the  public  schools  he 
finished  his  classical  education  at  the  Littleton,  New  Hamj)- 
shire.  High  School.  Choosing  medicine  as  his  lifework,  he 
decided  to  enter  the  New  York  Homojopathic  College,  and 
matriculated  in  1873.  Three  years  of  continuous  study 
gained  him  his  dii)loma  and  he  graduated  in  1876,  but  added 
another  year  to  his  life  of  study  by  attending  the  jiost- 
graduate  or  special  course.  He  then  received  the  ap|)oint- 
ment  of  Resident  Physician  at  the  Ward's  Island  Hosi)ital. 
which  he  held  for  one  year.  Pour  years  next  succeeding  he 
filled  the  position  of  Special  Pathologist  at  the  sameinstitu 
tion.  In  the  meantime  his  private  practice  was  gradually  in- 
creasing. In  1S79  Dr.  Carleton  was  ai>])ointed  Associate  Pro- 
fessor of  Anatomy  in  the  New  York  I  lonid^opathic  College, 
but  resigned  four  years  later.  While  holding  this  position 
he  lectured  on  Pathological  Anatomy  in  the  Spring  Course. 
In  iSSo  he  was  appointed  Visiting  Physician  to  the  Ward's 
Island  Hospital  and  resigned  in  1885,  but  at  the  s])ecial 
reipiest  of  Dr.  Guernsey  he  returned  in  1890  and  still  fills 
that  position.  He  was  attending  jihysician  to  the  New 
N'ork  Hom(>.'opathic  Dispensary  from  1877  to  1883.     He  is 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


227 


a  member  of  various  medical  clubs  and  societies,  amongst 
them  being  the  State  County  Societies  and  the  Clinical 
Club.  Dr.  Carleton  has  written  a  number  of  articles  to  the 
different  medical  journals,  and  also  papers  which  were  read 
before  the  different  societies.  Among  his  clients  are  many 
noted  families  in  the  city.  Dr.  Carleton  is  a  member  of 
the  Republican  Club  of  New  York  City.  Dr.  Carleton 
married  Sarah,  the  daughter  of  VVm.  E.  Robinson,  Esq.,  and 
has  two  bright  boys  as  a  fruit  of  the  union. 


CHAUNCEY  SHAFFER. 

Chaiincey  Shaffer,  LL.D,  known  as  the  Nestor  of  the  New 
York  Bar,  was  born  in  Broome  County,  N.  Y.,  on  June  4, 
1818.  His  father,  Gilbert  Shaffer,  was  a  native  of  Colum- 
bia County,  and  his  mother,  Sarah,  was  of  the  Burdicks 
family  of  Rhode  Island.  Entering  the  Wesleyan  Univer- 
sity in  1836  he  had  a  distinguished  college  career  and 
graduated  in  a  class  that  turned  out  such  famous  men  as 
Chester  D.  Hubbard  of  West  Virginia,  Jeremiah  Goodell  of 
New  Hampshire,  Rev.  Joseph  Dennison.  the  pioneer  edu- 
cator of  Kansas,  Professor  John  Lindsay  of  Boston  Uni- 
versity and  the  Rev.  Loremus  B.  Crowell  of  Massachusetts. 
After  graduating  Mr.  Shaffer  became  principal  in  an  Acad- 
emy of  Oneida  County,  where  he  remained  two  years,  study- 
ing law  meantime.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1843 
and  ever  since  then  has  been  in  active  practice,  and  has 
been  engaged  in  many  celebrated  cases,  two  of  which,  of 
more  than  ordinary  interest  and  importance,  furnished 
precedents  for  many  judgments  since.  One  was  to  the  effect 
that  "reputation  and  cohabitation"  constitute  marriage. 
In  his  time  Mr.  Shaffer  has  defended  thirty-three  murderers, 
only  one  of  whom  was  convicted.  It  is  well  known  in  legal 
circles,  and  is  remembered  by  many  citizens  outside  of 
them,  that  in  1869  (Black  Friday  week)  Mr.  Shaffer,  after 
having  two  clients  accused  of  murder  acquitted,  stood  on 
the  steps  of  the  Court  House  and  with  uplifted  voice  and 
hands  announced  that  he  would  nevermore  defend  a  mur- 
der case.  And  he  has  kept  his  word.  It  was  Mr.  Shaffer 
who  prosecuted  Stevens,  accused  of  poisoning  his  wife,  and  in 
that  famous  case  he  had  arrayed  against  him  such  prominent 
lawyers  as  John  R.  Ashmead,  ex-Attorney  General  Gushing 
and  Daniel  Ullman.  The  trial  lasted  twenty-one  days  and 
resulted  in  the  conviction  of  Stevens  of  murder  in  the  first 
degree.  In  1856  Mr.  Shaffer  stumped  the  State  from  Buf- 
falo to  Montauk  Point  for  John  C.  Fremont,  having  asso- 
ciated with  him  on  the  trip  Henry  Ward  Beecher,  then  rising 
into  fame  and  prominence,  Hannibal  Hamlin  and  John  B. 
Hale.  He  was  married  on  October  24,  1843,  to  a  very 
estimable  lady,  Maria  R.,  daughter  of  Isaac  and  Diana  Water- 
man, who  is  still  living.  In  1880  Mr.  Shaffer  was  appointed 
trustee  and  subset]uently  elected  Vice-President  to  one  of 
the  medical  colleges  of  this  city.  A  few  years  ago  he  re- 
ceived the  honorary  degree  of  Doctor  of  Laws,  from  the  Fort 
Wayne  College. 

ST.   CLAIR   SMITH,  M.D. 

Dr.  St.  Clair  Smith  has  occupied,  almost  since  his  grad- 
uation in  1869,  a  prominent  and  active  place  in  the  medical 
history  of  New  York  Homoeopathy.  Born  March  15th, 
1846,  in  Cayuga  Co.,  this  State,  he  received  in  boyhood  the 
ordinary  common  school  education.  Subsequently  he  at- 
tended the  academies  at  Aurora  and  Auburn,  this  State. 
He  commenced  the  study  of  medicine  in  1867,  at  the  New 
York  Homoeopathic  College  and  Hospital,  graduating  in 
1869.  Until  November,  1870,  he  was  resident  phy.sician  at 
the  Five  Points  Flouse  of  Industry.  Moving  to  Brooklyn 
he  was  appointed  the  First  Resident  Physician  at  the  Ma- 
ternity Hospital,  that  city.  Coming  back  to  New  York  in 
1872  he  became  associated  with  Dr.  T.  F.  Allen,  this  con- 
nection lasting  for  eight  years.    From  1872  till  1877  he  lec- 


tured on  Materia  Medica  at  the  Homoeopathic  Medical 
College,  this  city.  The  winters  of  1879-80  and  1880-81  he 
was  Professor  of  Physiology  in  the  same  institution.  For 
one  year  he  occupied  the  chair  of  Diseases  of  Children. 
For  the  next  succeeding  four  years  he  held  the  chair  of 
Materia  Medica,  resigning  to  take  the  Professorship  of  The- 
ory and  Practice  of  Medicine,  which  he  still  holds.  In  the 
winters  1878-79  and  '80  he  was  Professor  of  Physiology  in 
the  New  York  Medical  College  for  Women.  For  twelve 
years  Dr.  Smith  was  visiting  physician  to  the  House  of  In- 
dustry, and  is  at  present  the  Superintendent  and  Consulting 
Physician  to  the  same  institution.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
American  Institute  of  Homoeopathy,  the  New  York  Homoe- 
opathic County  and  State  Societies.  He  was  married  in  1880 
to  Kate,  the  daughter  of  Ferdinand  Zogvaum,  of  New  York. 

THOMAS  McADAM. 

A  well-known  member  of  the  New  York  bar,  was  born 
in  this  city  in  i860,  and  is  the  eldest  son  of  that  distin- 
guished lawyer,  jurist  and  author,  David  McAdam,  Judge 
of  the  Superior  Court.  His  preparatory  education  was 
gained  at  Moeler's  Institute,  in  29th  Street,  after  which  he 
entered  Columbia  College,  graduating  in  the  class  of  1885. 
He  received  his  diploma  from  the  Law  School  of  the  same 
institution,  was  admitted  to  the  bar,  and  commenced  the  prac- 
tice of  his  profession  with  offices  in  Temple  Court.  He 
confines  his  attention  to  a  general  civil  litigation,  and  makes 


THOMAS  McADAM. 

a  specialty  of  real  estate  laws,  in  which  connection  he  has  a 
large  clientele  and  has  gained  an  excellent  reputation.  Mr. 
McAdam  takes  an  active  interest  in  politics,  and  for  several 
years  was  a  member  of  the  Tammany  Hall  General  Com- 
mittee, representing  the  old  13th  District.  He  is  likewise 
popular  in  social  and  club  circles,  enjoying  membership  in 
the  West  Side  Democratic,  Harlem  and  Atlanta  Boat  Clubs, 
and  also  the  Arion  Society.  Mr.  McAdam  was  married  in 
1886  to  Miss  Sarah  S.  Blair,  granddaughter  of  Rev.  Hugh 
Henry  Blair,  of  this  city,  and  resides  in  Harlem.  He  is 
now  practising  his  profession  at  102  Broadway. 


228 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


ORMOND    G.  SMITH. 

Ormond  G.  Smith,  senior  member  of  the  firm  of  Street 
&  Smith,  proprietors  of  the  New  York  ll'eek/y,  was  born  in 
Brooklyn,  August  30,  i860.  His  father,  Francis  S.  Smith,  and 
P'rancis  S.  Street  were  the  founders  of  the  firm  of  Street  & 
Smith.  O.  G.  Smith  graduated  from  the  Harvard  College 
in  the  class  of  1883  and  entered  his  father's  business  im- 
mediately after.  He  is  a  bachelor  and  is  member  and 
director  of  the  New  York  Club,  the  Lotos  Club,  the  Fulton 
Club,  the  Harvard  Club,  New  York  Riding  Club,  Jerome 
Park  Jockey  Club,  New  York  Athletic  Club,  Colonial  Club, 
Larchmont  Club,  Theatre  of  Arts  and  Letters  and  many 
other  organizations  of  a  like  character.  He  is  fond  of  all 
athletic  sports,  a  great  lover  of  horses  and  can  be  found 
almost  any  clay  of  the  year  on  his  favorite  grey  in  Central 
Park.  George  C  Smith,  brother  of  Ormond  G.  and  junior 
member  of  the  firm,  was  born  in  lirooklyn  in  1858.    He  was 


prietors  of  the  New  York  Weekly.  The  rise  to  eminence  of 
the  Neil'  York  IFeek/y  in  the  region  of  romance  and  its 
enormous  circulation  are  surely  among  the  phenomena  of 
the  age  we  live  in.  Indeed  its  own  history  touches  here 
and  there  on  the  romantic,  for  novel  ideas  taking  birth  in 
the  bright  intellects  of  its  founders,  cool  judgment,  skillful 
management,  with  now  and  then  adventitious  streaks  of 
luck,  have  developed  the  infant  of  the  last  generation  into 
the  giant  of  ours  and  made  of  the  A'ew  York  Weekly  the 
most  charming  serial  story  paper  in  the  world.  The  i)a])er 
was  founded  by  Amor  J.  Williamson,  proprietor  of  the 
Sitndcjy  Dispatch,  about  t843.  It  was  originally  christened 
the  Weekly  Universe,  and  subsequently  the  Weekly  Dispatch. 
In  Mr.  Williamson's  employ  were  two  young  men — Francis 
S.  Street  as  bookkeeper,  Francis  S.  Smith  as  editor — the 
names  are  merely  a  coincidence — and  to  them  he  sold  the 
jjaper  for  $40,000.    The  young  men  did  not  have  that 


\ 


ORMOND 

educated  in  the  Polytechnic  of  that  city,  in  the  .Adelphi 
Academy,  and  in  Dr.  Chapin's  Academy  in  New  York  City 
and  finally  by  private  tutors  in  Paris.  He  completed  his 
education  in  France  in  1880,  returned  to  the  United  States 
and  entered  business  in  1883.  He  was  married  in  i888  to 
Miss  Annie  K.  Schwertz,  daughter  of  W.  K.  Schwertz,  of 
Pittsburgh,  who  has  for  many  years  been  a  well  known 
dealer  in  boots  and  shoes.  The  couple  have  one  daughter. 
Mr.  George  C.  Smith  is,  like  his  brother,  fond  of  sports, 
yachting  especially.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  Larch- 
mont Yacht  Club  since  1884,  and  of  the  Colonial  and 
Fulton  Clubs  since  1892.  }ie  has  a  summer  residence  in 
New  Rochelie  and  owns  a  beautiful  home  at  167  West  Fnd 
Avenue,  New  York.  \  Ic  is  one  of  the  leading  members  of  St. 
James  Fi)lsco|)al  Church  and  one  of  the  incorporators  of 
its  East  Side  Mission.    Su<  h  is  a  brief  sketch  of  the  pro- 


SMITH. 

amount — they  did  not  have  a  penny — but  they  had  brains 
and  i)rinci])le,  and  Mr.  Williamson  trusted  that  the  brains 
would  make  them  money  enough  to  pay  him.  And  he  was 
riglit,  for,  though  the  work  was  hard  at  first  and  clouds 
hung  on  the  horizon,  they  i)aid  him  every  cent  of  the  ^40,000 
long  before  the  limit,  which  was  five  years,  had  e.xpired. 
The  new  ])ro])rietors  changed  the  name  of  the  pa])er  to  the 
Nexv  York  Weekly  and  they  met  their  first  pronounced  suc- 
cess in  1859.  They  bought  a  story  from  Mrs.  Mary  J. 
Holmes  called  "  Alarian  Grey,  the  Heiress  of  Redstone 
Hall."  In  order  to  bring  this  story  before  the  ])ublic  they 
incurred  a  debt  of  §50,000.  Did  the  venture  prove  a 
failure  it  meant  disaster  to  Street  iV  Smith,  and  so  we  can 
easily  imagine  how  anxiously,  how  nervously,  they  looked  tor 
returns.  Hut  tliey  hoped  for  the  best.  Mr.  Smith  had  read 
.Mrs.  IlolmeN"  manuscript  and  thought  they  were  justified 


NEIV  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


in  risking  eveiything  ujjon  it.  Events  proved  that  his 
estimate  of  its  merit  and  of  the  public  taste  was  correct,  for, 
though  returns  came  in  slowly  at  first,  after  a  few  weeks  the 
tide  of  success  began  to  rise,  and  from  a  circulation  of 
ii,ooo  the  Ne7i'  York  Weekly  jumped  up  to  47,000  in  two 
months.  When  the  war  broke  out  it  had  a  circulation  of 
92,000,  but  as  a  third  of  its  readers  were  south  of  Mason  & 
Dixon's  Line,  and  as  those  in  the  North  were  too  anxious 
to  read  romances,  its  subscribers  fell  off  in  all  directions. 
After  the  war,  however,  the  famous  story  paper  shared  in 
the  revival  of  prosperity,  and  Street  &  Smith  advertised 
its  merits  extensively,  intelligently  and  successfully.  They 
sought  good  writers  wherever  they  were  to  be  had  and  paid 
them  well.  They  brought  Mrs.  May  Agnes  Fleming  from 
the  obscurity  of  Nova  Scotia  to  the  full  light  of  New  York, 
and  paid  her  !|i  5,000  for  a  story  for  which  she  used  to  be  glad 
to  get  $500.  But  then  Mrs.  Fleming  in  return  helped  the 
New  York  IVeek/y  very  materially,  as  its  proprietors  are, 
and  have  always  been,  happy  to  acknowledge.  They  pro- 
cured the  best  writers  to  be  had  for  money  and  spent  a 
fortune  for  advertising.  In  1871  they  spent  $156,000,  and 
between  that  year  and  1880  more  than  a  million!  Among 
other  celebrities  they  secured  as  contributors  were  Gail 
Hamilton,  Reverend  Edward  Beecher,  Alice  Carey, 
Schuyler  Colfax,  Rev.  T.  DeWitt  Talmage,  Rev.  George 
H.  Hepvvorth,  Viiginia  F.  Townsend,  Mary  Kyle  Dallas, 
Horatio  Alger,  Jr.,  Bertha  M.  Clay,  Josephine  Pollard. 
Michael  Scanlan,  Captain  Mayne  Reid,  John  S.  C.  Abbott 
(the  historian),  Banley  Campbell,  Marion  Harland,  Edgar 
Fawcett  and  Oliver  Logan,  while  among  their  cartoonists 
was  Thomas  Nast,  and  among  their  staff  of  humorists  were 
Josh  Billings,  Mark  Twain,  Bill  Nye,  Max  Adeler,  Robert 
J.  Burdette  and  W.  L.  Alden.  Fortune  often,  or  rather 
generally,  favors  the  bold,  but  it  is  by  furnishing  a  good 
paper  every  week,  the  best  that  can  be  brought  out  for 
money,  and  advertising  it  regardless  of  expense,  that  the 
Neiv  York  Weekly  has  attained  to  the  extraordinary  circu- 
lation of  200,000  copies  a  week,  and  has  pushed  itself  into 
every  hamlet  in  the  United  States  and  Canada.  The  founders 
of  this  paper  are  dead  and  gone,  but  the  property  is  vested  in 
the  hands  of  Mr.  Smith's  Sons.  Mr.  Street  died  on  April 
15th,  1883,  when  Mr.  Smith's  son,  Ormond  G.  Smith,  pur- 
chased his  interest.  Shortly  after  Geo.  C.  Smith  became  a 
partner  in  the  firm,  Mr.  Francis  S.  Smith  died,  February  2, 
1887,  and  the  young  men  assumed  control  of  the  affairs  of 
the  concern.  Though  possessing  ample  means  and  a 
classical  education,  the  new  proprietors  took  off  their  coats 
as  if  they  were  working  for  a  living,  and  from  time  to  time 
surrounded  the  New  York  Jl'eek/y  with  auxiliaries  called  for 
by  the  times.  Thus  they  started  "  Good  News,"  which  has 
now  a  weekly  circulation  of  40,000,  *'  Select  Series,"  "  Sea 
and  Shore  Series,"  "Primrose  Series,"  "Secret  Service 
Series,"  "Far  and  Near  Series,"  "Fifth  Avenue  Series," 
and  various  other  publications  which  revolve  round 
the  Jl'eekly  as  the  planets  revolve  round  the  sun,  and 
like  their  parent  are  scrupulously  clean,  literary  and  enter- 
taining. The  firm  occupy  large  buildings  in  Rose  Street, 
which  are  equipped  with  machinery  of  the  most  approved 
style,  capable  of  turning  out  2,000,000  books  every  year  in 
addition  to  their  immense  output  of  serial  publications. 
The  firm  gives  eiuployment  to  100  hands,  to  whom  they  pay 
$1,500  weekly,  which,  of  course,  does  not  include  the  staff 
of  writers  throughout  the  country,  to  whom  the  very  highest 
prices  are  given  for  stories,  poems,  humorous  sketches,  etc. 


NELSON  ZABRISKIE. 

Nelson  Zabriskie,  of  the  New  York  bar,  was  born  at 
Ridgewood,  N.  J.,  on  January  4,  1856,  and  comes  of  good 
American  descent.  His  father,  David  \V.  Zabriskie,  was  a 
well-known  resident  of  that  section.    The  subject  of  this 


sketch  received  a  preparatory  course  in  the  schools  at  his 
home,  entered  the  University  of  the  City  of  New  York,  and 
graduated  from  the  law  school  of  that  institution  in  1875, 
with  the  Bachelor  of  Arts  degree.  He  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  in  1877,  and  immediately  began  practice,  confining  his 
attention  to  the  civil  branches  of  his  profession.  He  early 
made  a  specialty  of  admiralty  and  marine  litigation,  and 
soon  gained  distinction  in  legal  circles.  In  the  spring  of 
1883  he  became  associated  with  Mr.  J.  A.  Hyland,  under 
the  firm  name  of  Hyland  &  Zabriskie,  which  to-day  is 
recognized  as  one  of  the  leading  admiralty  firms  of  the 
Metropolis.  Messrs.  Hyland  &:  Zabriskie  also  transact  a 
general  civil  litigation,  but  have  gained  special  prominence 
in  marine  and  admiralty  law.  They  have  figured  as  counsel 
in  many  important  litigations,  and  gained  several  great 
legal  battles,  one  of  which  is  fresh  in  the  minds  of  Goth- 
amites,  viz.,  as  Counsel  for  the  People  in  a  suit  brought 
by  Edward  Annan  and  F.  E.  Pinto,  to  test  the  constitu- 


NELSOX  ZABRISKIE. 


tionality  of  the  Grain  Elevator  law,  regulating  the  price  for 
elevating  and  discharging  grain.  Mr.  Zabriskie's  firm 
secured  a  verdict  favorable  to  the  people,  which  verdict 
was  sustained  by  the  Federal  Courts,  into  which  the  case 
was  subsequently  carried.  Messrs.  Hyland  &  Zabriskie 
enjoy  a  large  and  successful  practice,  and  their  clientele 
include  the  names  of  important  transportation  companies, 
among  them  the  Citizens'  Steamboat  Company,  of  Troy,  and 
the  Union  Ferry  Company.  Mr.  Zabriskie's  legal  career 
has  been  conducted  upon  thoroughly  honorable  and  reliable 
professional  methods,  and  his  attention  has  been  assidu- 
ously devoted  to  his  profession,  little,  if  any,  of  his  time 
being  given  to  politics  or  club  life.  His  firm  occupies  a 
handsome  suite  of  offices  on  the  third  floor  of  the  Aldrich 
Court  building.  Mr.  Zabriskie  is  a  prominent  member  of 
the  Masonic  Order,  belongs  to  the  Alumni  Club  of  his  col- 
lege, and  resides  in  the  Metropolis,  where  he  is  esteemed 
and  respected  by  a  wide  circle  of  friends. 


NEW  YORK,  TJIE  METROPOLIS. 


CHARLES   A.  SCHIEREN. 

Mr.  Charles  A.  Schieren,  the  founder  of  the  firm  of 
Chas.  A.  Schieren  &  Co.,  was  born  in  Rhenish  Prussia  in 
1842,  and,  with  his  parents,  emigrated  to  this  country  in 
1856.  He  had  received  a  public  school  education  in  Ger- 
many. In  his  youth  he  had  assisted  his  father  in  conduct- 
ing a  cigar  and  tobacco  business  in  Brooklyn.  In  1864,  as 
clerk,  he  entered  the  service  of  Philip  S.  Pasquay,  leather 
belting  manufacturer,  of  New  York.  By  virtue  of  energy 
and  close  ajiplication  he  soon  mastered  the  details  of  the 
business,  and  became  the  manager  of  the  establislMiient,  on 
the  death  of  his  employer,  in  1866.  Two  years  later,  with 
limited  means,  he  set  up  his  own  establishment.  In  a  com- 
paratively short  time  he  was  at  the  head  of  a  prosperous 
manufactory,  which  to-day  ranks  as  one  of  the  largest  in  the 
leather  belting  line  in  the  country.  He  invented  and 
patented  many  improvements  in  leather  belting,  especially 
those  used  for  electrical  pov/er.  His  electric  perforated 
belt  now  rates  as  the  most  successful  and  reliable  for  trans- 


CHARI.ES  A.  SCHIEREN. 

mission  of  power  to  dynamos  and  other  electrical  machinery. 
His  invention  of  the  American  patent  joint  Leather  Link 
Belt  gave  him  (juite  a  pre-eminence  as  an  inventor  in  the 
trade,  having  to  design  and  construct  all  the  intricate  ma- 
chinery necessary  to  make  this  ingenious  belt.  He  also 
wrote  and  published  several  imi)ortant  papers  on  belting, 
such  as  the  "History  of  Leather  Belting,"  "The  Use  and 
Abuse  of  Leather  Belting,"  "  The  Transmission  of  Power  by 
Belting,"  and  "  From  the  Tannery  to  the  Dynamo,"  which 
were  read  and  discussed  before  the  National  Electrical  Light 
Association  and  the  New  York  Technical  Society,  and  others, 
and,  therefore,  is  considered  quite  an  authority  and  e.xpert 
on  belting.  The  firm  has  branch  houses  in  Chicago,  Boston 
and  Philadel])hia,  and  the  products  of  its  factory  are  shi|)])ed 
to  all  parts  of  the  civilized  world.  Mr.  Schieren  wns  one  of 
the  founders  of  the  Hide  and  Leather  National  Hank,  and 
is  still  its  Vice  President.  He  is  also  identified  with  many 
•public  institutions  in  Brooklyn,  where  he  resides. 


JOHN  WEBER. 
John  Weber,  head  of  the  building  firm  of  J.  &:  L.  Weber, 
was  born  in  Germany  in  1828.  He  was  of  a  good  family. 
His  father  and  his  grandfather  before  him  were  wealthy 
architects  and  builders,  and  of  them  Mr.  Weber  learned  the 
trade.  He,  with  his  brothers,  landed  in  New  York  in  1848, 
and  went  into  business  and  prospered.  One  brother  has 
since  retired,  and  the  other  is  engaged  extensively  in  the 
fire-brick  business.  Mr.  Weber  was  successful  almost  from 
the  start,  in  the  first  place  because  he  was  thorough  master 
of  his  trade,  and,  in  the  second,  because  he  always  fulfilled 
his  contracts  in  the  promjjt  and  honorable  manner  which 
makes  rej)Utation.  The  consequence  of  this  reputation  was 
that  the  business  they  did  was  simply  immense,  as  the  fol- 
lowing partial  1st  of  the  jjrincipal  buildings  they  erected 
will  show  :  The  New  York  Recorder  Building  on  Spruce 
Street,  the  Staats-Zeitung  Building,  Havemeyer  Building, 
Edison  Electric  Illuminating  Building  on  Pearl  Street, 
Brooklyn;  Edison  Electric  Illuminating  Co.,  on  Pearl  and 
Elm  streets.  New  York  ;  Hebrew  Orphan  Asylum,  Broadway 
Theatre,  Aml)erg  Theatre,  De  La  Vergne  Refrigerating  Ma- 
chine Co.  ;  J.  Sidenberg's  house,  113  Bieecker  Street  :  Jac. 
Ruppert's  house,  Geo.  Ehret's  house,  Ruppert's  brewery, 
Ehret's  brewery,  Clausen's  brewery,  Beadleston  &  \\'oerz's 
lirewery.  Consumers'  Brewery  ;  Neidlinger,  Schmidt  iS:  Co.'s 
malt  house  ;  Opera  House  :  India  Wharf  Brewery,  Brooklyn; 
Bloomingdale  Brothers,  Hygeia  Ice  Co.  ;  M.  E.  Nortun's 
house,  127th  Street;  Consolidated  Gas  Co.,  42d  Street; 
Metropolitan  Gas  Light  Co.,  Elizabeth,  N.  J.  ;  Steinway  & 
Son's  piano  factory,  Sohmer  &  Co.'s  piano  factory,  E.  Ga- 
bler's  ])iano  factory,  Astoria  Silk  Works,  Henry  Gledhill  & 
Co.'s  walljjaper  factory  ;  Union  Railroad  Depot,  Boston, 
etc.  Mr.  Weber's  son  Hugo  is  associated  with  him  in  busi- 
ness, as  is  also  Mr.  Albert  Von  Driesch.  He  (John  Weber) 
is  director  in  the  Astoria  Silk  Works  and  in  the  Murray 
Hill  Bank,  also  of  the  Manhattan  Club,  and  Arion  and 
Liederkranz  societies.    He  is  a  prominent  Mason. 


DANIEL  LEWIS.  M.D. 
Daniel  Lewis,  A.M.,  MT).,  Ph  D.,  was  born  in  APred, 
.Allegany  Co.,  N.  Y.,  on  January  17,  1846.  His  ancestors 
were  among  the  first  settlers  of  Rhode  Island  ( Newport), 
and  his  father,  Alfred  Lewis,  and  Lucy  Lungworthy  Lewis, 
of  Rhode  Island  (Newport),  were  New  Englanders.  Dr. 
Lewis's  earlier  education  was  obtained  in  Alfred  Academy, 
from  which  he  was  transferred  to  .\lfred  University.  He 
graduated  from  that  institution  in  the  class  of  1S69.  After 
leaving  college  he  commenced  the  study  of  medicine  in  the 
University  of  the  City  of  New  York,  and  graduated  from 
the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  in  1871.  He  was 
then  a  visiting  physician  to  Demilt  Disjiensary,  after  which 
he  became  surgeon  to  the  Northeastern  Dispensary,  and  has 
held  the  same  position  in  the  New  York  Skin  and  Cancer 
Hosjjital  since  its  opening.  For  the  past  five  years  Dr. 
Lewis  has  filled  the  position  of  Professor  of  Surgery  (can- 
cerous diseases)  in  the  Post-Graduate  Medical  School  and 
Hospital.  He  is  President  of  the  Physicians'  Mutual  Aid 
Association,  a  member  and  an  ex- President  of  the  State  and 
County  Medical  societies,  fellow  of  the  Academy  of  Med- 
icine, member  of  the  Pathological  Society,  of  the  Derma- 
tological  Society,  and  of  the  Society  for  the  Relief  of  the 
Widows  and  Orphans  of  Medical  Men.  His  princijial  work 
and  writings  are  a  book  on  "  Cancer  and  its  Treatment," 
"Caustic  Treatment  of  Cancer,"  "Development  of  Cancer 
from  Non-NLnlignant  Diseases,"  "  Horsehair  Sutures  and 
Drainage,"  "  Marsden's  Treatment  of  Cancer,"  "  Chian 
rur])enline  Treatment  of  Cancer,"  "Cancer  of  the  Rec- 
tum." Dr.  Lewis  has  a  i)rivate  surgical  hosjjital  at  151  East 
51st  Street.  He  is  married  to  Achsah.  daughter  of  L.  C.  P. 
Vaughan,  Esij.,  of  Sjjringville,  Erie  Co.,  N.  Y. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS.  23 1 


GEORGE  P.  WEBSTER. 

George  P.  Webster,  the  well  known  lawyer,  has  a  more 
eventful  history  than  most  men  in  New  York  City  who  have 
settled  down  and  pursue  a  successful  business  in  one  of  the 
professions.  He  was  born  in  Waterton,  Conn.,  on  June  24. 
1828,  and  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  there,  but 
when  only  sixteen  years  old  went  to  Kentucky  and  studied 
law  in  Newport,  Campbell  County,  of  that  State.  Before 
being  admitted  to  the  bar  the  California  gold  fever  broke 
out,  and  young  Webster  in  1849,  being  of  bold  temperament 
and  adventurous  disposition,  crossed  the  plains  in  an  ox 
train  to  the  New  Eldorado.  Beginning  his  journey  by 
crossing  the  Missouri  River  at  St.  jo  it  took  him  ninety- 
seven  days  to  reach  Hangtown,  California.  He  remained 
in  California  three  years  and  prospected  the  mining  region 
from  the  North  Yuba  to  the  Mohave  country,  spending  a 
part  of  the  winter  of  1851-52  in  that  part  of  the  region 
called  "Death  Valley"  and  in  1852  going  back  to  the 
Northern  mines.  The  year  following  Mr.  Webster  returned 
to  what  in  California  they  termed  the  "  States  "  by  way  of 
the  Isthmus  of  Panama,  and  settling  down  in  Newport,  Ky., 
resumed  the  study  of  the  law  and  was  admitted  to  the 
bar.  In  1854  he  was  elected  District  Attorney  of  Campbell 
County  and  appointed  subsequently  City  Solicitor  of  New- 
port, a  position  he  retained  for  six  years.  In  the  fall  of 
1 86 1  he  was  elected  to  what  is  known  as  the  war  term  of 
the  State  Legislature,  served  part  of  his  term,  but  resigned  to 
accept  the  commission  of  Captain,  with  the  position  of 
Assistant-Quartermaster  on  the  staff,  offered  him  by  Presi- 
dent Lincoln.  He  served  with  the  national  forces  in 
Tennessee  and  later  on  in  Central  Kentucky,  a  short  time 
in  Cincinnati,  and  when  the  war  closed  was  doing  duty  in 
St.  Louis,  then  General  Sherman's  headquarters.  He  was 
mustered  out  in  the  fall  of  1866  at  his  own  request  after 
having  been  promoted  to  the  rank  of  Captain,  Major, 
Lieutenant-Colonel  and  Colonel  successively,  and  with  the 
record  of  having  during  his  five  years  of  service  faithfully 
disbursed  the  vast  sum  of  $40,000,000  government  money 
and  has  received  an  honorable  acquittance  for  the  same. 
After  leaving  the  army  Mr.  Webster  at  once  resumed  the 
practice  of  his  profession  here  in  New  York  City,  confining 
himself  almost  exclusively  to  civil  cases.  He  was  candidate 
for  police  justice  in  1870,  but  was  defeated,  and  was  once 
more  defeated  later  on  for  Civil  Justice  of  the  Ninth 
Dictrirt.  Nevertheless  Mr.  Webster  was,  and  is,  a  very 
popular  man,  and  when  in  1890  he  was  nominated  for 
member  of  the  Assembly  for  the  23d  District  he  was 
elected  and  re  elected  in  1891  and  1892.  In  i8ui  he  was 
Chairman  of  the  Committee  of  Privileges  and  Elections  and 
in  1892  of  the  Committee  on  Cities.  He  is  one  of  the 
corporate  members  of  Constantine  Comniandery  of  Knights 
Templars  and  a  member  of  Lafayette  G.  A.  R.  Post,  and 
the  Loyal  Legion.  He  is  member  of  the  New  York  Press 
Club,  has  published  a  newspaper  in  Harlem  and  has  been  a 
contributor  to  the  New  York  press  for  thirty  years.  He  is 
also  member  of  the  Sagamore  Club,  the  Harlem  Democratic 
Club  and  the  Harlem  Social  Club.  He  married  in  1856  at 
Newport,  Ky.,  Miss  Agnes  Hayman,  daughter  of  an  old 
Kentucky  family,  and  has  four  children,  two  daughters  and 
two  sons.    The  sons  are  lawyers  in  good  practice. 


ISAAC    L.    KIP.  M.D. 

Dr.  Isaac  L.  Kip  is  a  representative  of  one  of  the  oldest 
and  most  prominent  Knickerbocker  families  in  New  York, 
being  a  direct  descendant  of  Hendrick  Kype,  of  Holland, 
who  early  in  the  sixteenth  century  took  an  active  part  in 
the  ''Company  of  Foreign  Countries,"  an  association  formed 
for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  access  to  the  Indies  by  a  dif- 
ferent route  from  that  pursued  by  Spain  and  Portugal. 
They  first  attempted  to  sail  round  the  Northern  Seas  of 


Europe  and  Asia,  but  their  expedition,  dis])atchecl  in  1594, 
was  obliged  to  return  on  account  of  the  ice  in  the  same  year. 
In  1609  they  employed  Hendrick  Hudson  to  sail  to  the 
westward  in  the  little  "  Half  Moon  "  with  happier  results. 
Hendrick  Kype  (before  mentioned)  came  to  New  Amster- 
dam in  1635,  but  returned  to  Holland,  leaving  his  three  sons 
in  this  country,  one  of  whom,  Isaac,  the  great-great-great- 
great-grandparent  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  became 
possessed  of  considerable  real  estate  in  the  city  of  New 
York,  including  the  site  of  the  present  City  Hall  Park,  and 
what  is  now  known  as  Nassau  Street  was  then  called  Kip 
Street  in  honor  of  him.  His  son  Jacol)us  was  born  in  this 
city  in  1666,  and  jointly  with  his  brother  Henry,  of  the  ma- 
nor of  Kipsburg.  he  purchased  from  the  Esopus  Indians  a 
large  tract  on  the  east  side  of  the  Hudson  River,  where 
Rhinebeck  now  stands,  the  original  deed  for  which,  signed 
by  three  Indian  chiefs,  is  said  to  be  still  in  possession  of 
the  family.  In  this  generation  the  family  name  was  angli- 
cized to  Kip,  after  the  conquest  of  New  Netherlands  by  the 


ISA.\C  L.  KIP,  M.D. 


English.  Isaac,  the  son  of  Jacobus  aforesaid,  was  born 
January  8,  1696,  and  on  January  7,  1720,  married  Cornelia, 
daughter  of  Leonard  Lewis,  Esq.,  Alderman  of  New  York 
from  1696  to  1700.  Their  son,  Leonard,  born  in  1725,  was 
married  in  1763.  His  son,  Isaac  Lewis,  born  1767,  was  the 
law  partner  of  Judge  Brockholst  Livingston,  and  was  ap- 
pointed by  Chancellor  Livingston  to  a  responsible  office  in 
the  Court  of  Chancery,  which  important  position  he  held 
under  Chancellors  Livingston,  Lansing  and  Kent.  He  mar- 
ried Sarah, daughter  of  Col.  Jacomiah  Smith, of  Powles  Hook, 
on  February  22,  1792.  Their  son,  Leonard  W.  Kip,  father 
of  the  present  Isaac  L.  Kip,  was  also  a  lawyer  who  ranked 
high  in  his  profession  among  real  estate  counsellors.  He 
was  ever  foremost  in  promoting  and  aiding  all  philanthropic 
and  benevolent  institutions,  and  in  the  cause  of  general 
education  took  a  leading  part.  He  was  much  interested  in 
the  University  of  the  City  of  New  York,  and  for  a  number 
of  years  acted  as  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Council.  The 
present  Isaac  L.  Kip,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  edu- 


232 


NEIV  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


cated  in  this  city,  and  is  a  graduate  of  the  University  of  the 
City  of  New  York,  and  also  a  graduate  of  the  medical  de- 
partment of  the  same  institution.  Dr.  Kip  practised  med- 
icine in  this  city  for  a  short  time  only,  but  receiving  an 
official  appointment  in  the  Mutual  l,ife  Insurance  Com- 
pany of  New  York,  he  was  for  a  number  of  years  connected 
with  it  as  Medical  Examiner.  He  married  Cornelia,  daugh- 
ter of  Honorable  William  V.  Brady,  Ex-Mayor  of  the  City 
of  New  York,  and  has  two  children,  Adelaide,  now  the 
wife  of  Mr.  Philip  Rhinelander,  and  a  son,  William  V.  B. 
Kip.  Since  relinciuishing  professional  duty  Dr.  Kip  has 
spent  considerable  time  in  travelling  abroad. 


ISAAC  A.  HOPPER. 

Isaac  A.  Hopper,  of  Harlem,  and  head  of  the  building 
firm  of  Isaac  A.  Hopi)er  &  Comi)any,  was  born  in  this  city 
on  May  30,  185 1.  He  belongs  to  a  family  of  builders. 
His  grandfather,  Isaac  A.  Hopper,  commenced  business  in 
that  line  in  1833,  and  his  father,  Abram  I.,  twenty  years 
later.  Mr.  Hopper  himself  began  in  1875,  ^"^d  one  of  his 
first  contracts  was  the  St.  Barnabas  House  on  Mulberry 
Street.  This  building  he  erected  in  1878  and  two  years 
later  the  Portsmouth,  a  fine  apartment  house  on  West  Ninth 
Street,  and  subsecjuently  the  Hampshire,  on  the  same  block. 
Since  then  he  has  erected  in  succession  the  Hotel  Nornian- 


ISAAC  A.  IK  i1'I'1:K. 


die.  Emigrant  Industrial  Savings  Hank,  Montefiore  Home, 
Depot  of  the  Cable  Road,  Academy  of  the  Sacred  Heart, 
Koch  Building,  Carnegie  Music  Hall,  St.  Michael's  Epis- 
copal Church,  and  has  just  finished  the  magnificent  New 
Netherlands  Hotel  for  William  \\ai(lorf  .Xstor.  One  of 
his  recent  contracts  was  also  the  alteration  of  Andrew 
Carnegie's  residence  at  a  cost  of  $65,000.  Mayor  (Irant 
appointed  him  Commissioner  of  Education,  in  which  ini])()rt- 
ant  department  of  the  city's  government  he  has  displayed 
great  sagacity,  industry  and  ability.  He  is  a  Democrat  in 
politics  and  a  pronounced  one,  and  above  all  a  man  whose 


reputation  stands  high  in  the  community  for  integrity  and 
honorable  business  methods.  He  is  one  of  the  most  popu- 
lar men  in  Harlem  and  is  deeply  interested  in  Harlem  mat- 
ters, being  Vice  President  of  the  Twelfth  AV'ard  Bank, 
director  in  the  Hamilton  Bank  and  President  Twelfth  Ward 
Savings  Bank.  He  is  also  Vice-President  of  the  Mechanics' 
and  Traders'  Exchange,  and  one  of  the  Committee  of 
fifteen  appointed  to  incorporate  the  new  Building  Trades 
Exchange,  which  propose  to  erect  a  large  building  in 
the  builders'  trade  interest. 


ROBERT    HUNTER,  M.D. 

Dr.  Robert  Hunter,  the  prominent  New  York  physician, 
was  born  at  Headen,  P^ngland,  June  14th,  1826,  and  is 
descended  from  the  Long-Calderwood  branch  of  the 
Hunters  of  Hunterston,  Ayrshire,  Scotland,  which  gave  to 
the  medical  profession  the  famous  surgeons,  John  and 
William  Hunter,  of  England.  His  father.  Dr.  James 
Hunter,  an  English  army  surgeon,  removed  to  Canada  in 
1827,  when  he  was  but  a  year  old,  and  was  one  of  the  leaders 
in  the  struggle  for  responsible  government,  which  finally 
culminated  in  the  Canadian  rebellion  of  1837,  at  the  close 
of  which  he  came  to  New  York  with  his  family.  Of  his 
four  sons,  John,  William  and  Robert  were  educated  to  his 
own  profession.  Robert,  the  youngest,  was  for  three  years 
a  student  at  the  Medical  College  of  Geneva,  after  which  he 
entered  the  University  of  the  City  of  New  York,  where  he 
took  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Medicine  in  the  class  of 
1845-6,  subsequently  finishing  his  medical  education  in 
London  and  Paris.  After  devoting  five  years  to  the  special 
study  of  the  pathology  of  consumption,  and  its  relation  to 
other  lung  complaints,  he  settled  down  to  practise  in  this 
city.  Dr.  Robert  Hunter  has  the  honor  of  being  the  first 
American  physician  to  advocate  the  local  nature  and  origin 
of  consumption,  and  to  introduce  and  successfully  apply 
the  treatment  by  inhalation  for  its  cure.  His  discoveries 
and  success  not  only  gave  him  a  very  lucrative  practice,  but  a 
world-wide  rejiutation.  In  1864  his  health  became  so 
impaired  by  his  great  labor  and  incessant  ajjplication  to 
the  duties  of  his  profession,  that  he  was  forced  to  retire 
from  active  work.  He  went  abroad  for  rest  and  recujiera- 
tion,  spending  fi'^e  years,  and  after  his  health  was  re-estab- 
lished resumed  practice  in  London,  where  he  quickly 
attained  great  celebrity,  and  was  consulted  by  nobility  and 
gentry  from  all  parts  of  Europe.  Before  going  abroad 
Dr.  Hunter  had  made  large  investments  in  Chicago,  the 
destruction  of  which  by  the  great  fire  compelled  his  return 
to  look  after  his  interests,  and  finally  led  to  his  settling 
down  to  practise  in  that  city.  Some  three  years  ago,  after 
an  absence  of  twenty-five  years,  he  turned  over  his  Chicago 
interests  to  his  son.  Dr.  E.  W.  Hunter,  and  resumed  his 
residence  and  jjractice  in  New  York,  the  field  of  his  earliest 
and  greatest  triumphs,  where  he  cpiickly  gained  high  [)ro- 
fessional  standing.  Dr.  Hunter  is  the  author  of  many 
important  works,  chiefly  on  pulmonary  diseases,  among 
which  may  be  mentioned,  "  .\  Treaiise  on  the  Lungs  and 
their  Diseases,  with  their  Cure  by  Inhalation"  (1851)  ;  ''A 
Book  on  the  Local  Nature  of  Consumption"  (1853); 
"  Popular  Lectures  on  the  Nature,  Causes  and  Cure  of 
Consumption,  Bronchitis,  Asthma  and  Catarrh"  (1855); 
"A  Chronological  History  of  all  the  Theories  and  Practices 
of  the  Profession,  from  tiie  Days  of  Hipi)ocrates,  432  B.  C, 
down  to  A.  D.  1856;"  "The  Air  as  the  Source  of  Life, 
Health  and  Disease  to  the  Lungs;"  "The  Story  of  Con- 
sumjjtion,  with  its  Three  Modes  of  Treatment,"  and  of 
many  other  able  essays  on  his  si)ecialty.  He  was  the 
founder  of  the  Medical  Specialist  and  Journal  of  Diseases 
of  the  Chest,  and  inventor  of  the  various  inhaling  instruments 
which  bear  his  name. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


233 


EDWARD  WEBER. 

Edward  Weber,  of  the  firm  of  J.  cV  L.  Weber,  builders, 
was  born  in  this  city  on  May  27,  1856,  received  an 
elementary  education  in  the  public  schools,  and  his  classical 
training  in  Columbia  College.  After  leaving  college  he 
was  associated  with  his  father  in  the  building  trade.  'J"he 
elder  Mr.  Weber  is  well  known  in  New  York,  personally, 
and  the  building  firm  of  that  name,  one  of  the  oldest  and 
most  solid  in  the  city,  is  something  of  a  landmark..  It  was 
founded  nearly  half  a  century  ago  (1845),  the  original  firm 
being  J.  &  J.  Weber.  In  1880  Mr.  Jacob  Weber,  father 
of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  retired  from  active  business, 
and  Edward  took  his  place  and  assumed  his  interests. 
Although  a  young  man,  he  at  once  took  an  active  part  in 
the  operations  of  the  firm,  and  during  the  past  twelve 
years  a  considerable  number  of  large  and  important  build- 
ings have  been  erected  under  his  personal  supervision  and 
control.  Mr.  Weber  is  a  man  of  great  force  of  character, 
and  through  his  energetic  action  and  intelligent  efforts 
the  firm,  though  always  occupying  a  leading  position  in 
the  building  trade,  has  become  still  more  prominent,  and 
now  ranks  among  the  very  first  in  importance,  reputation 
and  extent  of  operations  in  the  country.  The  German 
Liederkranz  was  the  first  great  building  created  under  the 
personal  supervision  of  Mr.  Weber.  Others  followed  in 
rapid  succession,  and  to-day  the  firm  can  boast  of  many 
splendid  structures  which,  under  its  guidance  and  direc- 
tion, have  sprung  ujj  in  various  parts  of  the  city.  The 
Havemeyer  Building,  on  Cortlandt  Street,  is  the  latest 
monument  to  the  ability  of  Mr.  Weber.  Mr.  Weber  is 
President  of  the  Grooved  Plaster  Slab  Manufacturing 
Company,  which  is  operated  on  the  strength  of  a  patent 
granted  to  Thomas  Curran.  The  company  was  organized 
by  Mr.  Weber  in  October,  i8gi.  The  slab  is  an  admiral)le 
substitute  for  wire  lathing,  and  is  used  ipiite  extensively  in 
his  buildings. 


ANDREW  J.  ROBINSON. 

Andrew  J.  Robinson,  the  well  known  builder  of  New 
York,  was  born  in  P>loomfield,  New  Jersey,  March  26,  1844. 
He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  and  Rundell  Acad- 
emy until  sixteen  years  of  age,  when  he  came  to  New  York 
and  learned  the  trade  of  a  mason  with  Mr.  Alex.  M.  Ross. 
He  remained  with  him  until  1866,  and  in  1867  went  into 
business  with  Mr.  Edward  H.  Wallace,  establishing  the 
present  firm  of  Robinson  &  Wallace.  Mr.  Robinson  has 
been  an  exceedingly  active  man,  and  as  a  consequence  his 
firm  has  had  steady,  continuous  work  from  the  start  to  the 
present  day.  They  have  put  up  a  great  many  large  build- 
ings during  the  twenty-five  years  of  their  business  career, 
among  which  should  be  mentioned  the  New  York  Cancer 
Hospital,  136th  Street  and  Eighth  Avenue,  Brooks  Bros.' 
building,  Broadway  and  Twenty  second  Street;  St.  Paul's 
School  and  large  warehouses  for  Trinity  Corjxiration;  Bar 
Associition  building,  Jarvis  Hall,  and  Memorial  Chapel  for 
Mrs.  Hoffman;  Archer  &  Pancoast  building;  J.  B.  Hoyt's 
building;  fine  residences  on  Fifth  Avenue  for  Henry  L.  Have- 
meyer, John  H.  Inman,  Jas.  T.  Goodman,  D.  Willis  James, 
Cleveland  H.  Dodge  and  others.  Mr.  Robinson  has  always 
been  a  conscientious  worker,  and  his  buildings  have  been 
ranked  among  the  first-class  by  competent  judges.  He 
was  one  of  the  first  to  establish  the  present  Build- 
ing Association,  and  foremost  in  bringing  about  the 
new  and  agreeable  order  of  things.  He  was  chairman 
of  the  Arbitration  Committee  for  several  years,  and 
the  satisfactory  situation  of  to-day  was  brought  about 
largely  though  his  efforts.  Mr.  Robinson  is  also  a  member 
of  the  Real  Estate  Exchange,  and  member  of  the  Com- 
mittee on  Legislation  for  that  body.  For  several  years  he 
was  chairman  of  their  Committee  on  Building  and  Mechan- 


ics' Lien  Laws,  and  rendered  most  valuable  service.  He  is 
also  trustee  of  the  East  River  Savings  Bank  and  of  the 
Women's  Hospital.  Mr.  Robinson  married  Miss  Harriet  E. 
King,  daughter  of  the  late  William  G.  King,  of  New  York, 
and  has  three  children.  The  eldest.  Drew  King,  is  a  stu- 
dent at  Columbia  College,  but  the  younger  son,  Fletcher  A., 
and  daughter,  Lillian  Edith,  are  still  at  home  under  their 
parents'  care. 

JAMES  C    de  LA  MARE. 

James  C.  de  La  Mare,  lawyer,  was  born  in  London, 
England,  January  15,  1840.  His  father,  James  C.  de  La 
Mare,  both  his  grandfathers  and  their  fathers  before  him, 
all  his  uncles,  save  one,  and  all  of  his  cousins  were  lawyers 
in  London,  and  all  gained  reputation  as  such.  He  received 
his  primary  education  in  England,  finishing  at  King's 
College.  He  left  home,  however,  in  1856  and  came  to  New 
York,  landing  here  with  15  cents  capital  and  an  abundance 
of  energy.  For  a  while  he  copied  law  ])apers,  and  in  i860 
entered  the  office  of  Harrison  and  Waring  as  general  clerk, 
where  he  worked  during  the  day  and  studied  law  at  night. 
He  was  faithful  to  the  firm  and  to  himself,  and  in  1867  he 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  and  taken  into  partnership  by  his 


JAMES    C.    de    L.'V  MARE. 


employers,  the  firm  becoming  Harrison,  Waring  de  La 
Mare.  He  has  continued  in  the  active  practice  of  law 
ever  since,  never  taking  a  vacation  until  the  summer  of 
1892,  doing  a  large  real  estate  law  business.  He  attributes 
his  success  to  patience,  perseverance  and  hard  work,  also  to 
attending  to  business  conscientiously  and  devoting  as  much 
time  to  small  matters  as  to  large  ones.  He  is  Master  of  his 
Masonic  Lodge,  High  Priest  of  his  Chapter  and  has  been 
Grand  Chancellor  of  K.  of  P.  in  New  York,  and  supreme 
representative  for  New  York.  He  has  no  tastes  for  sports 
and  scarcely  ever  takes  any  recreation;  is  fond  of  art, 
literature  and  especially  of  music,  and  is  an  effective  speaker. 
He  was  married  in  New  York  City,  September  22,  i860,  to 
Miss  Ann  S.  Edge,  a  cousin  of  the  Ex-Mayor  of  Yonkers, 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


MRS.    FRANK  LESLIE. 


A'-J^IV   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


235 


MRS.   FRANK  LESLIE. 

As  an  example  of  what  an  American  woman  can  do, 
and  how  perseverance  and  pluck  will  overcome  all  obstacles, 
Mrs.  Frank  Leslie  can  be  pointed  to  with  both  pride  and 
wonderment.  The  career  of  this  clever  woman  indeed 
almost  reads  like  a  romance.  Mrs.  Leslie  was  born  in  New 
Orleans,  of  parents  descended  from  Huguenot  emigres. 
Her  name  was  Miriam  Florence.  She  was  educated  by  her 
father,  who  was  a  scholar  and  a  gentleman.  Literatirre  and 
the  classics  were  her  earliest  impressions,  and  Latin,  French, 
Italian,  German  and  Spanish  were  taught  her  simultaneously 
with  the  native  American.  This  strong  foundation  of 
knowledge  she  brought  into  excellent  use  in  the  future. 

From  an  early  age  she  devoted  herself  to  literary  pursuits 
and  her  first  printed  effort  appeared  when  she  was  but 
thirteen  years  old.  Cincinnati  was  the  scene  of  her  earlier 
labors  and  then  she  migrated  to  New  York.  In  the  Metro- 
polis fate  guided  her  footsteps  to  the  famous  art  publisher 
Frank  Leslie,  and  her  journalistic  career  was  from  that 
moment  launched  on  the  flood  tide  of  success.  One  of  Mr. 
Leslie's  editors  was  taken  grievously  ill  and  the  fair 
Louisianian  volunteered  to  fill  the  break.  She  did  so  with 
such  success  and  happy  grace  that  the  art  publisher  became 
smitten  with  her  charms  and  talents,  and  the  romance 
culminated  in  a  pretty  wedding  at  St.  Thomas's  Church, 
Fifth  Avenue.  Despite  the  disparity  in  the  ages  of  the 
couple  the  marriage  was  an  exceedingly  happy  one.  The 
young  bride  became  her  husband's  co-worker  and  efficient 
helpmate  in  the  literary  and  artistic  conduct  of  his  numerous 
publications.  Socially,  Mrs.  Leslie  has  reigned  queen  from 
the  earliest  days  of  her  marriage.  In  New  York  and  at 
Saratoga  she  entertained  charmingly  and  splendidly.  In- 
deed, her  regal  welcome  of  Dom  Pedro  of  Brazil  and  his 
Empress  at  her  splendid  Interlaken  Villa  on  Saratoga  Lake 
is  a  matter  of  history.  In  1877  the  Leslies  made  a  business 
and  pleasure  trip  from  New  York  to  San  Francisco,  in  a  train 
of  special  Pullman  cars  and  with  a  picked  corps  of  artists 
and  writers.  The  journey  was  designed  to  portray  the 
wonders  of  the  Far  \Vest  in  the  Illustrated  Newspaper,  but 
it  also  resulted  in  Mrs.  Leslie's  entertaining  and  bright 
book  "  From  Gotham  to  the  Golden  Gate,"  published  by 
Carleton.  But  now  the  sunshine  oi  life  began  to  dim  for 
the  clever  pair  and  the  clouds  of  misfortune  gathered  thickly. 

Late  in  1877  Mr.  Leslie  got  caught  in  the  financial  panic 
and  he  had  to  make  an  assignment  for  the  benefit  of  his 
creditors.  His  death  speedily  followed.  He  died  on 
January  10,  1880,  leaving  to  his  wife  the  solemn  injunction 
to  carry  out  his  obligations.  Mrs.  Leslie  was  left  a  monu- 
mental task.  She  was  to  work  at  her  dead  husband's  desk 
until  all  the  debts  were  paid  and  the  great  Frank  Leslie 
establishment  freed  from  incumbrance.  She  nobly  faced 
the  ordeal  and  she  came  out  with  triumph  and  honor. 
The  burden  of  $300,000  was  wiped  away,  and  to-day  the 
Frank  Leslie  Publishing  House,  at  the  corner  of  Fifth 
Avenue  and  Sixteenth  Street,  is  one  of  the  most  flourishing 
in  the  city  of  New  York.  It  is  a  show  place  for  business 
visitors,  and  its  charming  mistress  and  guiding  star  is  one  of 
the  most  successful  and  popular  woman  workers  in  Gotham. 
Mrs.  Leslie  still  entertains  lavishly.  She  makes  annual 
visits  to  Europe,  where  her  popularity  is  as  great  as  it  is 
here.  She  is  Vice-President  of  the  Professional  Woman's 
League  and  foremost  in  all  good  deeds  and  suggestions  for 
the  benefit  of  woman  in  journalism.  It  is  above  all  in  profes- 
sional life — in  the  literary,  artistic  and  journalistic  circles 
of  New  York,  that  the  versatile  genius  and  rare  personality 
of  this  world-famous  woman  find  congenial  scope  and 
exercise.  Her  devotion  to  her  editorial  and  publishing 
work  is  a  matter  of  taste  and  inclination,  rather  than  of 
business  exigency:  her  heart  is  in  it.  This  is  the  informing 
spirit,  the  feminine  tact  and  energy,  that  has  kept  Frank 


Leslie's  I^opiilar  Montlily  Magazine  on  the  crest  of  its  great 
popularity,  steadily  in  the  van  of  progress  at  a  time  when 
unexampled  competition  has  given  to  illustrated  periodical 
literature  fully  half  a  century's  development  in  the  space  of 
five  or  six  years.  With  the  prestige  of  professional  success 
and  pros]jerity  crowning  that  already  secure,  and  perhaps 
(secretly)  more  highly  prized,  succes  de  jolie  femme,  it  is 
no  wonder  that  Mrs.  Frank  Leslie  has  been  petted  by  the 
j)ress.  We  had  almost  written  spoiled  hy  the  press,  but  that 
word  would  l)e  ill-chosen  indeed  to  a  gracious  personality  so 
conspicuously  ^//spoiled  as  hers.  What  it  is  really  meant  to 
intimate  is  that,  with  the  most  courteous  intentions  in  the 
world,  the  newspapers  have  at  times  been  diffuse  in  a 
manner  for  which,  doubtless,  the  fair  object  of  their  atten- 
tions would  not  wish  to  be  held  responsible.  The  private 
Mrs.  Frank  Leslie  is  a  noble,  refined  and  sensitive  woman, 
Ijesides  being  beautiful  in  person  and  exquisitely  well- 
dressed.  In  conclusion,  and  to  sum  up  the  record  of  a  good 
life  which  cannot  be  done  justice  to  within  the  circum- 
scribed limits  of  a  sketch.  Miss  Rose  Elizabeth  Cleveland 
wrote  in  "  Literary  Life  :  "  "  Mrs.  Leslie  is  that  most 
gracious  and  attractive  of  all  human  beings — a  woman's 
woman.  She  has  proved  herself  one  of  the  greatest,  most 
enterprising  of  the  publishers  of  this  age — theecpial  in  enter- 
prise, ability  and  discretion  of  any  man  in  the  world." 


MISS   LAURA  JEAN  LIBBEY. 

The  portrait  on  the  following  jjage  is  an  excellent  like- 
ness of  one  of  the  most  famous  ladies  of  this  century.  Her 
fame  is  world  wide.  There  is  scarcely  a  nation  on  the 
globe  that  does  not  know  of  her  and  her  books.  As  a 
publisher,  Miss  Laura  Jean  Libbey  has  achieved  a  success 
which  has  surprised  every  maker  of  books  in  both  continents. 
She  is  her  own  publisher,  is  remarkably  fearless  in  launch- 
ing out  her  own  novels,  and  advertising  them  broadcast 
throughout  the  world.  Her  first  work,  "Miss  Middleton's 
Lover,"  was  given  to  the  public  some  five  years  ago.  The 
first  edition  put  on  the  press  was  one  hundred  thousand 
copies.  In  two  days  this  immense  edition  was  exhausted, 
its  wonderful  success  being  the  talk  of  the  country  at  the 
time.  And  from  that  day  to  this  it  has  never  been  ofl'  the 
press.  LTp  to  the  present  time  many  millions  of  copies 
have  been  sold  Other  works  from  the  press  of  Laura  Jean 
Libbey  followed  at  the  rate  of  one  a  year.  She  has  written 
and  published  the  following:  "A  Forbidden  Marriage," 
"That  Pretty  Young  Girl,"  "Levers  Once,  but  Strangers 
Now,"  "He  loved,  but  was  lured  away"  and  "Olive's  Court- 
ship." 

Miss  Lil)l)ey's  wonderful  success  in  launching  those 
books  on  the  tide  of  public  favor  has  caused  her  to  be  the 
most  eagerly  sought  for  publisher  in  this  country.  Thou- 
sands of  manuscripts  have  been  sent  to  her  weekly  for 
ajiproval.  Many  are  from  well-known  society  people,  who 
are  eager  to  pay  down  a  small  fortune  to  her  to  see  their 
own  name  in  print,  and  to  secure  her  valuable  name  as 
publisher.  From  the  sale  of  the  one  book  "  Lovers  Once, 
but  Strangers  Now,"  Miss  Laura  Jean  Libbey  purchased 
the  magnificent  brownstone  house  No.  916  President  Street, 
Brooklyn,  near  Prospect  Park,  which  cost  $20,oco  unfur- 
nished and  without  decoration.  Miss  Laura  Jean  Libbey, 
the  novelist  and  editor  of  The  New  York  Bazaar,  has 
reached  this  proud  position  after  six  years  of  close  appli- 
cation, and  to-day  she  can  accom])lish  an  amount  of  work 
that  is  simply  astonishing.  The  larger  portion  of  this  work 
is  done  at  home,  in  her  pretty  studio.  There,  surrounded 
by  her  books  and  papers,  she  dictates  her  stories  and  her 
books  to  two  assistants,  and  thus  e-capes  the  drudgery  of 
the  pen.  Miss  Libbey  is  not  an  early  riser,  therefore  she  is 
seldom  found  at  her  desk  before  10  o'clock.    The  Bazaar 


236 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


237 


work  is  the  most  tedious  and  gives  her  the  most  trouble,  as 
she  is  deUiged  with  bits  of  writing  supposed  by  the  authors 
to  be  of  great  importance  to  a  woman's  magazine.  I'he 
greatest  difficulty  in  this  results  from  the  manuscripts  sent 
in  by  friends,  who  think  their  compositions  should  be  in- 
serted, good,  bad,  or  indifferent.  For  her  editorial  work 
Miss  I-ibbey  is  paid  $10,400  per  year.  This  is  embodied  in 
a  contract  which  has  five  years  to  run.  From  the  same  firm, 
but  under  another  contract,  she  gets  $7,200  yearly  for  a 
serial  which  is  published  by  them  weekly.  To  George 
William  Munro,  now  of  the  firm  of  George  Munro's  Sons, 
Publishers,  Laura  Jean  T^ibbey  owes  all  her  success.  It  was 
he  who  found  talent  in  her  first  work  and  purchased  it,  and 
to  him  her  gratitude  has  always  been  sincere.  Miss  Laura 
Jean  Libbey's  career  is  well  known  to  nearly  every  reader 
of  current  literature.  The  care  and  filial  attention  she  has 
given  her  delicate,  invalid  mother  is  the  same  to-day  as  it 
was  when  she  sat  writing  late  into  the  night  by  her  bedside. 
The  clever  and  self-reliant  little  woman  and  her  doting 
mother  make  a  delightful  picture  in  their  home  life.  No- 
thing is  purchased  and  no  new  venture  engaged  in  without 
mother's  advice.  Mrs.  Libbey  proudly  tells  that  her 
daughter  was  born  in  March,  the  month  that  was  of  old 
believed  to  be  most  favorable  to  the  production  of  literary 
genius,  and  that  by  becoming  an  authoress  she  has  carried 
out  the  fondest  hopes  and  wishes  of  her  father.  It  is  told 
of  young  Dr.  Libbey,  Miss  Libbey's  father,  that  he  was  at 
one  time  deeply  in  love  with  an  authoress  whose  name  was 
Laura,  and  when  he  finally  married,  and  this  daughter  was 
born,  he  desired  that  her  name  should  be  Laurel  or  Laura, 
and  the  mother,  who  knew  of  his  former  attachment,  con- 
sented, although  she  wanted  very  much  to  call  her  little 
daughter  Esther.  Now,  as  Miss  Libbey  has  followed  in  the 
footsteps  of  her  father's  early  love,  she  is  well  pleased  that 
she  consented.  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Libbey,  her  mother,  is  a 
lineal  descendant  of  Lord  Nelson  of  England,  and  on  her 
mother's  side  of  Lady  Barbara  Hoxey.  Miss  Libbey's 
father  was  Doctor  Libbey  of  Maine,  an  eminent  surgeon. 
It  is  remembered  of  him  that  he  never  asked  a  fee  of  a 
patient  who  was  unable  to  pay,  and  for  this  reason  he  was 
idolized  by  the  poor.  Dr.  Libbey  was  a  descendant  of  the 
Libbeys  who  came  to  this  country  in  1600  from  France 
and  settled  in  Maine.  Miss  Laura  Jean  Libbey  has  from 
the  first  written  under  her  own  name.  Her  great  success 
with  the  public  is  because  her  novels  reached  the  heart. 
Last,  but  by  no  means  least,  Laura  Jean  Libbey  is  a  com- 
poser of  beautiful  ballads,  one  of  which,  the  song  "  Lovers 
Once,  but  Strangers  Now,"  is  taken  from  her  famous  novel 
bearing  the  same  title.  It  will  bring  tears  to  the  eyes  of 
every  woman  who  mourns  the  loss  of  a  lover,  and  a  sigh  to 
the  lips  of  many  a  man  over  what  might  have  been,  as  he 
recalls  a  sweetheart  thai  he  permitted  to  drift  past  him  on 
life's  ocean.  The  words  breathe  the  soul  of  Laura  Jean 
Libbey,  and  the  music  the  heart  of  Robyn. 


LOOMIS  L.  DANFORTH,  M.D. 

Dr.  Loomis  L.  Danforth  was  born  in  Otsego  County, 
N.  Y.,  in  1849.  His  father,  Hiram  D.,  was  a  native  of  Ver- 
mont, and  on  the  maternal  side  he  represents  a  long  line  of 
ancestors,  all  of  whom  were  physicians.  He  graduated 
from  the  High  School,  and  afterward  received  a  finishing 
course  in  the  LTtica  Academy.  In  the  autumn  of  187 1  he 
began  the  actual  study  of  medicine  and  graduated  from  the 
College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  this  city,  with  honors, 
in  1874.  After  practising  a  short  time  he  took  up  the 
Homoeopathic  Materia  Medica  and  is  now  a  jjractitioner  in 
that  school  of  medicine.  He  has  been  since  1885  profess- 
or of  Obstetrics  in  the  New  York  Homoeopathic  College  and 
Hospital.  He  is  also  Secretary  of  the  Faculty,  a  member  of 
the  faculty  of  the  New  York  Homoeopath  cSanitarum  (a  pri- 


vate institution),  an  active  member  of  the  American  Institute 
of  Homoeopathy  and  also  of  the  County  Society.  His  practice 
is  a  general  family  one,  largely  devoted  to  obstetrics  and 
diseases  of  women.  Dr.  Danforth  is  married  to  Miss 
Emma  A.  Hamlin,  daughter  of  Walcott  Hamlin,  a  promi- 
nent member  at  the  bar  of  Amherst,  Mass.,  and  a  relative 
of  Hannibal  Hamlin.  Walcott  Hamlin  was  the  candidate 
for  Governor  of  the  State  of  Massachusetts  on  the  prohibi- 
tion ticket  during  the  campaign  of  1892. 


JOHN  WHALEN. 

John  Whalen,  of  the  bar  of  the  Metropolis,  who  was  re- 
cently ajjpointed  Commissioner  of  Taxes  by  Mayor  Gilroy, 
was  born  in  this  city  on  July  4th,  1854,  and  comes  of  good 
Irish  American  parentage.  His  early  education  was  acquired 
in  the  public  schools,  after  which  he  entered  St.  John's 
College,  in  Fordham,  from  which  he  was  graduated  with 
the  Master  of  Arts  degree.  He  subsecpiently  took  a  course 
in  the  law  school  of  the  University  of  the  City  of  New  York 
and  graduated  in  1877.  He  immediately  began  the  practice 
of  his  profession  and  soon  gained  distinction  as  a  lawyer 
possessed  of  more  than  ordinary  talents.  During  his  boy- 
hood days  he  had  been  engaged  in  the  office  of  that  cele- 
brated lawyer,  the  late  Charles  O'Conor,  and  during  that 


JOHN  WHALEN. 

period  made  the  acquaintance  and  won  the  friendship  of 
many  of  the  most  distinguished  members  of  the  bar.  Mr. 
Whalen  devoted  his  attention  exclusively  to  the  civil  de- 
partments of  the  law  and  makes  a  specialty  of  the  laws  as 
applied  to  real  estate  and  corporation  matters,  which  pe- 
culiarly fitted  him  for  his  present  position.  As  referee  Mr. 
W  halen  has  especially  distinguished  himself,  and  his  opin- 
ions and  decisions  in  many  important  reference  cases  have 
always  been  sustained  by  the  Court  of  Appeals  when  such 
cases  were  appealed.  His  clientele  includes  many  promi- 
nent real  estate  men  and  large  financial  concerns,  and  his 
professional  methods  are  thoroughly  honorable  and  reliable 
in  every  respect.    His  unassuming  and  genial  manners, 


238 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


combined  with  his  al)ility,  have  gained  iiini  tlie  esteem  and 
respect  of  both  Bench  and  Bar,  while  the  same  characteris- 
tics have  made  him  popular  in  political  circles.  Mr.  Whalen 
has  always  been  an  active  member  of  Tammany  Hall,  is  a 
member  of  the  General  Committee  of  that  organization  and 
on,e  of  its  most  indefatigable  workers.  He  is  equally  i)rom- 
incnt  in  club  circles,  being  a  member  of  the  Manhattan, 
New  York  Athletic,  Sagamore  and  Harlem  Democratic 
Clubs,  and  also  belongs  to  the  City  and  State  Bar  Associa- 
tion and  the  Tammany  Society.  Mr.  Whalen  is  associated 
in  practice  Avith  his  brother,  1*.  H.  Whalen,  who  is  a  rising 
young  lawyer  and  attends  to  most  of  the  firm's  business  since 
his  brother's  api)ointment. 

GUNNING  S.  BEDFORD. 
Hon.  (kinning  S.  Bedford,  the  subject  ot  this  sketch,  is 
at  present  the  leading  Assistant  District  Attorney  of  this 
county,  a  position  which  he  most  admirably  fills,  and  in 
which  he  has  won  deserved  applause  from  all  classes,  and 
has  attracted  general  attention  from  the  press  and  the 
people.  Mr.  Bedford  was  born  in  this  city  and  is  some- 
what past  50  years  of  age.  The  first  elements  of  his 
education  were  received  at  St.  John's  College,  Fordham, 
and  in  1851  he  entered  the  freshman  class  of  Columbia 
College,  and  graduated  with  honor  in   1^55.     He  then 


GUNNING  S.  HF.DIORI). 

commenced  the  study  of  the  law  under  Benjamin  I). 
Silliman,  Escj.,  one  of  the  best  commercial  lawyers  at  the 
New  York  bar,  and  at  the  end  of  two  years  entered  the  law 
school  of  Harvard  College  at  Cambridge,  where  he  remained 
eighteen  months  and  then  resumed  his  studies  with  Mr. 
Silliman.  In  1859  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar.  Before 
he  had  fully  entered  on  his  college  career,  in  company  with 
his  family  he  made  the  tour  of  Kuro])e.  After  his  admission 
to  the  bar  he  commenced  the  practice  of  his  arduous  ])ro 
fession,  and  was  engaged  in  many  important  cases  both  in 
the  civil  and  criminal  courts.  Mr.  Bedford  is  a  thoroughly 
educated  lawyer,  and  never  acts  on  imiiulse,  always  being 
fully  prepared  in  a  case  and  armed  cap-h-pie  to  meet  his 


ojjpunent,  to  which  a  large  portion  of  his  success  is  no 
doubt  attributable.  He  is  an  eloquent  and  classical  speaker, 
and  rather  deals  with  the  facts  and  logic  of  a  case  than 
either  with  untenable  theories  or  flights  of  useless  fancy.  Mr. 
Bedford  was  elected  City  Judge  by  over  seventy  thousand  » 
majority;  he  subseciuently  ran  for  the  same  office  after  a 
service  of  six  years  upon  the  bench,  but  the  whole  ticket 
was  defeated,  although  Judge  Bedford  led  the  ticket  by 
many  thousands.  Since  his  retirement  from  the  bench  he 
has  served  as  Assistant  District  Attorney  under  District 
.Attorneys  Randolph  B.  Marline,  now  Judge  of  the  General 
Sessions,  Col.  John  R.  Fellows,  now  Member  of  Congress, 
and  is  at  present  the  First  Assistant  District  Attorney  under 
the  Hon.  De  Lancey  Nicoll.  Judge  Bedford  is  the  author 
of  the  famous  Excise  Letter  to  the  Grand  Jury  which  was 
praised  by  the  entire  press  and  has  ever  since  been  adopted 
as  a  guide  for  the  grand  juries  and  police  magistrates.  That 
letter  has  been  the  direct  cause  of  dismissing  over  six 
thousand  indictments  against  liquor  dealers.  Judge  Bed- 
ford is  a  gentleman  of  strict  integrity,  and  as  a  demon- 
stration of  this  fact  the  following  will  show:  An  instance 
of  an  unusual  character  recently  occurred  at  a  trial  before 
Judge  Cowing,  when  the  sum  of  fifty  dollars  was  sent  in  a 
letter  to  ex-Judge  Bedford,  representing  the  District  Attor- 
ney's office,  which  could  only  be  looked  upon  by  that  gen- 
tleman in  the  form  of  a  bribe.  In  making  mention  of  this 
incident  the  D.tily  Nei^s  very  forcibly  remarks  :  "  To  those 
who  know  ex-Judge  Bedford,  and  he  is  pretty  well  known, 
as  well  in  his  private  life  as  in  his  efficient  public  services, 
the  idea  that  he  could  be  influenced  by  a  fifty  dollar  bribe, 
or  a  bribe  of  fifty  millions  of  dollars,  will  be  regarded  as 
preposterous.  We  do  not  think  that  there  is  an  official  in 
this  Metropolis  whose  antecedents,  in  i)ublic  or  private  life, 
are  more  demonstrative  of  honesty  than  those  of  Judge  Bed- 
ford." In  these  days  when  corruption  and  malfeasance  in 
office  and  deeds  of  doubtful  propriety  are  brought  home  to 
those  who  have  attained  prominence  in  public  positions,  it 
is  a  source  of  congratulation  that  the  evil  has  not  pervaded 
the  personnel  of  the  District  Attorney's  office.  As  Judge 
Bedford  is  still  in  the  prime  of  life,  there  can  be  no  question 
whatever  that  he  will  be  called  upon  to  fill  some  high  posi- 
tion connected  with  the  administration  of  justice  in  this 
city,  for  there  is  not  a  more  experienced  or  competent 
criminal  lawyer  in  New  York,  or  one  in  whom  the  ])ul)lic 
have  more  confidence  and  respect. 


HARRIETTE  C,  KEATINGE,  M  D. 

Families  eminent  in  medical  science  are  not  rare,  and 
hereditary  transmission  is  well  dlustrated  in  the  subject  of 
this  sketch.  The  ancestors  of  Dr.  Keatinge  were  Quakers, 
who  came  to  this  country  with  Wm.  Penn,  and  settled  in 
New  Jersey  in  1682.  Her  great-grandmother  was  celebrated 
for  her  medical  skill  among  the  early  settlers.  Her  grand- 
mother, Hannah  Walker  Harned,  was  a  highly  educated 
woman  and  practised  medicine  several  years  in  this  city 
under  the  advice  and  co-operation  of  her  cousins,  Drs.  Dun- 
ham and  Kissam,  who  were  eminent  jihysicians  of  that 
perioil.  Two  of  her  children  were  phjsicians,  Dr.  William 
Harned  and  Dr.  Clemence  S.  Lozier,  who  was  the  second 
.\merican  woman  to  graduate  from  a  Medical  College,  and 
was  the  founder  of  the  "  New  York  Medical  College  and 
Hosi)ital  for  Women  "  in  this  city.  The  father  of  Dr.  Kea- 
tinge, Samuel  Walker  Harned,  was  born  in  Virginia,  and 
was  a  Naval  .Architect  Her  mother,  Rebecca  Crane  Lyon, 
was  of  Puritan  stock.  Her  husband,  lulward  C.  Keatinge, 
was  born  in  Dublin  and  was  a  graduate  of  'I'rinity  College. 
Harriette  C.  Keatinge,  M. D.,  Sci.D.,  was  born  in  the  State 
of  New  lersey  in  1833.  She  received  her  early  education 
in  the  "  .Mbany  Female  Academy."  She  lived  in  Richmond, 
Va.,  in  the  beginning  of  the  late  war,  but  upon  its  evacua- 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


239 


tion  at  the  approach  of  the  Federal  Army,  went  to  Colum- 
bia, S.  C,  where  she  lived  until  that  city  was  captured  by 
Gen.  Sherman.  Her  life  has  been  full  of  great  experience 
— of  startling  incidents  on  the  battle  fields,  and  among  the 
wounded  soldiers  during  the  war.  She  graduated  from  the 
"  New  York  Medical  College  and  Hospital  for  Women." 
She  practised  medicine  several  years  in  New  Orleans,  La., 
and  was  the  pioneer  woman  physician  in  the  Southern 
States.  Dr.  Keatinge  gained  a  large  and  lucrative  practice 
among  the  best  people  of  the  South,  and  an  enviable  repu- 
tation. She  organized  several  societies  there  and  was  one 
of  the  founders  of  the  "  Hahnemann  Associa  ion  of  Louis- 
iana." In  1883  her  health  entirely  failed  from  overwork, 
and  she  was  obliged  to  abandon  her  practice  and  return  to 
this  city.  There  are  at  the  present  time  nine  physicians  in 
her  immediate  family — five  of  this  number  are  women  in 
active  practice  and  occupying  positions  of  prominence, 
among  them  being  her  daughter,  Harriette  D'Esmonde 
Keatinge,  who  graduated  in  1883.  Dr.  Keatinge  is  a  rela- 
tive of  the  late  Carroll  Dunham,  M.D.,  and  the  niece  and 
successor  of  the  late  Dr.  Clemence  S.  Lozier.  She  has 
a  large  practice  among  the  refined  and  educated  women  in 
this  city.  She  is  a  member  of  the  "  Homoeopathic  Society 
of  the  County  of  New  York,"  the  "  Alumni  Association  of 
the  Woman's  College,"  "  Physician  in  charge  of  All  Souls' 
Dispensary,"  "Honorary  Member  of  the  Hahnemann  Associ- 
ation of  Louisiana,"  and  other  medical  societies.  She  is 
also  a  member  of  the  "  Sorosis  "  Woman's  Suffrage  League 
and  Ladies'  Health  Protective  Association  of  this  city.  Dr. 
Keatinge  is  also  entitled  to  the  honor  of  having  Sci.D. 
after  her  name  (Doctor  of  Science). 


THEODORE  B.  WILLIS. 

Theodore  B.  Willis,  Naval  Officer  at  the  Port  of  New 
York,  was  born  in  Brooklyn,  L.  L,  in  1856.  He  is  descended 
from  Old  Dutch  and  English  families  who  were  among  the 
earliest  settlers  of  Long  Island  and  other  sections  of  the  old 
Colony  of  New  York.  Though  still  a  young  man  his  career 
has  been  a  distinguished  one  and  the  possibilities  for  his 
future  are  very  bright.  After  completing  his  studies,  and 
before  he  had  attained  to  his  majority,  he  took  charge  of  a 
large  hardware  establishment  in  Brooklyn,  left  him  by  his 
father,  and  conducted  it  with  profit  and  success.  Mr.  Willis 
manifested  a  taste  for  politics  while  yet  in  his  teens  and  at 
once  attracted  the  attention  of  the  Kings  County  Republican 
leaders  by  his  nerve  and  ability.  In  1877,  being  then 
twenty-one  years  old,  he  was  elected  Supervisor  of  Brook- 
lyn's First  Ward,  which  at  that  time  contained  the  great 
bulk  of  the  wealthy  residents  of  the  city.  So  well  did  he 
perform  his  official  duties  and  look  after  the  interests  of  his 
constituents  that  he  was  re-elected  after  the  expiration  of 
his  first  term,  and  the  Republicans  comprising  a  majority 
of  the  board  he  was  elected  C'hairman,  a  great  honor  for  a 
very  young  man.  During  his  term  of  office  he  was  so  active 
in  doing  away  with  municipal  abuses  and  bringing  about 
reform  generally  and  his  work  was  so  appreciated  that  he 
was  re-elected  term  after  term  without  any  effort  on  his 
part  until  appointed  Naval  officer  by  President  Harrison. 
Neither  Republican  nor  Democrat  will  deny  that  Mr.  Willis 
earned  his  appointment.  In  1888,  when  General  Harrison 
and  Ex-President  Cleveland  contended  for  possession  of  the 
White  House,  Supervisor  Willis  was  Chairman  of  the  Kings 
County  Republican  Campaign  Committee.  Then  as  now 
New  York  was  the  jnvotal  State  and  the  eyes  of  the  country 
were  directed  to  Kings  County,  which  in  1884  had  given 
Grover  Cleveland  a  large  majority.  No  one  hojied  that 
this  majority  could  be  wiped  out  altogether,  but  Chairman 
AVilbs  promised  to  reduce  it,  and  so  he  did  very  materially, 
by  the  very  respectable  number  of  10,000,  thus  giving  the 
State  to  General  Harrison  and  in  consequence  the  Presidency. 


WILLIAM  BRO.  SMITH. 

William  Bro.  Smith,  a  successful  insurance  and  cor- 
poration lawyer  of  the  Metropolis,  was  born  in  New  York 
City,  November  8th,  1854,  and  educated  in  the  public 
schools  and  the  Schools  of  the  Christian  Brothers.  His 
legal  training  was  gained  in  the  offices  of  Beach  &  Beman 
and  with  J.  S.  L.  Cummins.  Admitted  to  bar  in  1876  he  at 
once  began  active  practice,  devoting  his  attention  parti- 
cularly to  insurance  and  corporation  laws,  in  which  depart- 
ments of  his  profession  he  has  risen  to  prominence.  Mr. 
Smith  continued  his  practice  alone  until  1889,  when  with 
George  J.  Peet  and  David  Murray  he  established  the  firm 
of  Messrs.  Peet,  Smith  &  Murray,  which  is  recognized  one 
of  the  leading  firms  in  insurance  and  cor[)oration  matters. 
Mr.  Smith  has  been  counsel  for  the  United  States  Mutual 
Accident  Co.  since  1877,  and  rendered  excellent  service  to 
it.  The  firm  transacts  a  large  insurance  and  corporation 
practice  and  its  clientele  includes  many  important  insurance 
and  mercantile  inte  ests.    Mr.  Smith  is  interested  in  several 


wiLi.iA.u  i;ro.  smith. 


business  enterprises  and  his  name  appears  on  the  director- 
ate of  several  corporations  of  which  he  is  also  the  general 
counsel.  Apart  from  professional  and  business  circles  Mr. 
Smith  is  favorably  known  as  an  enthusiastic  Democrat  and 
took  an  active  part  in  the  formation  of  the  Democratic  In- 
surance Club,  and  Business  Men's  Democratic  organizations, 
which  worked  hard  for  the  election  of  President  Cleveland 
in  the  campaigns  of  1884,  1888  and  1892.  Until  recently 
he  resided  at  Arlington,  N.  J-.  where  he  is  one  of  the 
governors  of  the  Arlington  Club,  but  in  June  moved  to  the 
Metropolis. 

In  1892  Mr.  Smith  was  elected  President  of  the  Asso- 
ciation of  Mutual  Life  and  Accident  Underwriters  at  its 
National  Convention.  He  was  married  in  1879  to  Miss 
Hannah  A.  McBride  of  this  city.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Lawyers'  and  Arkwright  Clubs  of  New  York,  and  Arling- 
ton Club  of  New  Jersey,  and  esteemed  by  a  wide  circle  of 
social  and  professional  friends. 


240 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


CHARLES  E.  LE  BARBIER. 
Charles  E.  Le  Barbier,  a  talented  member  of  the  New 
York  bar,  who  is  fast  gaining  distinction  and  jirominence 
in  legal  circles,  was  born  in  this  city  on  Jan.  i6th,  1859,  and 
conies  of  good  French- American  descent.  His  early  educa- 
tion was  acquired  in  France  and  later  in  the  schools  of  the 
city.  At  the  age  of  eighteen  he  began  the  study  of  law  in 
the  ofifice  of  Coudert  Bros.,  and  in  1881  was  admitted  to 
the  bar.  He  immediately  commenced  the  practice  of  his 
profession  and  met  with  indifferent  success  for  the  first  six 
or  seven  years.  He  first  gained  distinction  through  his 
brilliant  and  successful  defence  of  John  Aguglio,  who  was 
tried  for  murder  in  tlie  first  degree  in  the  Oyer  and  Ter- 
miner Court  in  April,  1889,  and  accjuitted.  The  defendant 
was  an  Italian  bootblack  who  somewhat  surprised  his  counsel 
by  the  size  of  his  fee.  The  bootblack  showed  savings  in 
pennies  and  five  cent  pieces  to  the  amount  of  over  $1,000, 
and  also  a  $1^000  certificate  of  deposit,  with  which  he  fully 
recompensed  Mr.  Le  Barbier.    For  the   i)ast   four  years 


CIIAS.  K.  LE  BAKHIEK. 

Mr.  Le  Barbier  has  figured  in  many  important  civil  suits 
and  criminal  trials.  In  February  of  the  present  year  he 
was  counsel  for  Thos.  Hallissey,  whom  he  saved  from  the 
electrical  chair  just  after  he  had  defended  Antonio  Morello, 
charged  with  murder  in  the  first  degree.  Mr.  Le  Barbier's 
offices  in  the  World's  Building  are  decorated  with  numerous 
deodands  of  the  various  cases  he  has  defended.  His  clientele 
is  drawn  from  the  Italian  and  French  element  as  well  as  from 
the  P>nglish  speaking,  which  is  largely  due  to  his  accomplish- 
ment as  a  linguist.  Mr.  Le  Barbier's  ])rofessional  career  has 
been  conducted  in  such  a  manner  as  to  secure  him  the  respect 
and  esteem  of  both  Bench  and  Bar  and  gain  him  an  excel- 
lent position  in  legal  (  ircles.  Of  recent  years  he  has  eschewed 
))()lilics  and  (  bib  life  and  devoted  his  assiduous  attention  to 
his  profession.  He  is  a  member  of  the  City  and  State  Bar 
Associations,  and  it  is  doubtful  if  those  organizations  con- 
tain a  more  distinguished  looking  lawyer.  Mr.  Le  Barbier  is 
married  and  resides  at  the  Imperial  Hotel.  He  is  a  brother 
of  Dr.  Henry  Le  Barbier,  a  prominent  New  York  physician. 


HENRY  C.  HOUGHTON.  M.D. 
Dr.  Henry  Clark  Houghton  was  born  in  Boston  on 
January  22,  1837,  and  comes  of  good  old  s'ock.  His  father, 
Isaac  Houghton,  was  one  of  the  ])ioneer  farmers  of  that  sec- 
tion, and  one  of  the  first  men  to  make  his  mark  in  the  real 
estate  world  of  his  native  State.  Dr.  Houghton  was  edu- 
cated at  the  Dorchester  High  School.  He  was  then  fitted 
by  the  Reverend  Dr.  Quint,  of  Jamaica  Plain,  for  the  State 
Normal  School  of  Massachusetts,  from  which  he  graduated 
in-  i860.  After  graduation,  he  was  made  assistant  teacher 
at  Yarmouth  .Vcademy  fitting  school  for  Bowdoin  College. 
Brunswick,  Me.,  and  continued  there  until  he  entered  the 
service  of  the  Christian  Commission,  which  he  retained 
until  the  close  of  the  war.  After  the  war,  he  came 
to  this  city  and  resumed  his  medical  studies  in  New 
York  University.  Later  on,  he  took  a  medical  course  at 
Bowdoin  College,  and  also  at  the  Portland  (Me.)  Medical 
School.  In  1867,  he  graduated  from  the  New  York  Uni- 
versity, and  was  immediately  appointed  professor  of  physi- 
ology in  the  New  York  Homoeoijathic  Medical  College  and 
Hospital,  also  professor  of  physiology  in  the  New  York 
Medical  College  and  Hosjjital  for  Women.  Subsecpiently, 
he  was  appointed  surgeon  to  the  New  York  Ophthalmic 
Hospital.  He  is  at  present  professor  of  clinical  otology  in 
the  New  York  Hoincropathic  College  and  Hos])ital;  also 
holds  the  same  position  in  the  College  of  the  New  York 
0|)hthalmic  Hospital  He  is  now  the  senior  in  medical 
service  in  the  Ophthalmic  College,  and  consulting  (aural) 
surgeon  to  the  Laura  Franklin  Hospital  for  children.  He 
is  also  a  member  and  an  ex-President  of  both  the  County 
and  State  Homoeopathic  societies.  Dr.  Houghton  has  been 
a  voluminous  writer  on  his  S])ecialties,  and  at  present  has 
on  hand  the  manuscript  of  an  important  work  on  aural 
therapeutics.  He  married,  in  1868,  Mary  Ella,  daughter  of 
Thomas  Pratt,  of  Yarmouth,  Me.  Dr.  Houghton  is  secre- 
tary of  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  New  York  Christian 
Home  for  Intemperate  Men. 


H.  L.  HORTON. 

Harry  Lawrence  Horton,  financier,  was  born  in  Bradford 
County,  Pa.,  January  17,  1832.  His  .American  ancestor  was 
Barnabas  Horton,  who  came  from  England  about  1633,  was 
a  member  of  the  New  England  Colony  in  1640,  and  one  of 
the  settlers  of  Southold,  Long  Island.  'I'he  family  is  a  very 
old  one,  tracing  its  lineage  back  to  Robert  de  Horton,  who 
died  in  1310.  Harry  L.  Horton  received  a  good  common 
school  education,  and  evinced  a  special  fondness  for  mathe- 
matics. He  commenced  business  as  a  clerk  in  a  mercantile 
house,  went  to  Milwaukee,  Wis.,  on  attaining  his  majority, 
and  engaged  in  the  produce  commission  business,  in  which 
he  accumulated  a  modest  competence.  Coming  to  New 
N'ork  in  1865,  he  established  the  banking  house  of  H.  L. 
Horton  (Iv:  Co.,  which,  for  more  than  a  cpiarter  of  a  century, 
has  maintained  an  unimpaired  credit.  Mr.  Horton  s])ent 
some  four  years  abroad,  where,  with  his  accom])lished  wife, 
he  was  entertained  by  many  Euroi)ean  celebrities.  He  has 
been  for  many  years  connected  with  the  prominent  busi- 
ness associations  of  the  New  York  Stock  and  Produce  Ex- 
changes, and  of  the  Chicago  Board  of  Trade.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  LTnion  League,  Manhattan  Athletic  and  other 
clubs.  His  summer  residence  was  for  some  years  at  New 
Brighton,  Staten  Island,  where  for  three  years  he  was  Presi- 
dent of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  town.  It  was 
largely  through  his  enterjtrise  and  liberality  that  the  Staten 
Island  Water  Supply  Company  was  organized,  and  he  is 
Its  |)rincipal  owner.  Mr.  Horton  is  a  man  of  great 
liberality,  whose  chief  aim  in  life  seems  to  have  been  to 
l)rovide  for  the  comfort  and  ha])|)iness  of  others.  He  is  a 
generous  ])atron  of  art,  and  has  a  large  and  well  selected 
library. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


241 


THE  SEVENTH  REGIMENT. 

The  Seventh  Regiment,  besides  being  the  oldest  military 
organization  in  New  York,  is  the  jiet  regiment  of  the 
National  Guard.  The  grey  coated  and  white  trousered 
warriors  are  the  pride  of  all  good  and  true  citizens.  The 
Seventh  Regiment  came  into  existence  in  the  year  i8c6,  by 
the  organization  of  its  first  four  companies,  and  its  origin  is 
directly  traceai)le  to  circumstances  of  great  historical  inter- 
est. The  right  claimed  by  Great  Britain  to  search  American 
vessels,  and  take  from  them  any  British  subjects  serving 
therein,  had  been  denied  by  the  Government  of  the  United 
States,  and  its  enforcement  had  frequently  endangered  the 
friendly  relations  existing  between  the  two  countries.  At 
last  in  April,  1806,  some  British  war  vessels  appeared  off 


Hewitt's  Com])any,"  etc.  In  1824,  when  the  Marquis  de 
Lafayette  visited  America,  the  Fourth  Company  acted  as  a 
guard  of  honor,  and  at  a  meeting,  soon  after,  the  name 
"National  Guard"  was  unanimously  adopted  by  the  four 
original  companies,  and  it  belonged  exclusively  to  the  new 
organization  (subseipiently  the  Twenty-seventh  and  now 
the  Seventh  Regiment)  from  1824  until  1862,  when  the 
Legislature  of  New  York  adopted  it  as  a  suitable  title  for 
the  entire  militia  of  the  State.  In  1826  the  Battalion  of 
National  Guards  was  organized  into  a  new  regiment  de- 
nominated the  Twenty-seventh  Regiment  of  Artillery,  and 
on  May  31st  of  that  year  it  held  its  first  parade  in  the  City 
Hall  Park,  under  the  command  of  Col.  Prosper  W.  Wetmore, 
and  was  presented  with  a  handsome  stand  of  colors  by 


Sandy  Hook  and  insisted  on  boarding  and  searching  all 
vessels  that  entered  the  harbor.  The  sloop  Richard,  in 
endeavoring  to  escape  the  scrutiny,  was  fired  at  and  the 
helmsman  killed.  This  aroused  great  public  indignation, 
and  meetings  were  convened  to  protest  against  the  action 
of  the  British,  and  to  call  upon  the  citizens  to  organize  to 
defend  the  city,  and  to  try  and  prevent  such  outrages  in  the 
future.  The  patriotic  young  men  of  New  York  formed  a 
military  organization,  and  among  the  new  companies  were 
four  companies  of  artillery,  which  are  now  known  as  the 
First,  Second,  Third,  and  Fourth  Companies  of  the  Seventh 
Regiment.  They  were  not  then  designated  numerically,  but 
were  known  and  recognized  by  the  names  of  the  command- 
ing officer,  as  '*  Captain  Morgan's  Company,"  "  Captain 


Mayor  Philip  Hone.  The  regiment  prospered  steadily,  and 
on  July  4th,  1847,  it  first  paraded  as  the  Seventh  Regiment 
of  New  York  State  Militia,  under  Colonel  Andrew  Augustus 
Bremner.  The  Seventh  has  had,  ever  since,  a  brilliant  and 
successful  career,  it  has  served  well  and  faithfully  in  every 
public  emergency,  and  it  has  always  taken  the  lead  for  drill, 
discipline  and  efficiency.  In  1849,  during  the  Astor  Place 
riot  against  the  English  actor  Macready,  when  the  police 
were  repulsed,  the  Seventh  dispersed  the  mob  with  balls  and 
bayonet,  and  seventy  of  the  men  were  disabled.  In  1861, 
the  regiment  entered  with  vigor  into  the  civil  struggle,  it 
made  a  memorable  march  from  Annapolis  to  the  defence  of 
Washington,  fought  three  times  gallantly  at  the  front,  and 
furnished  660  officers  to  the  regular  and  volunteer  armies. 


242 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


The  regiment  also  took  a  ])iominent  and  ])atriotic  part  in 
the  Orange  Riots  of  1871  and  the  Railroad  Strikes  of  1877. 
The  splendid  armory,  which  is  the  pride  of  the  regiment, 
occupies  a  whole  block,  between  Park  and  Lexington 
Avenues,  and  Sixty-sixth  and  Sixty-seventh  Streets.  It 
wa^  erected  from  funds  raised  by  publir  subscription,  and 
was  first  occupied  in  September,  1880.  It  cost  for  building, 
decorating  and  furnishing  $650,000.  It  is  one  of  the  hand- 
somest and  most  perfectly  appointed  buildings  in  the  city, 
and  was  planned,  designed,  and  su])ervised  by  Hrevet 
Brigadier  General  Emmons  Clark,  who  for  thirty-two  years 
served  faithfully  and  gallantly  in  the  regmient,  and  brought 
it  to  its  ])resent  condition  of  perfection  and  ])opularity.  The 
muster  roll  of  the  regiment  is  1060  officers  and  men,  and  it 
is  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Daniel  Ajjpleton.  The 
editor  gratefully  acknowledges  the  information  for  the  prin- 
cipal features  of  this  sketch  to  Ceneral  Emmons  Clark's 
interesting  history  of  the  Seventh  Regiment  up  to  1890. 


EMMONS  CLARK. 

General  Emmons  Clark  was  l)orn  in  Huron,  Wayne  County, 
New  York,  October  14,  1827.  His  father  was  the  Rev.  William 
Clark,  a  Presbyterian  clergyman,  and  a  man  of  distinguished 
ability.     His  ancestors  were  among  the  earliest  P^nglish 


EMMONS  CLARK. 


emigrants  to  New  England,  and  both  his  grandfathers 
served  in  the  C'ontinental  Army  in  the  American  Revolution. 
He  was  graduated  at  Hamilton  College  in  1847.  Subsequent 
to  his  graduation  he  studied  medicine  at  the  University  of 
New  York  ;  but  in  1850,  having  a  taste  for  commercial  pur- 
suits, he  engaged  in  the  business  of  railroad  trans])ortation 
for  through  freight  and  ])assengers  to  the  West.  In  1866, 
when  the  Hoard  of  Health  was  first  organized,  he  was 
unanimously  elected  its  Secretary,  and  he  has  held  that 
important  office  during  all  the  changes  in  its  administration. 
He  enlisted  in  the  Second  C'ompany,  Seventh  Regiment, 
January  22,  1857.    He  soon  secured  the  favorable  notice  of 


his  comrades,  and  his  service  in  the  ranks  was  brief.  In 
-April,  1858,  he  was  elected  Orderly'Sergeant,  in  1859  Second 
Lieutenant,  in  i860  First  Lieutenant,  and  in  December, 
i860,  less  than  four  years  from  the  dale  of  his  enlistment, 
he  was  chosen  Captain  of  the  Second  Company.  After  declin-  » 
ing  an  election  as  Major  in  April,  1864,  Captain  Clark  was 
chosen  Colonel  June  21,  1864.  In  person  Ceneral  Clark  is 
tali  and  erect,  of  distinguished  and  soldierly  bearing,  with 
the  face  and  manner  of  a  gentleman  of  culture  and  refine- 
ment. In  June,  1889,  the  .\djutant-Cieneral  announced  the 
retirement  of  Colonel  Claik  in  commission  as  brevet  Briga- 
dier-Ceneral,  an  honor  conferred  by  the  Commander-in- 
Chief,  upon  the  unanimous  request  of  the  Legislature  of  the 
State  of  New  York,  and  the  commission  was  presented  by 
(iovernor  Hill  in  front  of  the  regiment  and  at  the  State 
Camp  at  Peekskill.  Colonel  Appleton,  on  assuming  com- 
mand of  the  regiment,  gracefully  refers  to  the  administra- 
tion of  his  piedecessor  as  ''the  Augustan  era  of  the  Seventh 
Regiment,"  and  speaks  of  Colonel  Clark  as  "  a  man  of  rare 
attainments  and  remarkable  executive  capacity,  modest  and 
generous,  yet  with  self-reliance  and  confidence  in  his  own 
ability  prompily  to  act :  friendly  and  thoughtful  in  all  inter- 
course with  officers  and  men.  His  record  adds  lustre  to  this 
organization.  It  stands  as  an  example,  an  incentive,  and  a 
possibility  to  the  entire  regiment." 


DANIEL  APPLETON. 


DANIEL  APPLETON. 
Colont  1  A])])leton  was  born  in  New  York  City,  February 
24th,  1852.  He  received  his  early  education  at  the  public 
school,  and  when  17  years  of  age  he  visited  Europe  and 
com])leted  his  education  in  Oermany,  where  he  spent  two 
years.  He  is  a  son  of  John  .\.  Appleton,  who  was  a  mem- 
l)er  of  the  firm  of  D.  .\|)pleton  (.\:  Co.,  Publishers.  When 
19  years  of  age  he  entered  his  father's  store,  and  after  about 
seven  years  became  a  partner  in  the  well  known  publishing 
house.  Mr  Ap])leton  is  a  member  of  the  I'nion  Club, 
Century  Club,  Raccpiet  Club,  New  York  Riding  Club,  New 
York  Yacht  Club,  New  York  Athletic  Club,  and  the  Aldine 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


243 


Club.  In  July,  1868,  he  became  a  private  in  the  First  Corps 
of  Cadets,  Massachusetts  Volunteer  Militia,  where  he  re- 
mained till  187 1.  He  joined  the  Sixth  Company  of  the 
Seventh  Regiment  as  a  private,  October  31,  1871;  was  made 
Corporal  April  8,  1 873;  Sergeant  November  7,  1873;  First 
Sergeant  March  9,  1875;  Second  Lieutenant  May  23,  1876; 
Captain  January  13,  1879,  and  on  the  retirement  of  Colonel 
Clark  the  election  was  held  July  18,  1S89,  which  resulted  in 
the  unanimous  choice  of  Captain  Api>leton.  The  popularity 
of  the  Colonel  elect,  and  the  unanimity  and  harmony  which 
characterized  the  selection,  were  emjjhasized  by  the  presence 
at  the  election  of  all  the  officers  of  the  regiment  except  two, 
who  were  absent  in  Europe.  Colonel  Appleton  had  achieved 
gfL-at  distinction  as  a  company  commandant,  his  military 
and  executive  ability  were  universally  recognized,  he  was 
remarkably  popular  as  a  gentleman,  and  he  entered  upon 
his  responsible  and  imi)ortant  duties  with  the  cordial  and 
united  support  of  the  officers  and  members  of  the  Seventh 
Regiment,  and  with  every  prospect  of  a  career  of  great 
success  and  usefulness.  No  colonel  was  ever  more  beloved 
by  the  officers  and  men  under  his  command  than  Colonel 
Daniel  Api)leton.  He  is  a  fine  soldier,  an  excellent 
military  instructor,  and  an  able  and  energetic  commandant. 
His  fine  figure,  graceful  and  soldierly  bearing  are  well 
known. 


FRANCIS  G.  LANDON. 

Francis  G.  Landon  was  born  in  New  York  City  in  1859, 
where  his  father,  Charles  G.  Landon,  was  a  member  of  the 
prominent  firm  of  importers  of  dress  goods,  Benkard  &: 
Hutton,  which  afterwards  became  Charles  G.  Landon  &  Co. 
Mr.  Landon,  senior,  married  Miss  Gordon,  a  daughter  of 
Charles  Gordon  of  Virginia.  He  took  great  interest  in 
charitable  works,  and  was  senior  warden  of  Grace  Church. 
Young  Landon  was  graduated  from  Princeton  in  1881,  and 
enlisted  in  Company  I  of  the  Seventh  Regiment,  January  5, 
1882. 

He  was  elected  Corporal  in  June,  18S4,  Sergeant  in 
January,  1887,  and  in  December  of  the  same  year  was  made 
First  Sergeant.  His  natural  adaptability  to  the  duties  of  a 
soldier  was  apparent  in  the  new  office,  the  alert,  sharj)  style 
in  which  he  performed  his  work  attracting  much  notice,  and 
his  reward  came  unexpectedly  on  January  5,  1891,  when  he 
was  appointed  regimental  Adjutant.  This  was  an  unusual 
honor  to  be  conferred  upon  a  non-commissioned  officer, 
and  had  only  occurred  once  before  in  the  history  of  the 
organization,  the  custom  being  invariably  to  appoint  a 
Litutenant  to  the  office.  Colonel  Appleton's  good  judgment 
had  not  failed  him,  however,  in  this  selection,  and  the  new 
Adjutant  proved  an  immediate  success.  Of  most  agieeable 
manners,  courteous  and  dignified  bearing,  and  possessing 
great  tact.  Adjutant  Landon  endeared  himself  alike  to 
officers  and  men.  Although  a  trifle  under  medium  height 
he  holds  himself  very  erect,  and  his  powerful  voice  carries 
his  orders  distinctly  at  parades  and  reviews.  A  thorough 
tactician,  cool  and  clear-headed,  and  an  admirabl  ■  horse- 
man, riding  with  grace  and  skill,  his  very  presence  inspires 
confidence  in  the  ranks,  and  he  is  beyond  cavil  the  model 
man  for  the  place.  He  is  a  tireless  worker  for  his  military 
Alma  Mater,  assuming,  in  addition  to  the  arduous  duties 
pertaining  to  the  adjutancy,  the  conduct  of  the  weekly  drill 
of  the  Howitzer  and  Gatling-gun  battery,  composed  of 
members  of  the  Seventh,  and  who,  under  his  instruction, 
exhibit  marvellous  proficiency.  The  Adjutant  is  also  an 
amateur  actor  of  more  than  ordinary  ability,  having  ap- 
peared very  frequently  before  the  public  in  various  plays. 
A  notable  role  undertaken  by  him  lately  was  that  of 
"  Petruchio  "  in  the  "  Taming  of  the  Shrew,"  presented  at 
the  Metropolitan  Opera  House,  Edward  Fales  Coward 
playing  "  Katherine."     He  is  a  member  of  the  Calumet, 


Racquet,  New  York  Yacht  C'lub,  and  (Country  Clubs  ;  he  is 
not  engaged  in  any  business  occupation,  but  with  his  brother, 
Henry  H.  Landon,  devotes  his  time  to  the  management  of 
their  private  interests. 

JOHN  T.  FISHER. 

John  T.  Fisher  was  born  in  New  Rochelle,  N.  Y., 
January  27,  1861,  and  was  educated  at  Williston's  Seminary, 
East  Hampton,  Mass.  Later,  he  attended  Columbia 
College,  where  he  was  graduated  in  1883.  Upon  finishmg 
his  studies  he  began  his  business  carter  in  the  office  of 
Messrs.  R.  C.  Fisher  &  Company,  manufacturers  of 
marble  and  interior  decorations,  whose  establishment  is  the 
oldest  of  the  kind  in  the  United  States,  it  having  been 
founded  in  1830.  His  father,  who  is  at  the  head  of  the  firm, 
is  a  director  of  the  Oriental  Bank,  a  member  of  the 
American  Geographical  Society,  and  of  the  Church  and 
Reform  Clubs.  In  1886  young  Fisher  joined  Company  B 
of  the  Seventh  Regiment,  serving  continuously  until  1892, 
when  he  was  appointed  Quartermaster  Sergeant  of  the 
Regiment  by  Colonel  Appleton.    Mr.  Fisher,  who  is  un- 


JOHN  T.  FISHER. 


married,  and  resides  with  his  parents  at  New  Rochelle,  is 
one  of  the  earliest  members  of  the  Larchmont  Yacht  Club, 
and  is  al<=o  a  valued  member  of  the  New  York  Athletic 
Club,  and  also  takes  part  in  the  New  York  Athletic  Club 
Amateur  Minstrel  organization — playing  the  bones — and  is 
a  very  popular  end  man.  Each  year  they  give  an  entertain- 
ment for  the  Club,  and  have  often  been  called  upon  by 
outside  societies,  where  they  have  always  given  entire 
satisfaction.  He  is  extremely  fond  of  athletic  sports  and 
he  represented  the  "  Mercury  Foot  "  on  tug  of  war  teams 
and  on  its  baseball  nine.  He  takes  great  jiride  in  the 
faithful  discharge  of  the  duties  pertaining  to  his  office  in 
the  regiuient,  working  untiringly  for  the  comfort  of  the 
members  as  occasion  requires,  and  his  hearty  greetings  to 
his  friends  and  frank,  manly  deportment  make  him  a 
popular  man  wherever  he  goes. 


244 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


WALTER  B  ROGERS. 

A  history  of  the  Seventh  Regiment  would  be  far  from 
complete  without  a  sketch  of  its  bandmaster.  Mr.  Rogers 
was  born  at  Delphi,  Indiana,  in  1865.  He  comes  of  a 
musical  family,  his  father,  William  Rogers,  having  been 
a violinist  of  some  note,  and  an  uncle  now  being  the 
leader  of  a  band  in  Bradford,  England.  Another  uncle 
holds  a  similar  position  in  (Glasgow,  Scotland.  William 
Rogers,  father  of  Walter,  came  to  this  country  in  1858,  and 
settled  in  Delphi,  Indiana,  where  the  subject  of  this  sketch 
was  born.  During  the  Rebellion  he  served  in  the  Union 
Army,  and  at  the  close  of  the  war  returned  to  Delphi. 
Finding  his  son  Walter  given  to  musical  tastes,  he  decided 
to  educate  him  in  this  line,  so  he  himself  acted  as  his  teacher 
on  the  violin.  On  his  return  from  a  visit  to  Europe  in  1872 
he  brought  with  him  a  magnificent  instrument,  but  to  his 
amazement  the  boy  said  he  did  not  like  the  violin,  but  would 
prefer  to  play  on  a  cornet.  Hoping  his  thoughts  would 
turn  from  this  instrument,  the  fa:her  bought  an  old  horn  to 
])lease  him.  As  Walter  made  more  progress  on  the  horn 
than  he  did  on  the  violin,  in  due  time  a  cornet  was  bought 
and  the  boy's  destiny  was  fixed.  At  the  age  of  thirteen  he 
was  sent  to  the  Cincinnati  College  of  Music  to  study  under 

!  


WALTER  B.  ROGERS. 


Professor  Jacobson,  under  whose  tuition  his  progress  was 
very  rapid.  Mr.  Rogers  joined  the  Seventh  Regiment 
Band  (Cappa's)  nearly  nine  years  ago  as  third  cornetist. 

So  rapidly  did  he  advance  that  Mr.  Cappa  retained 
him  as  soloist  on  that  instrument,  and  encouraged  the  am- 
bitious musician  in  his  desire  to  go  higher  and  higher. 
Everywhere  his  work  has  been  received  with  just  apprecia 
tion,  and  the  people  in  all  the  cities  where  the  band  gave 
concerts  looked  ui)on  young  Rogers  as  a  man  likely  to  hold 
his  own,  and  one  to  whom  success  meant  hard  and  con- 
scientious work.  As  cornet  soloist  of  the  organization  Mr. 
Rogers  has  won  for  himself  a  name  that  has  become  almost 
as  famous  .as  the  band  itself,  and  his  personal  po])ularity 
among  the  profession  has  always  been  of  the  first  rank. 


When  Colonel  Appleton  a])pointed  Mr,  Rogers  to  succeed 
Mr.  Capjja  shouts  of  ai)proval  went  up,  and  previous  to  this 
every  member  of  the  band  signed  the  petition  recjuesting 
that  the  young  and  popular  cornetist  be  selected  as  leader. 
His  appointment  to  so  important  a  position  has  not  in  the 
least  degree  caused  the  new  leader  to  turn  aside  from  the 
modest  path  he  has  always  pursued,  and  while  he,  of  course, 
aj)i)reciates  to  the  fullest  the  honors  conferred  upon  him,  he 
has  not  lost  that  manly  dignity  and  bearing  which  has  char- 
acterized his  behavior  wherever  he  has  appeared.  Mr 
Rogers  is  one  of  the  youngest  bandmasters  in  the  United 
States,  being  only  twenty-eight  years  of  age.  He  is  a  fine 
violinist,  having  of  late  years  given  much  attention  to  per- 
fecting himself  in  "  handling  the  bow."  Mr.  Rogers  is  a 
thorough  student  of  harmony  and  a  skillful  composer  and  ar- 
ranger of  music  for  bands  and  orchestras.  His  first  appear- 
ance after  his  election  to  the  leadership  of  the  Seventh 
Regiment  Band  was  at  a  supper  given  March  18  last,  in 
honor  of  the  Veteran  Battalion  of  the  Seventh  Regiment. 
While  in  camp  at  Peekskill  this  summer  Governor  Flower, 
in  addressing  the  regiment,  spoke  in  the  highest  terms  of 
the  band,  and  paid  a  deserving  compliment  to  its  talented 
leader. 


JOHN  FOX,  JR., 

Whose  portrait  is  given  above,  is  Sergeant  of  the 
Ninth  Company,  Seventh  Regiment,  N.  Y.  N.  G.  He 
was  born  in  New  York  City  January  10,  1867,  attended 
the  public  schools  and  Columbia  Grammar  School,  and  was 
graduated  from  Columbia  College  in  the  class  of  18S9.  He 
is  in  business  with  his  father,  John  Fox.  who  deals  in  iron 
and  metal  at  No.  160  Broad  way,  where  he  rei)resents  two  very 
large  foundry  eatablishmenis  of  Reading,  Pa.  His  father 
was  formerly  interested  in  ])olitics,  and  was  Supervisor, 
State  Senator  and  member  of  Congress,  but  has  long  since 
retired  from  active  pariici|)alion  in  political  affairs.  In  1S87, 
while  still  at  Columbia  College,  young  Fox  joined  Company 
I,  of  the  Seventh  Regiment.    He  was  made  a  Corporal  in 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


245 


1892  and  Sergeant  in  1893,  and  his  energy  and  ability, 
coupled  with  his  fine  soldierly  appearance,  bid  fair  to  pro- 
mote him  still  higher  in  the  near  future.  Sergeant  Fox  re- 
sides with  his  father  at  No.  10  East  Fiftieth  Street,  and  is  a 
member  of  the  Manhattan,  New  York  Yacht,  Seventh  Regi- 
ment, Veteran  and  Catholic  Clubs.  He  is  fond  of  all  out- 
door amusements,  and  is  an  excellent  horseman.  His  sum- 
mers are  passed  at  Millburn,  L.  I.,  where  the  family  have  an 
elegant  residence,  and  where  he  spends  much  of  his  leisure 
in  driving  or  in  riding  about  the  country  on  his  noble  Ken- 
tucky bred  horse.  

WILLIAM    B.  FREEMAN. 

William  B.  Freeman  was  born  in  New  York  City,  April 
13,  1819,  and  received  a  high  school  education.  His  father, 
Isaac  R.  Freeman,  was  of  the  firm  of  Barker  &  Freeman, 
iron  founders,  who  during  the  war  of  1812  had  the  only 
establishment  in  the  city  in  the  foundry  business.  Mr. 
Freeman,  who  was  a  prominent  Mason,  held  a  commission 
as  lieutenant  in  an  artillery  company  stationed  in  the  old 
''  Red  Fort"  off  the  foot  of  Hubert  Street,  in  the  Hudson. 
Retiring  from  his  foundry  on  account  of  ill  health,  he 
became  a  grocer,  and  died  in  1832.  His  wife.  Miss  Harriet 
E.  Hewlett,  came  from  an  old  Virginia  family  whose  lands 
on  the  Potomac  adjoined  those  of  General  Washington. 
Young  Freeman,  upon  leaving  school,  served  a  six  years' 
apprenticeship;  then,  removing  to  New  Orleans,  became  a 
drug  clerk,  and  was  for  three  years  the  apothecary  of  the 
United  States  Marine  Hospital.  Returning  to  New  York  in 
1841,  he  resumed  work  as  a  clerk,  finally  starting  business 
under  his  own  name,  in  1848,  at  Third  Avenue  and  Forty- 
eighth  Street.  He  remained  in  this  location  until  1854,  when 
he  opened  a  similar  store  at  Ninth  Avenue  and  Twenty- 
fourth  Street.  The  business  was  continued  here  for  over 
thirty  years,  the  firm,  now  became  William  B.  Freeman  & 
Company,  having  recently  removed  to  No.  461  Amsterdam 
Avenue.  He  enlisted  in  Company  F,  Seventh  Regiment, 
December  9,  185 1,  was  elected  corporal  in  1852,  sergeant 
in  1853,  and  was  appointed  Hospital  Steward  by  Colonel 
Clark  in  1868.  Dr.  Freeman  married  Miss  Redfield,  of 
Orange  County,  and  has  a  married  daughter  living.  He 
has  belonged  to  the  Odd  Fellows  since  1841,  and  is  con- 
nected with  Amaranthus  Lodge,  No.  126.  His  long  service 
of  forty-three  years  in  the  Seventh  Regiment,  including  the 
campaigns  of  1861  and  1863,  have  been  marked  by  a  faith- 
ful attention  to  his  duties.  He  is  a  courteous  and  unas- 
suming man,  and  has  the  deserved  respect  and  esteem  of 
his  comrades. 


HOMER  R.  BALDWIN. 

Homer  R.  Baldwin  was  born  in  Jersey  City  in  1862, 
and  was  educated  in  the  College  of  the  City  of  New  York. 
In  1876  he  went  as  a  boy  with  the  commission  house  of 
Bacon,  Baldwin  &:  Co.,  where  he  remained  three  years, 
after  which  he  became  stenographer  for  the  Hazard  Manu- 
facturing Company.  This  house  was  established  in  1848. 
They  are  one  of  the  largest  manufacturers  in  the  United 
States  of  cable  or  wire  rope  for  elevators,  cable  cars,  ship 
and  yacht  rigging,  etc.  Mr.  Baldwin  now  holds  the  re- 
sponsible position  of  cashier  for  this  company,  where  he  has 
been  for  the  jiast  twelve  years.  His  father.  Homer  Bald- 
win, was  formerly  a  member  of  the  clothing  house  of 
Traphagen,  Hunter  &  Co.,  of  this  city.  He  was  a  promi- 
nent Mason,  and  a  member  of  Washington  Lodge,  No.  21. 
His  grandfather  was  an  eminent  Baptist  Minister  in  Ver- 
mont. His  mother,  Anna  Marie  Reeve,  was  a  daughter  of 
Daniel  Reeve,  of  Aquebogue,  L.  I.,  who  was  prominent  as 
an  officer  in  the  Revolutionary  War,  and  his  grandfather 
was  in  Lord  Howe's  ex])edition  to  Quebec  in  1754.  In 
December,  1883,   young  Baldwin  enlisted  in  Company  A 


HOMER  R.  BALDWIN. 


of  the  Seventh  Regiment,  and  there  is  no  more  popular 
man  in  the  regiment  than  "  Baidy."  His  wife  is  the 
daughter  of  Mr.  Lawrence  Moore,  of  Troy,  N.  Y.,  and  they 
reside  at  Yonkers.  On  Christmas  Eve,  1891,  a  railroad  ac- 
cident occurred  at  Hastings,  N.  Y.,  where  his  wife  was  se- 
riously injured,  losing  both  eyes  and  both  her  arms,  and  his 
mother  and  sister,  I  ^lian,  were  also  seriously  injured  in  the 
same  accident.  Mr.  Baldwin  has  belonged  to  the  Masonic 
order  for  about  five  years,  and  is  a  member  of  Citizens' 
Lodge,  No.  628,  F.  .A.  M.  He  is  a  member  of  the  New 
York  Driving  Club,  and  very  fond  of  all  outdoor  sports. 


GEORGE  SIMMONDS  COE. 

George  Simmonds  Coe,  President  of  the  American 
Exchange  National  Bank  of  this  city,  was  born  in  Newport, 
R.  I.,  March  27,  1817.  Mr.  Coe's  opportunities  for 
education  in  early  life  were  limited  to  those  furnished  by 
the  common  schools  of  New  England  at  that  period.  At 
the  age  of  fourteen  he  was  placed  in  a  country  store.  After 
some  four  years  in  this  employment  he  entered  the  Rhode 
Island  Lfnion  Bank  as  general  clerk.  In  1838,  he  accepted 
an  invitation  to  remove  to  New  York  City  and  enter  the 
service  of  Prime,  Ward  &  King,  then  the  leading  banking 
house  in  the  country.  In  1854,  he  received  a  call  from  the 
American  Exchange  Bank  to  become  its  Cashier,  and  in  a 
few  months  became  Vice-President.  In  i860,  he  was 
chosen  its  President  and  has  since  retained  that  important 
office.  It  is  here  that  his  life's  work  has  chiefly  been  done. 
Mr.  Coe  took  an  active  participation  in  the  great  National 
struggle.  His  influence  and  earnest  efforts  in  the  New- 
York  Clearing  House  and  in  the  councils  of  his  associates 
have  always  been  directed  to  establish  and  maintain  among 
the  banks  such  cordial  fellowship  and  unity  of  purpose  and 
of  action  as  would  make  them  a  strong  and  con- 
servative power  for  good  to  the  community  and  to  the 
nation.  For  the  same  reason  and  because  he  believes  in 
the  efficacy,  for  the  ])ublic  benefit,  of  the  union  and  inter- 


246 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


JV£W   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


247 


cliange  of  views  of  a  still  larger  body  of  his  professional 
brethren  from  all  parts  of  the  country,  he  has  taken  an 
active  interest  in  the  National  Bankers'  Association,  of 
which  he  has  twice  been  chosen  President.  Mr  Coe  is 
Treasurer  of  the  Children's  Aid  Society,  and  Trustee  of  the 
Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company,  and  of  other  corporations. 
He  is  an  officer  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  and  member  of 
the  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  of  that  Church. 


GEORGE    GILBERT  WILLIAMS. 

George  Gilbert  Williams,  of  New  York,  President  of  the 
Chemical  National  Bank,  was  born  in  East  Haddam, 
Connecticut,  in  1826.  The  family  is  of  Welsh  origin  and 
was  founded  in  this  country  by  Robert  Williams,  about  the 
time  of  the  landing  of  the  Pilgrims.  Of  this  family  was 
Roger  Williams,  the  founder  of  Providence  and  President  of 
Rhode  Island  from  1654  to  1657.  More  than  thirty  mem- 
bers of  the  family  held  commissions  in  the  Continental 
armies  during  the  Revolution,  and  many  others  have  dis- 
tinguished themselves  in  other  pursuits.  The  subject  of 
this  sketch  was  the  second  child  of  Dr.  Datus  Williams,  a 
successful  practitioner,  who  stood  high  in  society  and  profes- 
sionally for  upwards  of  forty  years  in  East  Haddam,  Conn. 
He  grew  up  in  his  native  place,  and  received  a  careful 
training  and  education,  partly  at  the  hands  of  his  pa  ents, 
and  partly  at  the  village  academy.  He  was  a  studious  boy 
and  chose  law  as  a  profession,  but  was  induced  to 
abandon  the  idea  by  a  patient  of  his  father's,  Mr.  Jones, 
whose  brother  was  Cashier  of  the  great  Chemical  Bank  of 
New  York,  and  who  offered  to  procure  a  place  for  young 
Williams  under  him  in  the  bank.  Accordingly,  he  came  to 
New  York  and  entered  the  bank  in  December,  1841, 
becoming  assistant  to  the  paying  teller,  a  position  he 
speedily  proved  himself  worthy  and  competent  to  fill.  By 
the  time  he  was  twenty,  he  had  developed  such  a  capacity 
for  work  that  the  y^osition  of  paying  teller  becoming  vacant, 
it  was  unhesitatingly  conferred  upon  him.  It  may  be  said 
to  his  credit  that  he  was  the  youngest  person  in  this  city 
similarly  employed.  In  1855  he  was  appointed  cashier,  and 
upon  the  death  of  Mr.  John  Quentin  Jones,  January  i, 
1878,  Mr.  Williams  was  elected  President  of  one  of  the 
strongest  and  most  reliable  financial  corporations  in  the 
world.  Under  the  wise  and  prudent  management  of  Mr. 
Williams,  its  prosperity  has  suffered  no  check  and  its  future 
has  become  assured.  Mr.  Williams  is  of  a  modest  and 
retiring  disposition,  although  he  unquestionably  ranks  among 
the  ablest  financiers  of  his  time.  On  the  14th  of  November, 
1867,  he  married  Miss  Virginia  King,  daughter  of  Mr.  Aaron 
King,  of  New  York,  a  lady  of  many  graces  of  person  and 
character  and  rarely  accomplished.  Of  this  union  there 
have  been  five  children,  one  of  whom  is  living.  Although 
one  of  the  busiest  of  men  as  President  of  the  Chemical 
Bank,  he  does  not  neglect  his  duty  to  society  or  to  religion. 
He  is  a  member  and  vestryman  of  St.  Bartholomew's 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  on  Madison  Avenue.  He  is 
also  one  of  the  governors  of  the  Lying-in  Hospital  and  a 
Director  of  numerous  financial  corporations,  including  the 
Union  Trust  Company. 


JOHN  BRISBEN  WALKER. 

John  Brisben  Walker,  editor,  was  bom  on  the  Mononga- 
hela,  in  Pennsylvania,  in  1847.  His  grandfathers,  Major 
John  Walker  and  General  Krepps,  were  the  first  commis- 
sioners for  the  improvement  of  the  Western  rivers.  Major 
Walker,  who  was  a  great-grandson  of  Carl  Christopher 
Springer,  prominent  in  the  founding  of  the  Swedish  colony 
on  the  Delaware,  established  the  first  shipyards  west  of  the 
Alleghany  Mountains,  yards  which  afterward  became  famous 
for  the  fast  Mississippi  steamers  built  there,  and  in  the  last 
century  was  already  sending  seagoing  ships  to  New  York  via 


New  Orleans.  General  Kre])ps  was  Chairman  of  the  Com- 
mittee in  the  Pennsylvania  Senate  which,  in  1827,  reported 
the  resolution  asking  the  abolition  of  slavery  in  the  District 
of  Columbia.  At  the  age  of  ten  John  Brisben  Walker  was 
sent  to  the  Gonzaga  Classical  School  at  Washington,  D.  C. 
Later  he  entered  Georgetown  College,  and  in  1865  was  ap- 
pointed to  West  Point.  In  1868,  when  Minister  Burlingame 
arrived  from  China,  Mr.  Walker  was  aided  by  him  in  his 
desire  to  enter  the  Chinese  military  service.  He  resigned 
from  the  Military  Academy,  and  accompanied  J.  Ross 
Browne,  United  States  Minister,  to  Peking.  In  1870  he 
returned  to  the  United  States,  engaging  in  manufacturing 
and  other  enterprises  connected  with  the  development  of 
the  Kanawha  Valley,  in  West  Virginia.  Two  years  later  he 
was  nominited  for  Congress  by  the  Republicans  in  a  strong 
Democratic  district,  and  was  defeated.  In  1873  he  repre- 
sented West  Virginia  in  the  Immigration  Convention  held 
at  Indianapolis,  and  in  1874,  as  a  State  Delegate,  was  Chair- 
man of  the  Committee  on  Resolutions  of  the  first  Ohio 


JOHN  BRISBEN  W.\LKER. 


River  Im]:)rovement  Convention.  In  the  jsanic  of  1873  his 
entire  fortune  was  swept  away,  and  casting  about  for  imme- 
diate work,  he  was  engaged  by  Murat  Halstead  to  prepare 
a  series  of  articles  upon  the  mineral  and  manufacturing  inter- 
ests of  the  United  States  for  the  Cincinnati  Coiumercial.  A 
few  months  later  he  was  offered  the  managing  editorship  of 
the  Pitt  burgh  Daily  Telegraph,  and  at  the  beginning  of 
1876  became  managing  editor  of  the  Washington  Chronicle, 
then  one  of  the  two  leading  dailies  at  the  National  Capitol. 
In  1879,  at  the  request  of  the  Commissioner  of  .\gnculture, 
he  visited  the  arid  lands  of  the  West  with  reference  to  their 
redeinption  by  irrigation.  Later  he  purchased  on  the  out- 
skirts of  Denver  a  portion  of  what  afterwards  became  known 
as  "  Berkeley  Farm,"  its  1660  acres  being  for  many  years 
the  most  extensive  alfalfa  farm  in  Colorado.  For  ten  years 
thereafter  Mr.  Walker  was  engaged  in  the  development  of 
alfalfa  interests,  in  which  he  was  a  pioneer.  At  the  same 
t.me,  by  a  series  of  careful  engineering  operations,  he  was 
recovering  a  large  plat  of  river  bottom  from  overflow,  thus 


248 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


adding  more  than  400  lots  to  the  area  of  the  most  valuable 
part  of  Denver.  In  1889  he  removed  to  New  York,  and 
purchased  the  Costnopolitan  Magazine,  which  he  still  edits. 
It  had,  at  that  time,  a  circulation  of  16,000.  The  edition 
for  January,  1893,  was  over  150,000.  In  this  year  he  be- 
caine  a  pioneer  in  the  presentation  of  high  class  magazine 
literature.  In  187 1  he  married  the  only  daughter  of  General 
David  Hunter  Strother  ("  Porte  Crayon  ").  His  family 
consists  of  seven  sons  and  one  daughter.  The  honorary 
degree  of  Ph.D.  was  conferred  on  him  by  Georgetown 
(D.  C.)  University,  at  the  centenary  of  that  institution. 


GEORGE  MONTAGUE. 

George  Montague,  President  of  the  Second  National 
Bank  and  a  ])rominent  financier  of  the  Metropolis,  was 
born  in  Troy,  N.  Y.,  on  the  4th  of  April,  1830.  His  father, 
Orlando  Montague,  was  the  originator  of  the  Troy  Collar 
Manufacturing  Industry.  He  is  of  English  descent  on 
both  sides  of   the  house.    The  Montague  family  is  of 


that  he  has  risen  to  his  present  position  in  the  regular 
course  of  j)romotion  step  by  step,  without  a  single  instance 
of  solicitation  on  his  part.  After  having  served  five  years 
in  the  Troy  Bank,  he  came  to  this  city  and  entered  the 
Merchants'  Exchange  Bank  as  assistant  teller  in  1850.  He  » 
was  after  some  time  promoted  to  the  position  of  teller,  and 
in  1865  transferred  his  services  to  the  Seventh  Ward  Bank 
as  cashier,  becoming  President  in  1872.  In  1884  he  was 
called  to  and  elected  President  of  the  Second  National 
Bank,  which  during  his  management  has  entered  into  an  era 
of  great  prosperity.  During  Mr.  Montague's  career  he  has 
been  thrown  into  business  relations  with  many  men  who  like 
himself  have  climbed  to  the  top  of  the  ladder,  and  he 
recalls  with  pride  the  fact  that  in  the  beginning  of  his  New 
York  business  life,  away  back  in  1853-4,  he  stood  side  by 
side  with  Messrs.  Fred.  Tappen  and  George  G.  Williams  as 
settling  clerk  in  the  New  York  Clearing  House.  Mr.  Mon- 
tague married  in  his  native  city,  in  1855,  Susan  Tomlinson, 
connected  with  an  old  Connecticut  family,  daughter  of  the 


GEORGE  MONTAGUE. 


Norman  origin,  the  first  American  ancestor  immigrating  to 
Boston,  Mass.,  and  sul)se<iuently  settling  in  Hadley  in  that 
State,  early  in  the  seventeenth  century.  His  maternal 
grandfather,  Major  Joseph  Lord,  rendered  valiant  service 
to  the  American  cause  in  the  war  of  1802. 

Mr.  Montague's  father,  who  was  in  good  circumstances, 
decided  on  giving  his  son  a  university  course  with  a  view 
to  his  entering  one  of  the  professions,  but  the  lad  himself 
from  a  very  early  age  manifesting  a  strong  inclination 
toward  a  business  career,  he  was  allowed  to  have  his  way, 
and  so  afier  a  common  school  training,  sui)plemented  later 
on  by  a  few  years  in  higher  schools,  he  procured  em|)loy- 
mcnt  in  the  Troy  City  Bank,  at  the  age  of  fifteen,  having 
for  a  year  or  so  in  the  interval  served  as  a  clerk  in  a  store. 
And  here  two  things  may  be  remarked  of  Mr.  Montague  : 
the  first,  that  from  the  very  outset  of  iiis  career  he  has 
preserved  a  i)erfectly  independent  spirit  ;  and  the  second. 


well-known  William  \.  Tomlinson  of  that  city,  and  grand- 
daughter of  David  Tomlinson,  a  leading  citizen  of  Con- 
necticut seventy  years  ago.  He  (Mr.  Montague)  was  for  a 
(juarter  of  a  century  treasurer  of  St.  Timothy's  Episcopal 
Church,  New  York  City,  a  position  he  resigned  a  few  years 
ago,  and  is  still  treasurer  of  the  fund  for  aged  and  infirm 
clergymen  of  the  Diocer.e  of  New  York,  also  of  the  train- 
ing school  for  Bellevue  Hospital  nurses.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Union  League  Club  and  for  many  years  its  treasurer, 
and  numerous  other  organizations  of  a  similar  character  ; 
has  held  various  |)ositions  in  the  Clearing  House  ;  is  trustee 
of  the  Bowery  Savings  Hank  ;  is  member  of  /.ion  and  St. 
Timothy's  (consolidated)  Church,  and  generally  rei)resents 
it  in  the  diocesan  conventions.  In  fine,  Mr.  Montague  is  a 
very  busy  man,  and  cajjable  of  doing  a  large  amount  of 
work,  on  account  of  systematic  arrangement,  which  allows 
no  waste  of  energy. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS.  249 


JOSEPH  S.  CASE. 

Mr.  Joseph  S.  Case,  Cashier  of  the  Second  National 
Bank,  is  a  man  of  character  and  ability,  who  by  per- 
sistent efforts  has  risen  to  his  present  responsible  posi- 
tion. Born  in  Brooklyn  in  1844  and  educated  in  the  public 
schools,  he  first  obtained  employment  as  a  boy  in  the 
Ship  Machinery  store  of  Raudett  &  Son,  on  South  Street, 
near  Peck  Slip.  Later  he  became  a  clerk  in  the  law  firm 
of  Churchill,  Welch  &  Woodbury,  where  he  remained 
several  years.  In  1866  he  entered  the  Croton  National 
Bank,  just  then  organized,  as  a  bookkeeper.  The  bank 
failed  in  the  fall  of  1867,  and  he  then  was  employed  for 
some  months  by  the  East  River  National  Bank.  In  the 
fall  of  1868.  he  entered  the  employ  of  the  Second  National 
Bank.  For  a  few  months  he  was  with  the  Impor  ers'  and 
Traders'  National  Bank,  but  returned  to  the  Second  National 
as  its  Paying  Teller  in  the  spring  of  1869.  He  held  the 
position  for  sixteen  years,  or  until  he  was  promoted  to 


LEWIS  THOMPSON. 

Lewis  Thompson,  Cashier  of  the  Madison  Scpiare  Bank, 
was  born  in  Elizabeth,  N.  J.,  September,  185 1.  Mr.  Thomp- 
son is  of  Scottish  descent,  his  family  having  settled  in 
Madison,  N.  J.,  in  the  last  century.  His  paternal  great- 
grandfather fought  in  the  Revolutionary  War.  His  father 
before  him  was  a  banker,  and  the  ability  he  displayed  in 
the  discharge  of  his  duties  as  cashier  of  this  young  and 
rapidly  rising  institution  is  the  result  of  his  thorough  train- 
ing in  banking  methods.  Under  its  present  able  manage- 
ment the  deposits  of  the  Madison  Scjuare  Bank  have  in- 
creased from  $750,000  in  September,  1891,  to  over 
$2,000,000  in  May,  1893.  Mr.  '1  hompson  was  educated  at 
Phillips  Andover  Academy,  and  commenced  his  career  as  a 
banker  immediately  after  graduating.  In  1878  he  married 
Alice,  daughter  of  Dr.  William  H.  Tutt.  He  is  a  director  of 
the  Madison  Square  Bank  and  a  member  of  the  Marble 
Collegiate  Church. 


JOSEPH  S.  CASE. 


the  cashiership,  which  he  now  holds.  Mr.  Case  is  of 
medium  stature.  He  is  observant,  pushing,  persistent, 
and  cool  headed.  Any  one  who  witnessed  "  the  run  "  on 
the  bank  in  the  panic  of  1884  remembers  how  col- 
lectedly the  Paying  Teller  handled  the  crowds  that 
presented  their  checks  at  his  window.  On  the  first  day  of 
the  run  he  paid  over  the  counter  almost  a  million  of  dollars, 
in  sums  varying  from  five  to  50,000  dollars,  to  more 
than  seven  hundred  depositors,  and  balanced  his  cash  at 
night  within  ten  cents  of  the  requirement.  The  Case  family 
is  originally  from  Cape  Cod,  Mass.  Mr.  Case's  father, 
William  Hamilton  Case,  settled  in  Brooklyn  when  it  was 
yet  a  village.  His  mother  belonged  to  the  well  known 
Quaker  family  of  Cocks  on  Long  Island.  Mr.  Case  married 
in  Brooklyn,  in  1867,  Miss  Fannie  Breasted,  of  Catskill. 
Mr.  Case  is  fond  of  field  sports,  in  which  he  excels,  and  is 
one  of  the  best  rifle  shots  that  ever  faced  a  target  at 
Creedmore. 


LEWIS  THOMPSON. 


JOHN  MASON  TILFORD. 

John  Mason  Tilford  was  born  on  the  i6th  of  March, 
1 81 5,  at  Argyle,  Washington  Co.,  N.  Y.  His  ancestry  on 
both  sides  was  Scotch.  His  father,  James  Tilford,  was  a 
farmer,  and  the  early  years  of  his  son  were  spent  in  agri- 
cultural labor  through  the  summer  months,  attending  school 
in  the  winter.  He  was  diligent  both  at  work  and  at  school, 
acquiring  all  the  knowledge  he  could.  His  tastes,  however, 
were  for  mercantile  pursuits,  and  when  he  was  twenty 
years  of  age  an  opportunity  came  that  the  boy  had  longed 
for.  Benjamin  Albro,  of  New  York,  was  staying  in  the 
neighborhood  with  some  friends,  met  and  conversed  with 
young  Tilford,  and  the  lad  finally  obtained  his  father's  con- 
sent to  go  with  Mr.  Albro  to  New  York.  He  commenced 
his  business  life  at  268  Grand  Street,  where  Mr.  Albro  then 
had  his  grocery  business.  He  commenced  on  fifty  dollars 
a  year  salary,  having  room  and  board  with  his  employer  at 
252  Broome  Street,  opened  the  store  at  half-past  five  in 


250 


N£]V  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


summer  and  six  o'clock  in  winter,  and  not  closing  till  ten 
o'clock.  It  was  a  hard  but  very  useful  apprenticesiiij),  the 
boys  in  such  stores  having  to  buy  many  of  the  goods,  sell, 
keep  books,  make  out  bills,  and  run  errands.  After  young 
Tilford  had  been  there  two  years  Joseph  Park,  a  lad  some 
few  years  younger  than  himself,  came  into  the  business. 
Bolh  had  the  same  industrious,  energetic  characteristics, 
and  having  saved  a  little  money,  in  the  summer  of  1840, 
they  started  in  business  for  themselves  at  35  Carmine  Street. 
'I'he  year  after  they  began  the  directory  gave  the  names  of 
570  grocers,  Park  &  Tilford  not  even  being  included  in  the 
list.  We  understand  there  is  only  one  house  there  mentioned 
now  in  existence.    In  1847  the  business  had  so  increased 


and  a  keen  judgment  of  men  and  things,  accounted  in 
large  measure  for  his  e.xtraordinary  success,  as  also  the 
sagacity  shown  in  oi)ening  branch  stores  in  new  localities  in 
advance  of  population.  His  good  nature  and  kindness  of 
disposition  were  proverbial,  compelling  the  affection  as  well  » 
as  respect  of  all  who  knew  him,  including  his  large 
army  of  employes,  some  of  whom  had  grown  up  in  the 
firm  from  boys.  When  he  passed  away  quietly  and  grace- 
fully on  the  7th  of  January,  1891,  it  was  to  the  deep  regret 
of  those  with  whom  he  had  associated,  and  to  the  undying 
grief  of  his  friend  and  jiartner,  Mr.  Park,  who  to  this  day 
can  hardly  speak  of  him  without  the  tribute  of  a  tear.  Mr. 
Tilford  was  married  in  1840  to  Miss  Jane  \\'hite,  a  native 


they  had  to  seek  larger  (luarters  and  so  moved  to  Ninth 
Street  and  Sixth  Avenue,  forming  the  nucleus  of  their 
present  extensive  premises  on  that  block.  From  this  time 
their  advancement  was  very  rapid,  customers  coming  from 
all  (piarters  and  their  trade  extending  far  uptown.  In  i860 
they  opened  tlie  Hroadway  store,  a  few  years  later  the  one 
at  'I'hirty-eighth  Street  and  Sixth  .\venue,  and  nine  years  ago 
one  at  Fifty-nintii  Street  and  I'ifth  Avenue.  Mr.  Tilford 
was  usually  at  the  store.  Ninth  Street  and  Sixth  Avenue, 
and  took  an  active  part  until  past  sixty.  He  had  a  great 
capacity  for  hard  work,  aided  by  a  fine  constitution  and 
perfect  health.  These  physical  advantages,  united  with 
indomitable  energy  and  perseverance,  good  common  sense 


of  the  town  in  which  he  was  born  ;  the  marriage  was  a 
hai)i)y  one,  and  of  several  children,  Frank,  the  youngest, 
has  taken  his  father's  place  in  the  business.  Such  in  brief 
outline  was  John  Mason  Tilford,  who  together  with  his 
esteemed  ])artner  built  up  a  business  in  its  line  second  to 
none  in  the  world,  and  a  splendid  monument  of  industry 
and  perseverance,  as  well  as  of  noble  heart  and  friendshij). 

FRANK  TILFORD 

Is  a  young  man  wlio  by  industry  and  (  lose  application 
has  early  in  life  taken  a  leading  position  in  the  commercial 
world.  Soon  after  he  entered  into  business  life,  by  his  per- 
sonal merit  and  talents,  he  inherited  his  father's  position  in 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


the  great  firm  of  Park  &:  Tilford,  and  he  has  also  inherited 
many  of  his  father's  good  qualities  and  virtues.  He  is  the 
youngest  son  of  John  Mason  Tilford,  and  was  born  in  New 
York  City,  July  22d,  1852.  His  ancestors  were  Scotch  ; 
they  came  to  America  in  the  reign  of  George  the  Second, 
and  settled  at  the  north  of  Albany,  at  a  place  which  was 
christened  Argyle.  There  John  Mason  Tilford  was  born  in 
March,  1815.  Young  Frank  was  educated  at  pr.vate 
schools  in  New  York,  and  he  completed  his  educa,tion  at 
the  Mount  Washington  Collegiate  School.  When  ([uite  a 
youth  he  was  placed  in  the  store  at  Sixth  Avenue  and  ninth 
Street,  beginning  at  the  humblest  position  and  working  his 


real  estate  operations.  In  1885  he  was  elected  a  trustee  of 
the  North  River  Savings  Bank,  and  in  the  same  year  he 
took  the  entire  management  of  Park  &  Tilford's  great  store 
at  59th  Street  and  Fifth  Avenue.  In  1889  he  joined  G.  G. 
Haven  and  organized  the  Bank  of  New  Amsterdam,  of 
which  he  is  now  the  Vice-President,  with  Thomas  C.  Acton 
as  President.  In  October,  1890,  the  business  of  the  great 
grocery  firm  had  attained  such  gigantic  proportions  that  it 
was  thought  advisable  to  incorporate  the  business.  The 
change  was  effected,  and,  on  the  death  of  his  father,  a  year 
later,  Frank  Tilford  was  made  Vice-President  of  the  com- 
pany, and  he  holds  the  position  to-day.    Frank  Tilford's 


way  up  through  the  different  de])artments.  In  1873,  and 
when  only  twenty-one  years  old,  he  had  made  such  progress 
that  he  was  given  the  management  of  a  new  store"  at  38th 
Street  and  Sixth  Avenue,  and  he  succeeded  beyond  all  ex- 
pectation. He  soon  made  his  mark  in  financial  circles  and 
in  1874  was  elected  a  director  of  the  Sixth  National  Bank, 
being  at  the  time  the  youngest  bank  director  in  the  City  of 
New  York.  He  served  as  a  director  for  ten  years.  In 
1876  he  became  a  member  of  the  Real  Estate  Exchange, 
and  has  been  an  extensive  operator  in  real  estate  in 
Harlem  and  on  the  West  Side  uptown,  above  Fifty-ninth 
Street.    He  has  achieved  both  fame  and  fortune  by  his 


career  has  always  been  a  busy  one.  In  addition  to  his 
grocery,  real  estate  and  banking  business,  he  is  a  director 
in  railroads  and  gas  companies,  treasurer  of  the  Hancock 
Memorial  Association,  a  member  of  the  Executive  Com- 
mittee of  the  Grant  Monument  Association,  President  of 
the  New  Amsterdam  Eye  and  Ear  Hospital,  School 
Trustee,  and,  since  1887,  an  active  member  of  the  Chamber 
of  Commerce,  also  a  trustee  of  the  Babies'  Hospital.  In 
November,  1881,  he  married  Miss  Julia  Greer,  daughter 
of  the  late  James  A.  Greer,  and  granddaughter  of  the 
late  George  Greer,  a  prominent  sugar  refiner  of  New 
York.    He  has  two  daughters,  and  he  resides  in  a  hand- 


252 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


some  mansion  on  West  50th  Street.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Union  League,  Republican,  Colonial  and  other  clubs,  and 
a  member  of  the  Society  of  the  Sons  of  the  Revolution. 
He  has  for  many  years  attended  Dr.  Heber  Newton's 
Church,  of  which  he  is  a  vestryman,  and  a  trustee  of  All 
Souls'  Summer  House. 


ALFRED  SULLY. 

Alfred  Sully,  born  at  Ottawa,  May  2,  1841.  Son  of 
James  and  Laura  Sully,  natives  of  England.  When  two 
years  of  age  his  parents  moved  to  Buffalo.  Educated  in 
Buffalo  public  schools,  at  eighteen  years  of  age  he  removed 
to  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  Shortly  after  he  began  the  study  of 
law  in  the  office  of  Hon.  Bellamy  Storer,  Judge  of  the  Su- 
perior Court  of  Ohio.  Entered  the  Cincinnati  Law  School, 
graduating  in  1863  with  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Laws,  and 
admitted  to  the  Bar  of  Ohio.  Lnmediately  following  this 
event  he  removed  to  Davenport,  Iowa,  where  he  became  a 
member  of  the  firm  of  Brown  &  Sully,  which  succeeded  the 
old  firm  of  Corbin,  Dow  &  Brown,  the  head  of  which  was 
Mr.  A.  Corbin,  now  the  well  known  banker  of  New  York. 


i 


For  nine  years  Mr.  Sully  practised  his  profession,  rising  to 
prominence  and  acipiiring  a  lucrative  i)ractice.  In  1872  he 
retired  from  this  firm  with  a  competency.  At  the  request 
of  Mr.  Austin  Corbin  Mr.  Sully  became  a  partner  in  the 
latter's  banking  house  in  New  York.  In  1 874,  feeling  a  need 
of  rest,  he  refused  a  share  in  the  Corbin  Banking  Com])any, 
just  organized,  and  spent  twelve  months  in  travelling  in  the 
South  and  Southwest.  Upon  his  return  to  New  York  in 
1876,  greatly  improved  in  health,  he  re-entered  business  as 
chief  counsel  and  one  of  the  princii)al  managers  of  the  New 
York  and  Manhattan  Beach  Railroad,  an  imi)ortant  enter- 
prise for  the  i)urpose  of  dcveloiiing  Coney  Island.  Of  this 
company  Mr.  Corbin  was  president.  Mr.  Sully  had  at  one 
time  been  counsel  for  the  Davenport  and  St.  Paul  Company, 
now  a  part  of  the  St.  Baul  Railroad  system,  and,  therefore, 
was  well  qualified  for  such  a  ])osition.     In  1S76,  and  for 


several  years  following,  hewas  largely  interested  in  building 
and  operating  the  Manhattan  Beach  Railroad,  and  in  con- 
nection therewith  organized  the  Eastern  Railroad  of  Long 
Island  for  the  purpose  of  extending  the  Manhattan  Beach 
Railroad  throughout  the  entire  length  of  the  island.  In  this  * 
enterprise  Mr.  Corbin  was  associated  with  him.  In  1878  he 
became  connected  with  the  Bloomington  and  Western  Rail- 
road as  its  secretary.  Of  this  road  he  became  one  of  the 
principal  owners.  After  two  years  of  warfare  with  the  Long 
Island  Railroad  Company  Messrs.  Sully  and  Corbin  united 
in  buying  the  control  of  the  entire  Long  Island  Railroad 
Company  from  the  New  York  banking  firm  of  Drexel, 
Morgan  &  Co.  At  the  time  they  acquired  the  control  of 
the  stock  it  was  selling  at  15  to  r8  cents.  The  property 
was  in  the  hands  of  a  receiver,  and  was  physically  going  to 
ruin.  As  soon  as  Mr.  Sully  and  his  partner  secured  con- 
trol a  new  mortgage  of  §5,000,000  was  placed  upon  the 
property  and  the  proceeds  used  to  raising  it  to  a  condition 
of  perfection.  The  stock  was  at  the  same  time  increased 
from  $3,200,000  to  $10,000,000,  and  has  paid  dividends  ever 
since.  Mr.  Sully  was,  for  a  number  of  years,  the  President 
of  the  Long  Island  City  and  Flushing  Railroad,  one  of  the 
Long  Island's  principal  branches.  In  1881  Mr.  Sullv  pur- 
chased alone  a  coal  road  of  150  miles  in  length,  and  finally 
reorganized  it  under  the  title  of  the  Ohio  Southern,  put  the 
property  in  a  good  paying  condition,  he  reiaining  the  presi- 
dency of  the  road  for  over  ten  years.  In  1885  he  made  a 
large  investment  in  the  Philadelphia  and  Reading  Railroad, 
and  is  to-day  a  large  holder  in  the  stocks  and  bonds.  Mr. 
Sully  and  associates'  position  during  the  bitter  strife  with 
the  Drexel-Morgan  syndicate  finally  resulted  in  a  reorgani- 
zation, and  brought  Mr.  Sully  to  the  front  rank  among  rail- 
road men  in  the  United  States.  In  1886  the  West  Point 
Terminal  Company,  then  capitalized  at  $15,000,000,  was  in 
debt  over  $3,000,000,  and  the  President,  W.  P.  Clyde,  had 
given  notice  that  the  property  would  be  sold  to  meet  the 
claims  against  it.  The  President  and  all  the  Directors  were 
members  of  the  Richmond  and  Danville  syndicate,  and 
also  members  of  the  Richmond  and  Danville  Board  of  Di- 
rectors, and  it  seemed  that  the  Terminal  Company  had  be- 
come a  useless  appendage.  A  committee  spent  a  year  in 
trying  to  re-establish  the  property  without  success.  They 
induced  Mr.  Sully  to  join  this  committee  as  chairman.  The 
result  was  marvellous.  \Vithin  three  months  the  Richmond 
Terminal  was  strong  enough  to  swallow  up  the  Richmond 
and  Danville  and  the  East  Tennessee  and  Georgia  Rail- 
roads, thus  becoming  the  greatest  railroad  power  in  the 
South.  Mr.  Sully  was  elected  President  of  the  entire  Ter- 
minal system,  and  remained  such  until  1888,  when,  becom- 
ing dissatisfied  with  the  policy  of  the  directors,  he  resigned 
While  in  this  position  Mr.  Sully  negotiated  with  Robert 
Carrett  for  a  controlling  interest  in  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio 
Railroad.  This  negotiation  created  more  public  interest  than 
any  other  financial  question  in  the  preceding  ten  years; 
every  news|)aper  in  the  United  States  taking  the  cpiestion 
up  and  freely  discussing  it,  thus  bringing  Mr.  Sully's  name 
])rominently  before  the  country  and  railroad  world.  It  is 
not  too  much  to  say  that  the  success  of  the  operations  thus 
described  was  due  to  Mr.  Sully's  commanding  genius  as  a 
railroad  expert,  and  to  his  extraordinary  skill  as  a  financier. 
Mr.  Sully,  in  manner,  is  reserved,  chary  of  his  words,  always 
speaking  to  the  point,  unassuming  bearing,  simple  tastes. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity. 

JOSEPH  H.  SENNER. 
Dr.  Joseph  H.  Senner,  I'nited  States  Commissioner  of 
Emigration  at  Ellis  Island,  was  born  in  the  province  of 
Moravia,  Austria,  in  1S46.  He  was  educated  at  the  Uni- 
versity at  Vienna,  from  which  he  received  the  degree  of 
LL.D  in  1869.    After  a  legal  practice  of  seven  years,  ac- 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


253 


cording  to  the  law  of  his  country,  he  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  and  became  a  successful  advocate.  He  came  to  this 
country  in  1880,  and  joined  the  staff  of  the  Neiv  Yorker 
Staats-Zeitung,  although  having  had  only  an  amateur  experi- 
ence in  newspaper  work.  He  severed  his  connection  with 
this  journal  in  September,  1882,  to  become  managing  editor 
of  the  Miltvaukee  Herold,  the  principal  German  Republican 
newspaper  of  Wisconsin,  occupying  the  position  until 
January,  1885,  when  he  rejoined  the  Siaats-Zeitung.  In 
1884  he  bolted  the  nomination  of  Mr.  Blaine,  and  stumped 
the  country  for  Cleveland.  During  the  last  campaign  he 
vigorously  supported  Cleveland,  addressing  large  meetings 
of  Germans  in  the  West,  New  England,  and  New  York. 
One  of  the  first  appointments  to  office  made  by  President 
Cleveland  was  the  nomination  of  Dr.  Senner  to  the  im- 
portant post  of  Commissioner  of  Emigration  at  the  port  of 


Wendell,  Fay  «&  Co.  He  was  born  in  Boston.  February  6, 
1836,  and  received  his  education  at  the  old  English  High 
School.  He  began  his  business  career  in  the  commission 
house  of  Lawrence,  Stone  &  Co.,  of  Boston,  in  1855,  and  in 
1857  he  became  connected  with  the  famous  Middlesex 
Woollen  Mills,  of  Lowell,  Mass.  In  1800  Mr.  Fay  came  to 
New  York  with  Mr.  Stone  and  the  great  commission  house 
of  Stone,  Bliss,  Fay  &  Allen  was  formed,  and  it  soon 
made  its  mark  in  the  Metro])olis.  From  1861  to  1869  the 
firm  did  the  largest  woollen  commission  business  of  any 
house  in  the  city.  It  represented  the  Middlesex  Company, 
the  Glenham  Woollen  Com])any,  the  Broad  Brook  Company, 
the  Lawrence  Woollen  Company,  the  Home  Woollen 
Company,  the  Terry  Manufacturing  Company,  the  Willow 
Brook  Mills,  J.  P.  Brunner  &:  Sons,  the  Campbell  Mills,  the 
Dumbarton  Mills,  the  Swift  River  Co.  and  others;  being 


SIGOURNEY  W.  FAY. 


New  York,  said  appointment  being  made  March  28,  1893, 
the  same  month  in  which  Mr.  Cleveland  was  inaugurated 
President,  and  it  was  generally  regarded  as  a  compliment  to 
the  German-American  population  of  the  country.  Com- 
missioner Senner  is  a  member  of  the  New  York  Bar,  Presi- 
dent of  the  National  Organization  of  German  American 
Journalists,  and  President  of  the  German  Social  Scientific 
Society  of  New  York. 

SIGOURNEY    W.  FAY. 

Sigourney  \V.  Fay  is  one  of  New  York's  typical  mer- 
chants, he  has  an  unblemished  record,  he  is  popular, 
literary,  artistic,  and  for  more  than  thirty -five  years  he  has 
been  personally  identified  with  one  of  the  largest  woollen 
mills  corporation  in  the  United  States.  Mr.  Fay  is  the  head 
of  the  well  known  New  York  woollen  commission  firm  of 


agents  in  all  for  140  sets  of  cards,  besides  having  several  cotton 
cloth  accounts.  In  1869  the  firm  was  changed  to  Perry, 
Wendell,  Fay  &  Co.,  and  on  the  death  of  the  popular 
"  Commodore  "  Perry  in  1878  the  title  of  the  firm  became 
Wendell,  Fay  iS:  Co.  At  the  present  time  the  personnel  of 
the  firm  is  M.  R.  Wendell,  who  represents  the  Boston 
branch  of  the  business,  Sigourney  W.  Fay  and  John  F. 
Praeger,  with  whom  Mr.  Fay  has  been  associated  in  busi- 
ness for  over  thirty  years,  and  F.  T.  Wendell  is  also  in 
Boston,  son  of  the  senior  partner.  Mr.  Fay  married,  in 
i860,  Delia  A.  Fay,  of  Boston  ;  he  has  no  family.  In  social 
circles  Mr.  Fay  is  as  popular  and  as  much  sought  after  as 
he  is  by  his  business  associates.  W^hen  quite  young  he 
devoted  his  leisure  time  to  literary  and  dramatic  study,  and 
he  became  a  good  speaker  by  practice  and  natural  talent. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  and  has 


254 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


been  a  director  of  the  Hanover  National  ISank  since  1S76. 
He  is  also  director  of  the  Exchange  Fire  Insurance 
Company,  and  a  member  of  the  New  England  Society  and 
the  New  York  Chamber  of  Commerce,  also  a  governor  of 
the  House  of  Refuge.  The  Union  League  Club  was 
foiinded  on  his  birthday,  February  6th.  1863,  and  Mr.  Fay 
joined  on  February  14th,  being  one  of  the  veteran  members, 
and  for  some  time  Secretary.  He  was  then  only  twenty- 
seven  years  old  and  the  youngest  club  man  of  the  time. 
He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Metroi)oIitan  Club,  the  Players' 
Club,  and  the  City  and  Merchants'  Clubs.  He  has  resided 
for  twenty-four  years  in  a  handsome  house,  No.  35  West 
Fiftieth  Street-  Mr.  Fay  is  young  looking  for  his  age,  and 
he  still  retains  his  old  time  literary  and  oratorical  tastes.  He 
occasionally  lectures  on  literary  subjects,  and  he  has  written 
a  clever  essay  on  Charles  Lamb.  He  is  very  popular,  and 
considered  an  authority  in  dramatic  circles,  and  with  his 
business  ability,  strict  integrity,  and  financial  strength,  he 
is  one  of  New  York's  representative  merchants  and  citizens. 


skill  are:  The  Home  15ank,  West  Forty-second  Street;  the 
.Martha  Memorial  Church,  West  Fifty-second  Street  ;  the 
(ierman  Masonic  Temple,  East  Fifteenth  Street  ;  the  Aris- 
ton  Apartment  House,  1732  Broadway;  Campbell's  great 
Wall  Paper  P'actory,  West  Forty-second  Street  ;  William  ' 
Fisher's  big  store  in  West  Twenty-third  Street  ;  and  the 
handsome  new  Harlem  Court  House.  But  the  edifice  which 
stands  as  a  lasting  evidence  of  the  talent  and  enterprise  of 
the  firm  is  the  Criminal  Court  Building  which  has  just  been 
c'omi)leted  and  which  is  one  of  the  finest  architectural  ex- 
hibits in  the  city.  The  new  Court  Building  covers  the 
entire  square  bounded  by  Centre,  Elm,  Franklin  and  White 
Streets.  The  style  of  architecture  is  modern  Renaissance. 
It  is  six  stories  high  and  absolutely  fireproof.  The  vesti- 
bules and  grand  stairway  are  of  white  marble,  and  two 
colossal  marble  figure?  of  Liberty  and  Justice  ornament  the 
Centre  Street  front.  The  cost  of  this  great  temple  of  justice 
is  $1,500,000,  and  it  was  built  under  the  personal  superin- 
tendence of  the  architects  whose  genius  evolved  it. 


ARTIH  K  M.  THOM. 

ARTHUR  M.  THOM  AND  JAMES  W.  WILSON. 

Arthur  M.  Thorn  and  James  W .  Wilson,  of  the  firm  of 
Thorn  (.\:  Wilson,  are  two  of  the  well  known  architects  of  the 
City  of  New  York;  they  have  been  associated  in  business 
since  1873,  and  the  impress  of  thi  ir  genius  is  inscribed  upon 
many  of  the  public  and  private  buildings  of  the  Metropolis 

Mr.  Thom  was  Ijorn  in  Berlin,  but  was  brought  to  this 
country  in  his  infancy;  he  was  educated  in  New  York  City 
and  has  followed  the  architectural  profession  since  1867. 
Mr.  Wilson  was  born  in  Renfrewshire,  Scotland  ;  his 
l)arents  died  when  he  was  12  years  of  age.  His  um  le, 
William  Wilson,  the  well  known  builder  of  this  city,  brought 
him  to  New  York  in  i<S6i.  He  h  arned  the  trade  of  car- 
penter and  builder,  then  api)licd  himself  to  the  study  of 
architecture,  and  in  the  year  above  mentioned  associated 
himself  with  Mr.  Thom.  The  firm,  since  its  formation,  has 
been  identified  with  many  of  the  public  and  jirivate  build- 
ings erected  in  this  and  other  cities  during  the  last  twenty 
years.    Among  the  most  creditable  examples  of  the  firm's 


JAMES  W.  WILSON. 


GUSTAV  REICHARD. 

For  over  30  years  Mr.  Gustav  Reichard  has  been  active 
in  the  art  business.  He  was  born  in  Cermany  in  1843, 
and  came  to  this  country  in  1861,  when  he  entered  the  store 
of  his  uncle,  William  Schaus.  Since  that  time  many 
changes  have  taken  place  in  the  growth  and  improvement 
in  the  taste  of  art.  Many  artists  who  were  favorites  in 
the  Sixties  are  unknown  to  our  picture  buyers  of  to-day.  In 
1872  Mr.  Reichard  with  Mr.  John  Clements  bought  out  the 
business  of  Wm.  Schaus,  but  for  four  years  thereafter 
carried  it  on  under  the  old  firm  name.  During  that  time 
the  stolen  picture  of  St.  .Anthony  by  Murillo,  or  rather  that 
part  of  it  which  was  cut  out,  was  brought  to  their  store.  Mr. 
Reichard  refused  any  claim  to  the  very  large  reward  offered 
by  the  Sjjanish  (Government  for  its  recovery.  The  partner- 
shi])  of  Missrs.  Reichard  \-  Clements  continued  till  1876, 
when  Mr.  Reichard  opened  an  Art  Callery  at  No.  226  Filth 
Avenue,  his  present  address,  and  continued  alone  till  1881, 
when  he  admitted  into  partnership  Mr.  John  H.  Hodges, 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


255 


the  firm  being  known  as  Reichard  &  Co.  Ten  years 
later  Mr.  Hodges  died  in  London  while  on  a  business 
tour  for  the  house.  While  dealing  in  the  best  foreign  art 
of  the  times,  and  in  works  by  the  best  French  masters  of  the 
School  of  1830,  Mr.  Reichard  helped  to  introduce  many 
painters  who  are  very  well  known  to-day.  Many  of  our 
American  ])ainters  were  neglected  at  the  time,  but  Mr. 
Reichard  never  lost  faith  in  them,  and  one  was  sure  to  find 
at  his  establishment  a  number  of  works  by  our  most  popular 
painters.  To-day  one  sees  them  again  with  most  of  our 
dealers.  Mr.  Reichard  was  one  of  the  first  who  started 
special  exhibitions  by  American  artists,  and  has  had,  among 
others,  those  by  Winslow  Homer.  W.  T.  Danna,  J.  Gari 
Melchers,  Charles  H.  Davis,  H.  W.  Ranger,  John  La  Farge, 
Wm.  Gedney  Bunce,  C.  S.  Reinhart,  E.  A.  Abbey,  and  A. 
H.  Wyant.    The  reputation  of  Gustav  Reichard  has  always 


East  Sea  Provinces.  After  working  successfully  and 
gaining  much  valnal)le  experience  in  Europe,  the  young 
architect  and  engineer,  in  1871,  determined  to  try  his 
fertune  in  the  New  World.  He  arrived  in  New  York,  and 
found  occupation  in  designing  interior  decoration.  A 
few  years  after  Mr.  Mullet,  the  government  architect,  invited 
him  to  prepare  model  designs  for  all  the  office  furniture  to 
be  used  throughout  the  government  buildings,  which  problem 
he  accomplished  with  excellent  results.  Mr.  AVagner  again 
sought  the  more  extended  field  of  New  York  for  his  labors, 
and  took  engagement  with  the  celebrated  Architect  Mr. 
Leopold  Eidlitz,  with  whom  he  continued  work  for  over 
four  years.  After  this  period  he  concluded  to  establish  his 
own  office.  He  speedily  made  an  impression  and  many 
sections  of  the  city  are  now  adorned  by  handsome  specimens 
of  his  genius.    Among  the  many  buildings  which  he  has 


ALBERT  WAGNER. 


stood  high  among  the  art  loving  public  for  integrity  in  all 
dealings,  and  he  is  proud  of  his  record  that  in  all  the  years 
he  has  been  in  business  he  has  not  had  a  single  question- 
able transaction. 


ALBERT  WAGNER. 

One  of  the  most  prominent  architects  in  New  York  City 
was  born  on  March  14,  1848,  at  Poessneck,  in  the  romantic 
Thuringen,  Germany.  He  received  his  early  education  in 
the  select  schools  of  his  native  town,  and  he  concluded 
his  studies  at  the  Polytechnics  of  Stuttgart  and  Munich 
Academy,  under  the  supervision  of  Professor  W.  Lubkeand 
Fischer.  When  only  twelve  years  of  age,  young  Wagner 
took  private  lessons  from  Architect  Schenke,  and  con- 
sequently he  determined  to  make  architecture  his  profession 
in  life.  His  first  practical  experience  was  under  Professor 
Von  Holzt,  in  Riga,  when  he  assisted  in  designing  and 
building  the  stations  along  the  line  of  the  railroads  of  the 


designed  are,  the  Central  Turnvereinhalle,  in  which  he 
carried  off  the  first  prize  from  five  well  known  and  prom- 
inent architects  in  the  city  ;  the  great  Puck  Building, 
including  the  entire  block,  for  which  he  also  gained  a  first 
prize  premium;  the  Walton  Building  at  the  corner  of  Franklin 
Street  and  West  Broadway;  the  Henry  Iden  block,  on 
LTniversity  Place,  between  Ninth  and  Tenth  Streets;  the 
Strobel,  Bloomingdale,  McCreery,  Meyers  and  Heyvvood 
Buildings,  also  numerous  handsome  business  buildings  in 
the  drygoods  district,  and  in  the  manufacturing  districts  of 
the  west  side.  A  short  time  since  Mr.  Wagner  was 
appointed  as  architect  as  a  result  of  competition  for  the 
great  power  houses  and  Harlem  Stations  of  the  Third 
Avenue  Cable  Com|)any.  The  massive  buildings  now  in 
course  of  erection  for  running  the  great  cables  plant  are 
creations  of  his  fertile  brain.  Mr.  Wagner  married,  in  1881, 
Miss  Katie  F.  Lewis,  and  he  has  one  son,  nine  years  old, 
who  has  exhibited  great  talent  for  music  and  drawing.  Mr. 


256 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


AVagner  himself  is  a  musician  and  takes  great  interest  in 
matters  relating  therein.  He  is  familiar  on  the  piano,  the 
zither  and  the  guitar,  and  is  a  prominent  member  of  the 
Liederkranz  Society.  He  is  also  an  enthusiastic  lover  of 
birds,  dogs,  fish  culture  and  outdoor  exercises  in  general.  At 
his  beautiful  country  home  in  Ulster  County,  Grififins 
Corners,  New  York,  he  has  extensive  German  carp  and 
trout  ponds,  a  large  hennery,  with  some  valuable  breeds  of 
birds,  and  a  valuable  loft  of  pigeons,  all  of  which  are  much 
esteemed  by  connoisseurs.  Mr  Wagner's  father  was 
a  prominent  carriage  manufacturer  in  Germany,  who  has 
delighted  in  designing,  jKiinting  and  music.  His  son  has 
cleverly  followed  in  the  footsteps  of  his  ]jrogenitor.  He 
came  to  this  country  a  stranger  in  a  strange  land,  but  by 
force  of  character,  perseverance,  unfailing  industry,  and 
strict  integrity  he  has  made  himself  one  of  the  prominent 
and  selfmade  citizens  of  the  great  Metropolis,  New  York. 


MAURICE  M.  MINTON. 

Maurice  M.  Minton  is  best  known  to  the  publishing  trade 
as  tlie  editor  and  manager  of  The  Illustrated  American, 
which  is  one  of  the  best  selling  illustrated  weeklies  we  have. 
He  has  passed  the  greater  part  of  his  life  in  the  printing 


MAURICE  M.  MINTON. 

trade  and  newspaper  business.  Before  he  reached  the  age 
of  fourteen  he  started  for  schoolboys  a  paper  calleil  The 
Young  American,  which  was  finally  bought  by  Frank  Leslie. 
With  the  money  so  obtained  he  bought  a  printing  press  and 
type  and  went  into  business.  He  failed.  He  then  did 
printing  on  commission  and  failed.  He  took  a  clerkship 
in  a  sugar  broker's  firm  and  began  to  write.  His  writings 
paid  better  than  clerking  and  he  struggled  along  to  live  on 
his  ])en.  He  failed  to  earn  a  living  in  this  way  and  went 
back  to  i)rinting.  Success  covered  this  effort  and  he 
published  in  1879  a  directory  called  "The  List,"  which  ran 
for  ten  years,  making  money.  In  1882,  he  started  a 
paper  called  The  Town,  and  in  ten  months  lost  his  savings 
and  his  printing  business,  but  kept  his  directory,  .'\fter  7'he 
Town  was  dead  and  buried,  shrouded  in  debt,  he  wrote 


letters  to  out-of-t(jwn  newspapers,  good-liumoredly  guying 
the  fashional)le  peo])le  of  New  Y'ork.  In  March,  1884,  he 
gave  a  lecture  in  Chickering  Hall,  on  Society,  with  great 
success.  He  went  to  other  cities  and  made  money.  He 
paid  his  debts  and  went  on  the  Evening  Telegram.  His  » 
executive  ability  soon  advanced  him  to  city  editor.  He 
then  went  over  to  the  Herald  as  descriptive  writer.  He 
became  successively  society  editor,  dramatic  editor,  city 
editor,  and  managing  editor.  One  day  he  received  a 
telegram  from  Mr.  James  Gordon  Bennett  which  heobjected 
to,  and  promjjtly  resigned.  He  then  turned  to  doing  press- 
work  for  theatres,  stars  and  corporations  and  made  money 
rapidly.  He  left  the  Herald  in  January,  1889,  and  October, 
1889,  he  had  gotten  together  enough  cai)ital  to  start  The 
Illustrated  American.  His  life  has  been  one  of  never  ceasing 
activity  and  close  .study.  He  studied  two  years  in  the  medical 
school,  and  two  in  the  law  school,  but  never  had  the  time  to 
continue  through  the  school  terms  in  order  to  take  his  degrees. 
Some  day,  he  says,  he  will  go  back  to  school  and  earn  his 
degrees.  His  writings  have  a  directness  and  clearness  which 
catch  the  reader,  and  his  broad  experience  and  observation 
have  made  a  realist  with  a  kind,  sympathetic  heart.  Having 
suffered  himself  he  knows  how  others  suffer.  To-day  he 
asks  no  favors,  for  he  is  in  demand  as  an  executive  officer, 
and  commands  good  prices  for  his  literary  work.  His 
novel  "  The  Road  of  the  Rough  "  is  successful,  and  he  ■ 
laughs — laughs  just  as  he  would  if  it  were  a  failure,  because, 
he  says,  "Success  and  failure,  like  rain,  come  when  we  least 
expect  them."  This  novel,  copiously  illustrated,  was  issued 
to  the  trade  on  Friday  and  Saturday,  and  on  Monday  a 
second  edition,  double  that  of  the  first,  was  put  on  the  press. 
Its  sale  was  ra])id,  and  the  demand  has  outrun  the  supply. 
Dealers  pronounce  it  "a  seller"  and  predict  a  big  sale. 
This  novel  was  ])ublished  in  The  Illustrated  American  with 
extraordinary  success. 

CHARLES  S.  MACY,  M.D. 

There  are  but  few  physicians  in  active  i)ractice  in  this 
city  who  are  natives,  the  majority  of  them  having  been  born 
in  adjacent  counties  or  States,  and  many  coming  from  a 
distance  to  achieve  fame  or  fortune,  or  both,  in  the  New 
World  commercial  Metropolis.  Of  the  minority,  however, 
is  Doctor  Charles  S.  Macy,  who  was  born  in  New  Y'ork  City 
on  September  28,  185 1.  His  father,  Charles  B.  Macy,  was 
a  ])rominent  merchant  and  gave  his  son  all  the  advantages 
of  a  classical  education  under  the  care  of  private  tutors. 
He  began  the  study  of  medicine  in  1878  in  the  New 
York  Homtropathic  Medical  College,  and  after  three 
years' course  graduated  (1881).  The  same  year  Dr.  Macy 
was  appointed  physician  to  the  New  York  Homctopathic 
College  Disjjensary,  and  soon  after  made  clinical  assistant 
to  the  chair  of  Gynaecology  in  the  New  York  Homoeopathic 
College,  which  ])Osition  he  still  holds.  In  1889  he  was 
elected  treasurer  of  the  Homoeopathic  Medical  Society  of  the 
County  of  New  York,  which  position  he  still  holds.  Dr.  Macy 
in  1884  married  Kate,  daughter  of  Col.  Thomas  F.  De  Voe. 


M.  WARLEY  PLATZEK. 

M.  Warley  Platzek,  of  the  New  York  bar,  was  born  in 
North  Carolina  in  1854,  and  received  his  preparatory  edu- 
cation in  the  F'ayetteville,  N.  C,  and  Richmond,  Va.,  High 
Schools  and  under  the  tutorship  of  Professor  Witherow,  of 
South  Carolina.  Upon  attaining  his  majority  he  was  elected 
Treasurer  of  Marion  County,  S.  C,  and  subsequently  came 
to  the  Metro])olis.  He  entered  the  New  York  University, 
and  after  a  brilliant  course  was  graduated  in  the  class  of 
1876  with  the  Bachelor  of  Laws  degree.  He  immediately 
began  the  practice  of  his  profession  and  early  devoted  his 
attention  to  the  civil  departments  of  law,  making  a  specialty 
of  insolvency  and  bankruptcy  causes.     His  legal  career  has 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


257 


been  a  success,  and  he  to-day  is  recognized  as  one  of  the 
prominent  members  of  the  bar  of  the  Metropolis.  He  is 
specially  known  as  an  eminent  trial  lawyer,  and  his  brilliant 
conduct  of  many  important  litigations  has  gained  him  an 
enviable  reputation  and  secured  him  a  clientele  of  extensive 
proportions.  He  is  regularly  retained  by  a  number  of  New 
York  lawyers  as  trial  counsel,  and  his  preparation  and  man- 
agement of  a  case  leaves  no  legal  flaws  open  to  the  oppo- 
sition. His  methods  are  strictly  honorable  and  professional, 
and  have  won  him  the  respect  of  his  superiors  on  the  bench 
and  gained  him  the  esteem  of  his  colleagues  at  the  bar. 
Mr.  Platzek  is  a  gentleman  of  versatile  intellectual  attain- 
ments, and  is  known  to  the  literary  world  as  an  able  lecturer 
and  author.  He  has  always  taken  active  interest  in 
politics,  and  been  prominently  identified  with  measures 
beneficial  to  municipal  government.  He  is  a  director  of 
the  Progress  Club,  member  of  the  Reform  and  Democratic 
Clubs,  and  is  favorably  known  throughout  social  circles. 
Notwithstanding  his  busy  professional  life  and  active  par- 
ticipation in  politics,  Mr.  Platzek  has  given  much  of  his  time 


M.  WARLEY  PLATZEK. 


and  a  liberal  share  of  his  means  to  philanthropic  move- 
ments. He  is  President  of  the  K.  S.  B.  Benevolent  Organi- 
zation, which  has  paid  out  over  five  millions  of. dollars  to 
widows,  orphans  and  the  distressed.  The  order  has  a  mem- 
bership of  over  ten  thousand  throughout  the  United  States. 
For  five  years  he  was  President  of  the  Young  Men's  Hebrew- 
Association  of  New  York  City,  is  a  member  of  the  Hebrew 
Orphan  Asylum,  Mount  Sinai  Hospital.  Montefiore  Home, 
Home  for  the  Aged  and  Infirm,  United  Hebrew  Charities, 
Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Children  and 
Animals,  and  is  a  contributor  to  St.  John's  Guild,  the  Home 
of  Industry  and  other  charitable  institutions.  Mr.  Platzek 
was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Jewish  Publication  Society, 
and  has  presided  over  its  annual  convention;  one  of  the 
original  projectors  of  the  American  Jewish  Historical  So- 
ciety; an  incorporator  and  is  one  of  the  directors  of  the 
Aguilar  Free  Library  Society,  and  is  on  the  directorate  of 


the  Educational  Alliance  and  the  Hebrew  Free  School  As- 
sociation of  New  York.  As  the  executive  head  of  the 
American  and  Central  Committees  which  care  for  the 
Russian  refugees  he  has  accomplished  much  for  his  perse- 
cuted brethren. 


LEWIS   S.  GOEBEL. 

Lewis  S.  Goebel,  of  the  New  York  bar,  was  born  in  this 
city  on  July  9th,  1839,  and  is  of  German-American  descent 
His  youth  was  passed  in  the  leather  business  with  his  father, 
Conrad  Goebel.  Owing  to  reverses  overtaking  the  house 
he  was  compelled  to  seek  another  vocation,  and  determined 
upon  a  professional  career.  He  was  educated  in  the  public 
schools  and  the  Free  Academy,  now  the  College  of  the 
City  of  New  York,  from  which  institution  he  was  graduated 
in  1864.  His  legal  training  was  gained  in  ("olumbia  Law 
School,  from  which  he  received  his  Bachelor  of  Law  degree 
in  the  class  of  1866.  Mr.  Goebel  defrayed  his  college  ex- 
penses by  teaching  school,  which  vocation  he  engaged  in 
for  seven  years,  for  two  years  of  which  time  he  was  a  teacher 

1 


LEWIS  S.  GOEBEL. 

in  School  No.  36,  Eleventh  Ward.  Immediately  after  grad- 
uating from  Columbia  he  began  the  practice  of  his  pro- 
fession, and  soon  gained  distinction  in  legal  circles.  He 
devotes  his  attention  to  a  general  civil  practice,  and  makes 
a  specialty  of  real  estate,  surrogate  and  equity  causes,  in 
which  departments  of  the  law  he  has  been  successful.  His 
clientage  is  large,  and  is  derived  mostly  from  the  prominent 
Germans  of  the  city.  Mr.  Goebel  is  one  of  the  best  known 
and  most  popular  citizens  of  the  Metropolis,  as  has  been 
frequently  attested  in  municipal  contests.  In  1875  he  was 
the  Republican  candidate  for  Civil  Justice  in  the  Seventh, 
Eleventh  and  Thirteenth  Wards,  and  made  an  excellent  run 
in  that  Democratic  stronghold,  carrying  the  Eleventh  W;ird 
by  1,200,  which  usually  went  Democratic  by  2,500.  In 
1876,  against  his  wishes  he  was  made  the  Republican 
nominee  for  the  Marine  Court  Bench  and,  without  making 
a  canvass,  ran  1,500  votes  ahead  of  Hayes'  Electoral  ticket. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


The  strength  displayed  by  Mr.  Goebel  in  that  election  led 
to  his  selection  as  the  Republican  candidate  for  Senate  in 
the  old  Sixth  District.  He  was  elected  by  600  votes  in  a 
district  which  was  Democratic  by  7,000,  and  served  with 
credit  in  the  State  Senate,  where  he  was  a  warm  champion 
of  '  that  brilliant  statesman  and  lawyer,  the  late  Roscoe 
Conkling,  for  whose  reinstatement  he  voted.  The  Republi- 
cans brought  him  forward  for  County  Clerk  in  1885,  and 
he  made  a  strong  run,  but  his  greatest  compliment  was 
received  as  Republican  candidate  for  Register  in  1886, 
when  he  received  20,000  more  votes  than  Theo.  Roosevelt, 
who  headed  the  ticket.  This  was  in  the  triangular  Mayoralty 
fight  in  which  Mr.  Hewitt  was  elected,  and  the  vote  shows 
the  large  personal  following  Mr.  Goebel  has  in  the  city. 
He  was  married  in  1866  and  has  a  family  of  five  children. 
George  C,  the  eldest,  is  a  graduate  of  New  York  Col- 


tained  a  full  history  of  the  machine,  its  invention,  modifica- 
tion, and  the  men  who  had  much  to  do  with  making  of 
it  the  undoubted  success  it  is  to-day.  Among  those  men 
perhaps  the  most  prominent  is  Mr.  Philip  T.  Dodge,  Presi- 
dent and  General  Manager  of  the  Mergenthaler  Linotyi)e  * 
Company.  Mr.  Dodge  was  born  in  Wisconsin,  but  came 
to  New  York  in  early  life,  like  so  many  other  bright  intel- 
lects who  see  in  this  city  a  wide  field  for  the  display  of  their 
abilities.  He  was  educated  in  New  York,  after  which  he 
vvent  to  Washington,  where  he  assumed  the  study  of  patent 
law,  a  study  in  which  year  by  year  more  and  more  young 
men  of  brains  engage  themselves.  Admitted  to  the  bar  in 
1871,  Mr.  Dodge  almost  immediately  succeeded  in  making 
a  name  for  himself,  and  soon  became  known  as  one  of  the 
foremost  lawyers  at  the  National  Capital.  His  expert 
knowledge  of  the  patent  law  brought  him  many  of  the  lead- 


I'HII.II'  T.  UODdE. 


lege  Law  School,  and  is  in  his  father's  office,  while  Lewis 
S.,  Jr.,  his  second  son,  is  taking  a  course  in  the  College  of 
the  City  of  New  York.  Mr.  Goebel  is  of  domestic  habits, 
and  devotes  no  time  to  club-life.  His  chief  recreation 
consists  of  his  summering  in  the  Adirondack  Mountains, 
where  he  has  a  cottage. 

PHILIP  T.  DODGE. 

A  few  years  ago  compositors  began  talking  in  a  vague 
way  about  the  new  machine  to  do  away  with  ordinary  ty])e 
and  type-setting,  which,  rumor  said,  was  to  be  introduced  in 
their  composing-rooms  by  the  great  daily  papers,  hut  pro 
nounced  the  idea  an  impracticable  one.  Nevertheless  they 
have  been  introduced,  and  are  now  used  in  leading  offices  in 
all  parts  of  the  world;  among  others  bytheNi'.w  York  Rk- 
CORDER,  which,  in  one  of  its  recent  Sunday  editions,  con- 


ing manufacturing  comjianies  of  the  country  for  clients,  and 
he  naturally  drifted  into  i)atent  litigation  almost  exclusively. 
He  took  an  interest  in  patents  and  inventions  ajiart  from 
litigation  altogether,  and  watched  the  crude  models  of  ty])e- 
setting  machines  with  special  care,  knowing  what  a  revolu- 
tion one  would  effect  if  successful,  and  what  a  fortune 
would  be  in  it  for  the  owners.  Even  aside  from  its  money 
aspect,  Mr.  Dodge,  when  he  was  entrusted  by  the  associates 
of  the  inventor,  Ottman  Mergenthaler,  with  the  protection 
of  his  ])atent  rights  in  the  now  famous  Linotype,  threw 
himself  into  the  enterjjrise  witli  enthusiasm,  as  he  realized  its 
l)otent  possibilities  and  the  great  benefit  it  would  confer  upon 
mankind.  Hence  he  bent  all  his  energies  toward  the  suc- 
cess of  the  enterprise,  and  his  counsels  and  ideas  were  fountl 
to  be  of  inestimable  value.  The  Rix  okdkk,  in  the  sketch 
referred  to,  says  ;  "  i'ersonally  Mr.  Dodge  is  a  gentleman  of 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


259 


commanding  presence.  He  is  tall,  well  built  and  distinguished 
in  his  bearing  and  carriage.  He  is  a  man  of  excejjtionally 
brilliant  attainments,  a  graceful  writer,  fascinating  conver- 
sationalist, and  more  than  all,  the  embodiment  of  all  that 
betokens  a  far-sighted  and  successful  business  man."  In 
November,  1891,  the  old  company  gave  place  to  the  present 
organization,  and  the  title  assumed  was  the  Mergenthaler 
Linotype  Company,  which  conducts  two  factories  and  em- 
ploys many  hundred  men.  Among  its  directors  a're  such 
names  as  D.  O.  Mills,  William  C.  Whitney,  Ogden  Mills, 
Daniel  S.  Lamont  and  H.  McK.  Twombly. 


J.    ARTHUR  BARRATT. 

J.  Arthur  Barratt,  of  the  Bar  of  the  Metropolis,  was  born 
in  1857,  and  is  descendant  from  good  English  Yorkshire 
ancestry.  The  family  for  many  generations  has  produced 
men  who  have  risen  to  eminence  in  the  church  and  promi- 
nence in  the  business  world.  The  family's  coat  of  arms  is 
a  shield  with  three  buckles  in  locenge;  crest,  a  galley  with 
oars  saltire  ;  Motto:  ''''Hoiior^  prohitas,  Deus  cuvi  nos."  J. 
Arthur  is  a  son  of  Rev.  J.  A.  Barratt  and  was  educated  in 
the  College  of  the  City  of  New  York,  graduating  in  the  class 
of  1877  with  Master  of  Arts  degree.  His  legal  training  was 
secured  at  Columbia  Law  School,  from  which  he  graduated 
in  1881  as  a  Bachelor  of  Law,  and  in  the  office  of  James  C. 
Carter.  He  was  admitted  to  practice  the  same  year,  and  to 
the  Bar  of  the  Supreme  Court,  in  Washington,  in  189 1,  upon 
motion  of  Hon.  William  M.  Evarts.  Mr.  Barratt's  talents, 
coupled  with  his  thorough  preparation,  soon  secured  him 
recognition  in  his  profession,  and,  practically  unaided  and 
solely  through  his  own  efforts,  he  has  risen  to  success  and 
distinction.  His  clientele  is  of  the  desirable  kind  and  in- 
cludes corporations,  institutions  and  mercantile  concerns, 
while  his  practice  is  confined  principally  to  corporation  liti- 
gation and  surrogate  causes,  though  he  also  transacts  a 
general  civil  business.  Through  strict  adherence  to  honor- 
able and  profe.-isional  methods  he  has  won  the  respect  of 
Bench  and  Bar,  and  secured  the  confidence  of  his  clients. 
Mr.  Barratt  has  contributed  interesting  articles  to  American 
and  English  papers,  was  associated  with  the  author  of  a 
standard  history  of  the  Baptists,  and,  while  in  college,  was 
on  the  editorial  staff  of  the  college  paper  and  was  also 
president  of  the  chief  literary  society  of  that  institution.  He 
is  fond  of  the  arts,  sciences  and  antiquities,  and  his  chief 
recreation  consists  of  hunting  expeditions  through  the 
mountains.  He  takes  an  active  interest  in  politics,  is  an 
enthusiastic  Republican,  and  in  1888  procured  the  first 
arrest  for  bribery  at  the  polls  under  the  United  States 
Statutes.  Mr.  Barratt  is  a  member  of  the  Bar  Association, 
and  has  been  First  Vice-President  of  the  Baptist  Social 
Union,  is  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Chinese  Hospital,  one 
of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  Mt.  Olivet  Baptist  Church, 
and  organized  the  first  joint  meeting  of  the  Protestant 
Churches  of  this  city  and  brought  them  together  in  joint 
meeting  in  1890.  He  is  and  for  fifteen  years  has  been  a 
member  of  the  Fifth  Avenue  Baptist  Church  and  belongs  to 
the  Society  of  Chinese  Brethren.  Mr.  Barratt  has  travelled 
extensively,  mingled  in  the  best  English  and  American 
society,  and  made  many  desirable  acquaintances  and  warm 
friends. 


W.  S.  TAYLOR. 

The  founder  of  the  well-known  firm  of  Taylor  &  Blood- 
good, wholesale  felt  manufacturers  of  New  Jersey  and  New 
York,  was  Mr.  John  H.  Bloodgood,  who,  in  1847,  joined 
Horace  Trumbull,  of  Vermont,  and  started  a  mill  in  Union 
County,  New  Jersey.  At  that  time,  besides  the  Eastern 
mills,  which  made  the  bulk  of  the  felt  goods  manufactured 
in  this  country,  there  were  only  two  or  three  establish- 


ments making  the  same  class  of  goods  in  New  Jersey,  and 
then  only  on  a  very  small  scale.  Mr.  Bloodgood  and  his 
partner  purchased  a  property  formerly  occujjied  as  an  ex- 
tensive print  works,  which  had  been  in  great  part  destroyed 
by  fire.  They  utilized  the  buildings  which  the  fire  had 
spared,  and  made  a  good  start  in  the  business.  In  1850 
they  were  joined  by  William  E.  Bloodgood,  and  the  manu- 
factory prospered  until  1852,  when  the  firm  was  dissolved, 
and  William  E.  Bloodgood  took  the  sole  management  of  the 
business.  It  gradually  extended  until  it  became  one  of  the 
most  important  manufactories  of  New  Jersey.  William  E. 
Bloodgood  continued  to  manage  the  business  successfully 
until  1875,  when  he  retired,  and  was  succeeded  by  the  pres- 
ent firm,  William  S.  Taylor  and  William  Bloodgood,  Jr., 
who  have  still  further  increased  the  business  until,  at  the 
present  day,  it  contains  eight  sets  of  cards  with  400-horse 
power  engines,  andean  produce  5,000  yards  per  day.  It  is 
unquestionably  the  best  equipped  and  one  of  the  largest 
felt  mills  in  the  country  for  making  felts  of  every  description. 


VV.  S.  TAYLOR. 


William  S.  'I'aylor,  the  present  head  of  the  fi.m,  was  born  in 
England,  October  12,  1827.  He  came  to  New  York  in  1855, 
and  he  has  been  a  hard  and  successful  worker  in  the  dry- 
goods  district  since  1861.  Mr.  Taylor  married  Emma  W'ood- 
ruft",  the  daughter  of  a  large  Lancashire  cotton  spinner.  He 
has  two  sons,  both  married.  The  eldest  is  in  business  with 
his  father,  and  the  youngest,  Herbert,  is  in  Scranton.  Mr. 
Taylor  is  a  remarkably  well  preserved  man  for  his  age,  and  he 
attributes  it  largely  to  his  having  been  always  hard  at  work 
since  he  was  fourteen  years  old.  He  has  succeeded  in  life 
without  any  assistance  from  other  sources  but  his  own  in- 
dustry and  perseverance,  and  he  prides  himself  uponhaving 
always  paid  one  hundred  cents  on  the  dollar.  He  resides 
in  Brooklyn,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Manhattan  Club  and 
of  the  Oxford  Club  of  Brooklyn.  He  is  also  a  prominent 
member  of  Dr.  Cuyler's  Lafayette  Avenue  Church  and  a 
trustee  of  the  City  Savings  Bank,  a  director  of  the  Brook- 
lyn Homoeopathic  Hospital,  of  the  Old  Men's  Home  and 
the  W'omen's  Memorial  Hospital, 


26o 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


OTTO  IRVING  WISE. 

Otto  Irving  Wise,  of  the  New  York  bar,  was  born  in 
X'ienna,  Austria,  on  December  5,  1869,  and  is  a  son  of 
Rev.  Dr.  .\aron  Wise,  who  for  more  than  twenty  years 
has  been  Rabbi  of  Temple  Rodolph  Sholom,  New  York, 
and  was  editor  of  the  Bostnu  Hebrew  Observer  and  the 
New  York  /cwish  Herald.  For  seven  generations  back 
numbers  of  this  family  have  been  Rabbis  and  men  of 
distinction.  Rev.  Dr.  Joseph  Wise,  paternal  grandfather 
of  Otto  Irving  Wise,  was  Chief  Rabbi  of  Hungary,  Austria, 
until  the  day  of  his  death.  His  widow,  Rachel  Wise, 
wandered  to  Jerusalem,  where  she  gave  all  she  had  to 
charity,  and  established  at  her  death  a  free  fountain  for 
the  poor.  The  present  generation  the  Wise  family  is  re- 
presented in  the  church  by  Rev.  Stephen  S.  Wise,  a 
younger  brother  of  Otto,  who  has  been  called  to  the 
l)ulpit  of  the  Congregation  at  Madison  Avenue  and  Si.xty- 
fifth  Street.    The  subject  of  this  sketch  received  his  pre- 


OTTO  IRVING  WISE. 

l)aratory  cdu(  action  in  the  public  schools,  entered  the 
College  of  the  City  of  New  York,  and  was  graduated  with 
the  Bachelor  of  Arts  degree.  His  legal  training  was 
gained  in  the  office  of  Abraham  (iruber,  and  the  Law 
Department  of  the  New  York  University,  from  which  he 
graduated  as  a  Bachelor  of  Laws.  During  his  college 
career  he  published  a  newspaper  called  I'/ie  College  Jour- 
nal, in  1887  edited  the  English  edition  of  a  weekly  called 
Hungaria,  and  in  1888  published  and  edited  the  Literary 
Review  of  New  York.  During  this  time  he  assumed  con- 
trol of  the  New  N'ork  Hebrew  World  which  he  success 
fully  conducted  until  1892,  since  which  date  he  has  de- 
voted his  assiduous  attention  to  the  practice  of  law. 
Although  established  for  a  comparative  short  time,  yet  he 
has  already  displayed  rare  a])titude  for  the  profession,  and 
shown  the  advantages  of  a  thorough  legal  course.  He 
confines  his  practice  jjrincipally  to  the  civil  departments 
of  law,  and  has  built  up  a  clientage  the  ])roportions  of 
which  augur  well  for  the  future.     With   his  talents  and 


intellectual  attainments  he  is  sure  to  attain  that  distinction 
in  his  profession  which  is  the  recognition  accorded  men 
of  brains.  Mr.  Wise  is  also  well  known  in  commercial, 
])olitical  and  social  circles.  He  is  President  of  the  Cal- 
verton  (Long  Island)  Land  Association,  Secretary  and  *• 
Treasurer  of  the  Real  Estate  Improvement  and  Investment 
Company  of  New  Jersey,  President  of  the  Literary  Re- 
view Co.,  President  of  the  Federal  Re|)ublican  Club, 
Chairman  of  the  Republican  organization  of  the  Twenty- 
first  District,  Honorary  Grand  President  of  the  Comanch 
Legion,  and  belongs  to  the  Phi  l'>psilon  Gamma  Society. 
He  is  a  member  of  temple  Rodoljjh  .Sholom,  on  Lexington 
Avenue,  a  trustee  of  the  congregation  Har  Sinai,  and 
member  of  a  number  of  Jewish  societies.  On  February 
8th,  1893,  Mr.  Wise  married  Miss  Ethal  .-\  Rosenthal, 
daughter  of  Major  Henry  Rosenthal  of  Baltimore,  Md. 
He  resides  on  Park  .\ venue  and  has  offices  in  the  Stewart 
Building. 


THEODORE  SUTRO. 

THEODORE  SUTRO. 

Probably  no  other  de])artment  of  the  legal  profession 
l)resents  as  wide  a  scope  for  men  of  talent  as  that  branch 
designated  as  corporation  law,  and  among  the  members  of  the 
New  York  bar  to  gain  distinction  in  this  field  is  Theodore 
Sutro.  He  was  born  at  .\ix-la-Chapelle,  Prussia,  in  1845, 
lost  his  father  by  death  in  1847,  and  came  with  his  mother 
to  this  country,  in  1850,  settling  in  Baltimore.  His 
preparatory  education  was  secured  in  the  Baltimore  City 
College  and  Phillips  Exeter  Academy.  From  the  latter 
institution  he  entered  Harvard  College,  graduated  as  a 
Bachelor  of  .Arts  in  1S71,  and  subsequently  received  his 
Bachelor  of  Law  degree  from  Columbia  Law  School, 
where  his  legal  training  was  secured.  He  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  in  1874,  and  immediately  began  ])ractising.  devoting 
his  attention  ])rinci])ally  to  corjioration  and  mercantile 
litigation.  In  this  special  dopartment  of  his  i)rofession  he 
has  been  successful  and  gained  distinction.  Much  of  the 
success  attending  the  important  litigated  matters  he  has 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


261 


conducted  is  attributable  to  the  remarkable  faculty  he 
possesses  of  reorganizing  and  placing  on  a  solid  basis 
corporations  whose  affairs  have  become  complicated  through 
mismanagement  or  poor  business  policy.  As  a  promoter  of 
large  financial  and  industrial  enterprises,  he  enjoys  a 
national  and  international  reputation.  An  instance  of  the 
latter  may  be  cited  in  his  reorganization  and  reformation  of 
that  stupendous  tunnelling  enterprise,  the  Comstock  Tunnel 
Company,  the  affairs  of  which  were  in  such  chaotic  state 
that  but  for  his  brilliant  legal  manoeuvring  and  skillful 
financiering  they  would  probably  never  have  been  un- 
raveled. In  1889  he  became  a  member  of  the  firm  of 
Messrs.  Salomon,  Dulon  &  Sutro,  which  represents  as 
counsel  the  German  and  Austrian  Governments,  the 
German  Savings  Bank  of  New  York,  Germania  Life 
Insurance  Company,  the  German-American  Bank,  the 
Hamburg-Bremen  Fire  Insurance  Company,  the  German 
Club  and  other  large  corporations,  financial  institutions  and 
mercantile  interests.  Mr.  Sutro's  professional  career  has 
not  only  been  a  distinguished  one,  but  has  also  been  so 
conducted  as  to  secure  him  the  respect  and  esteem  of  both 
Bench  and  Bar.  He  is  equally  prominent  in  social  and 
club  circles,  where  his  genial  personality  and  intellectual 
attainments  have  won  him  a  host  of  warm  friends.  He  is 
a  member  of  the  City  and  State  Bar  Associations,  Society  of 
Medical  Jurisprudence,  the  Harvard,  German  and  Drawing- 
Room  Clubs,  Phi  Beta  Kapjia  Alumni,  German  Society, 
German  Hospital,  German  Polyklinik,  Society  for  Prevention 
of  Cruelty  to  Children,  Society  for  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to 
Animals  and  other  associations.  In  1884,  Mr.  Sutro 
married  Miss  Florence  Clinton,  a  beautiful,  accomplished 
and  talented  lady,  who  presides  with  grace  over  his  social 
board  and  renders  their  occasional  musicales  among  the 
delightful  fashionable  events  of  the  season,  and  contributes 
as  patroness  toward  the  success  of  such  important  enter- 
tainments as  the  recent  Eulalie  Gala  Ball. 


JOHN    ARCHIBALD  SHIELDS. 

Among  the  oldest  and  most  popular  officials  in  New 
York  is  John  Archibald  Shields,  who  has  been  connected 
with  the  United  States  Circuit  Court  as  boy  and  man  for 
nearly  forty  years.  Mr.  Shields  was  born  in  Brooklyn, 
November  20,  1839,  and  was  educated  at  the  public  schools. 
When  only  16  years  old  he  became  office  boy  in  Clerk's 
Office  of  the  United  States  Circuit  Court.  He  attended  to 
his  duties  diligently,  and  also  found  time  to  study  law. 
From  office  boy  he  gradually  rose  until  he  became  cashier, 
and  in  April,  1869,  he  was  appointed  United  States  com- 
missioner. In  May,  1870,  he  was  admitted  to  the  Bar, 
Mr.  Shields  continued  to  increase  his  reputation  for  use- 
fulness in  his  peculiar  line  of  work,  and  in  1876  he  was 
made  deputy  Clerk  of  the  Circuit  Court,  arriving  at  the  top- 
most height  of  his  department  in  May,  1888,  when  he  was 
appointed  Clerk  of  the  Court.  This  position  he  still  holds 
in  addition  to  the  United  States  Commissionership,  and  he 
is  also  Clerk  of  the  United  States  Court  of  Appeals  for  the 
Second  Judicial  Circuit,  being  appointed  June,  1891.  Mr. 
Shields  through  long  service  and  his  natural  ability  is  con- 
sidered an  authority  upon  the  peculiar  cases  and  legal 
difficulties  that  are  brought  before  the  Circuit  Court,  such 
as  extradition  cases,  counterfeiting  and  other  offences 
against  the  laws  of  the  United  States,  Post  Office  cases, 
offences  on  American  ships  on  the  high  seas,  violations  of 
the  revenue  laws,  smuggling,  and  he  also  sits  as  a  Master  in 
Chancery.  His  large  experience  in  patent  cases  causes  him 
to  be  frequently  appointed  as  a  referee  to  compute  damages- 
Mr.  Shields  resides  in  a  handsome  mansion  on  Schermer- 
horn  Street,  Brooklyn.  He  married  in  1869  Miss  Mary  C. 
Rogers,  of  Brooklyn,  and  has  a  family  of  five  children.  He 
is  very  popular  socially,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Brooklyn  Club. 


CHARLES  I.  SCHAMPAIN. 

Charles  I.  Schampain,  of  the  New  York  bar,  was  born  in 
the  Metropolis  in  1852,  and  comes  of  good  German-Ameri- 
can descent.  His  uncle.  Professor  Ollendorff,  is  the  author 
of  a  celebrated  system  of  grammars  for  all  languages,  which 
is  in  extensive  use  throughout  the  schools  of  America  and 
Europe. 

Charles  1.  was  orphaned  at  the  tender  age  of  fif- 
teen months,  at  New  Orleans,  and  was  sent  to  New  York 
by  an  uncle  a  few  weeks  after  the  death  of  his  parents.  He 
was  adopted  by  an  aunt  and  uncle  in  this  city,  where  he  at- 
tended the  public  schools  until  he  reached  the  First  Gram- 
mar School,  when  his  adopted  parents  removed  to  Ohio, 
where  he  finished  his  studies  in  the  educational  institutions 
of  Cincinnati.  In  1866  he  returned  to  New  York,  and  in 
1867  commenced  the  study  of  law  in  the  office  of  Horatio  F. 
Averill,  afterwards  Averill,  Allison  &:  Averill.  His  admis- 
sion to  the  bar  took  place  in  November,  1873,  and  he  imme- 


CHARLES  I.  SCHAMPAIN. 

diately  began  the  practice  of  his  profession,  devoted  his 
attention  to  civil  matters,  and  made  a  specialty  of  litigated 
cases  and  real  estate  causes,  to  which  departments  of  the 
law  he  now  directs  his  practice  exclusively.  Through  his 
ability,  close  application  to  business  and  honorable  pro- 
fessional methods  he  has  not  only  gained  success,  but  also 
won  an  enviable  position  in  legal  circles,  where  he  enjoys 
the  respect  of  both  bench  and  bar.  His  clientele  is  derived 
from  an  influential  class  of  real  estate,  business  men,  and 
large  property  owners,  who  place  every  confidence  in  his 
ability  to  prosecute  or  defend  their  claims.  In  February, 
1886,  Mr.  Schampain  got  out  an  injunction  restraining  the 
Sinking  Fund  Commissioners  from  entering  contracts 
with  the  New  York  Water  Company  for  the  erection  of 
water  pumps  in  the  drygoods  and  other  districts.  He 
claimed  that  it  was  a  scheme  for  enriching  private  parties 
and  corrupt  politicians  at  an  annual  cost  of  $1,200,000  to 
the  city.     For  many  years  he  was  Vice-President  of  the 


262 


NEIV   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


Central  Taxpayers'  Association,  was  its  chief  advocate  in 
all  measures  it  introduced,  and  appeared  as  counsel  for  its 
members  in  litigations  against  the  city  officials.  He  man- 
damused  Rollin  M.  Squire,  and  was  the  first  and  only  law- 
yer to  attack  the  constitutionality  of  collecting  water  taxes 
under  the  present  system.  The  Aqueduct  law,  as  standing 
to-day,  was  amended  by  Thomas  L.  Feitner  and  himself, 
and  so  passed  by  the  Legislature.  He  was  Secretary  of 
the  Citizens'  Committee  appointed  by  Mayor  Crace  to 
oppose  the  bill  for  new  parks,  but  has  always  been  identified 
with  measures  honestly  intended  for  the  benefit  of  New  York. 
Mr.  Scham])ain  is  Vice-President  of  the  Tammany  Hall  Gen- 
eral Committee  of  the  Fourth  Assembly  District,  an  active 
member  of  its  Committee  on  Organization  and  belongs  to 
the  'I'ammany  Association,  President  of  Rutgers  and  mem- 
ber of  many  other  organizations.  In  June,  1881,  he  married 
Miss  Anna  R.  Weber,  of  this  city,  and  has  one  son. 


ORLANDO    METCALF  HARPER. 

Orlando  Metcalf  Harper,  merchant,  was  born  at  Pitts- 
burgh, Pa.,  Sept.  17,  1846,  son  of  John  Harper,  who  was 
President  of  the  Bank  of  Pittsburgh  and  the  president  and 
director  of  many  otliur  institutions  and  jniblic  enterprises. 


ORLANDO  METCALK  HARPER. 


and  also  distinguished  as  a  ])hilanthroi)ist,  taking  special 
interest  in  the  amelioration  of  the  condition  of  the  insane. 
Mr.  Harjier  is  of  English  descent  on  both  sides.  His 
maternal  ancestors  were  among  the  early  settlers  in  New 
England.  He  is  of  the  ninth  generation  on  his  mother's 
side  in  descent  from  John  Humfrey,  Deputy  Governor  of 
Massachusetts  Bay  (^omjjany,  who  was  in  1641  chosen  first 
Major-General  of  the  colony,  and  of  his  wife,  I,ady  Susan 
Clinton,  daughter  of  Thomas,  third  F".arl  of  Lincoln,  and 
Lady  Elizabeth,  his  wife.  His  great-grandfather,  .\runah 
Metcalf,  represented  the  Otsego  County  (N.  Y.)  district  in 
the  Twelfth  U.  S.  Congress,  sessions  1811-1813.  Mr.  Harper 
was  educated  at  Yale  College.  Though  not  completing  his 
course,  owing  to  |)ennanent  injury  to  his  eyes,  his  Alma 


Mater  conferred  upon  him  the  honorary  degree  of  ALA. 
Li  1867  he  engaged  in  the  cotton  manufacturing  business, 
continuing  in  that  pursuit  for  nearly  nineteen  years,  at 
Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  when  he  removed  to  New  York  City,  and 
established  in  1888  the  cotton  goods  commission  business  ». 
in  which  he  is  still  engaged.  At  one  time  he  was  editorially 
connected  with  a  daily  newspaper.  While  at  Pittsburgh,  he 
was  President  of  the  Eagle  Cotton  Mills  Comj)any,  Pitts- 
burgh ;  President  of  the  Eagle  Mills,  Madison,  Ind. ;  director 
in  the  Bank  of  Pittsburgh,  and  also  in  the  Pittsburgh  and 
Allegheny  Suspension  Bridge  Company,  and  was  Vice- 
President  of  the  Association  of  Southern  and  Western 
Cotton  Manufacturers.  He  is  a  trustee  of  the  Birkbeck 
Investment  Company,  and  is  President  of  the  .Merchants' 
Reliance  Company,  a  member  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce 
of  the  State  of  New  York,  of  the  Pennsyh  ania  and  New 
York  Historical  Societies,  of  the  New  York  Geographical 
Society,  of  the  Museum  of  Art ;  of  the  Manhattan,  Mer- 
chants' and  Commonwealth  clubs  ;  of  the  Sons  of  the 
American  Revolution,  and  of  the  New  York  Cotton 
Exchange.  In  November,  1877,  Mr.  Harper  married  Kath- 
leen Theodora,  daughter  of  John  Livingston  Ludlow,  M  D., 
and  granddaughter  of  John  Ludlow,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  an 
eminent  Dutch   Reformed  clergyman. 


CHARLES  H.  MURRAY. 
Hon.  Charles  H.  Murray,  of  the  New  York  bar,  was  born 
in  San  Francisco,  Cal..  on  January  2,  1855,  and  comes  of 
good  Colonial  and  Revolutionary  ancestors,  who  figured 
prominently  in  the  early  history  of  New  England.  William 
Murray,  the  son  of  a  Scottish  nobleman,  came  to  New 
England  in  17 18,  with  MacGregor's  exjjedition,  settled  in 
Londonderry,  N.  H..  and  later  moved  to  Amherst,  Mass. 
He  married,  and  from  his  progeny  have  descended  men 
who  have  become  illustrious  in  war  and  eminent  in  the 
various  professions.  Elihu  Murray,  the  great-grandfather 
of  Charles  H.,  resided  at  Deerfield,  Mass.,  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  Revolutionary  war,  and  was  a  nephew  of  Seth 
Murray,  who  became  a  distinguished  General  in  the  Re- 
volutionary .\rmy.  Immediately  after  the  fight  at  Lexing- 
ton Elihu  volunteered  at  Hatfield,  under  Captain  Israel 
Chapin.  His  company  was  attached  to  the  regiment  com- 
manded by  Col  John  Fellows.  He  marched  with  his 
company  to  the  siege  of  Boston  and  took  part  in 
that  and  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill.  On  the  day  of  his 
discharge  he  re-enlisted  m  Col.  Joseph  Reed's  Regiment, 
and  was  promoted.  He  particijjated  in  the  battles  of  Long 
Island  and  Throgg's  Neck.  On  the  invasion  of  Burgoyne  he 
volunteered  again  in  the  regiment  commanded  by  Colonel 
David  Wells,  and  i)articipated  in  the  battle  of  Bennington, 
and  was  ])resent  at  the  surrender  of  Gen.  Burgoyne  at  Sara- 
toga, October  17th,  1777.  After  this  term  of  service  ex- 
pired, and  bifote  1780,  he  was  commissioned  a  Captain  in 
the  Continental  Line,  and  transferred  to  the  Quartermaster 
General  Department,  and  served  under  Gen.  Wadswoith  to 
the  close  of  the  war.  Other  ancestors  of  Mr.  Murray's  were 
eiiually  prominent  in  other  walks  of  life.  Through  the 
maternal  line  Mr.  Murray  is  descended  from  Elder  \\'il- 
liam  Brewster,  who  came  in  the  Mayllower,  and  from  the 
Starr,  Eldridge,  and  Billings  families,  well  known  in  the 
Colonial  history  of  New  P^ngland.  Shortly  after  the 
birth  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  his  parents  removed  to 
Binghamton,  this  State,  and  five  years  later  came  to  the 
Metroi)olis.  He  was  prepared  for  college  in  private  and 
boarding  schools,  entered  Mount  Pleasant  Military  Acad- 
emy, and  was  graduated  as  valedictorian  of  his  class.  He 
at  once  began  the  stuily  of  law,  in  the  office  of  his  uncle, 
Hon.  Charles  I).  Murray,  of  Dunkirk,  N.  Y.,  where  he  re- 
mained three  years.  He  came  to  the  city,  and  finished  his 
studies  in  the  office  of  another  uncle,   Hon.  Samuel  G. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


263 


Courtney,  Ex-United  States  Attorney  for  the  Southern 
District  of  New  York,  upon  whose  death  Mr.  Murray  suc- 
ceeded to  his  large  law  practice.  Mr.  Murray  has  devoted  his 
attention  princij)ally  to  corporation,  surrogate,  insurance 
and  mercantile  laws,  and  has  won  an  enviable  position  at 
the  New  York  Bar,  where  he  enjoys  the  respect  and  esteem 
of  both  judges  and  colleagues.  Since  1884  he  has  been 
prominently  identified  with  politics,  and  displayed  remark- 
able qualification  as  a  successful  leader.  Since. 1886  he 
has  been  President  of  the  Enrolled  Republicans  of  the  Third 
Assembly  District  and  in  1889  was  chosen  leader  of  that 
district,  a  position  he  still  occu])ies,  much  to  the  success  of 
his  party.  In  1890  President  Harrison  appointed  him  U.  S. 
Supervisor  of  the  Census  for  the  First  District  of  New  York, 
and  in  1891  he  was  appointed  special  Assistant  U.  S. 
District  Attorney  and  Counsel  to  the  Commissioner  of  Im- 
migration of  the  Port  of  New  York,  all  of  which  positions  he 
filled  in  an  able  and  satisfactory  manner.  In  1892  he  was 
a  delegate  to  the  National  Convention  at  Minneapolis.  His 


CHARLES  H.  MURRAY. 


opinions  are  sought  on  political  questions  involving  State 
and  municipal  politics,  and  his  voice  carries  weight  in  the 
deliberations  of  his  party  for  which  he  has  so  faithfully 
worked.  Mr.  Murray's  private,  public  and  professional 
career  has  been  so  conducted  as  to  not  only  perpetuate  the 
name  he  bears,  but  also  to  add  lustre  to  it.  He  is  one  of 
the  founders  of  the  Society  of  Colonial  Wars  and  its  Deputy 
General  Governor  for  New  York  State;  is  a  member  of  the 
Cincinnati  Society,  and  its  Vice-President  in  the  State  of 
Connecticut,  and  belongs  to  the  Society  of  the  Sons  of  Re- 
volution, Sons  of  American  Revolution,  Loyal  Legion, 
and  is  one  of  the  Board  of  Direction  of  the  Society 
of  181 2.  He  is  and  for  many  years  has  been  the 
President  of  the  Lincoln  Republican  Club  of  the  Third 
Assembly  District,  which  has  increased  in  membership 
under  his  management.  Mr.  Murray  was  married  to  Miss 
Grace  Peckham,  daughter  of  Dr.  Fenner  Peckham,  of 
Providence,  and  resides  at  No.  25  Madison  Avenue. 


D.  B.  IVISON, 

President  of  the  American  Book  Company,  is  descended 
from  Scotch  stock.  His  father,  Henry  Ivison,  was  the 
organizer  of  the  firm  of  Ivison,  Blakeman,  Taylor  &  Com- 
pany. Mr.  Ivison  took  his  father's  place  in  that  firm,  in- 
heriting not  only  his  position,  but  his  sterling  integrity  and 
uprightness.  He  entered  the  business  in  1857,  at  the  age 
of  twenty-two  years,  and  rose  by  industry  and  application 
to  the  most  prominent  position,  enabling  his  father  to  retire 
in  1880  and  spend  a  few  years  in  quiet.  Mr.  Ivison  has 
l)een  an  elder  in  the  Presbyterian  Church  since  1863,  and  is 
active  in  all  good  works.  The  American  Book  Company 
was  incorporated  in  the  spring  of  1890,  in  New  Jersey,  for 
the  purpose  of  publishing  school  books.  Instead  of  pro- 
curing manuscripts  of  uncertain  worth  and  awaiting  the 
tedious  process  of  testing  the  value  of  new  books,  the  com- 
pany purchased  of  several  firms  the  best  and  most  popular 
books  in  the  market,  thus  securing  a  trade  from  the  begin- 
ning.   The  purchased  list  of  school  books  were  those  for- 


D.  B.  IVISON. 

merly  owned  by  D.  Appleton  &  Co.,  A.  S.  Barnes  &  Co., 
Ivison,  Blakeman  &  Co.,  Van  Antwerp,  Bragg  <5v:  Co.,  and 
the  common  school  books  of  Harper  Brothers.  Three  of 
these  firms  dissolved  and  went  out  of  business.  The  mo- 
tive that  led  to  the  creation  of  this  company  was  the  wide- 
spread demand  on  the  part  of  the  people  that  standard 
school  books  should  be  procurable  at  low  rates.  Prompt 
steps  were  taken  to  accomplish  this  purpose.  The  first 
announcement  of  the  American  Book  Company  made 
known  better  rates  and  terms  than  were  ever  before  given, 
and,  to  prevent  any  exorbitant  prices,  even  in  the  remotest 
parts  of  the  country,  the  company  delivers  books  by  mail, 
postpaid,  at  their  former  wholesale  prices.  The  list  of  pub- 
lications owned  by  the  American  Book  Company  embraces 
about  three  thousand  items,  covering  all  the  branches  usually 
taught  in  the  common  schools  and  high  schools  of  this 
country.  In  every  branch  of  study  they  own  the  books 
that  have  acquired  the  most  extensive  sale  by  reason  of 


264 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


their  adaptation  to  school  work.  This  has  enabled  com- 
petitors to  charge  the  company  with  being  a  "trust."  The 
fact  is  true  that  the  company  does  own  the  best  books,  but 
there  are  nearly  a  hundred  competing  publishers  owning 
thousands  of  books  that  are  pressing  for  a  place  in  public 
favor.  The  American  Book  Company  has  published  many 
new  books  since  its  formation  and  has  others  in  prepara- 
tion. It  is  its  purpose  to  provide  books  for  every  new 
demand,  and  to  sustain  the  reputation  of  its  list  as  at  the 
head  of  this  line  of  publication.  The  company  has  for  its 
directors  twelve  men  of  the  widest  experience  in  the  busi- 
ness :  W.  H.  Appleton,  W.  W.  Appleton,  I).  Appleton,  H. 
T.  Ambrose,  A.  C.  Barnes,  H.  B.  Barnes,  C.  J.  Barnes,  B. 
Blakeman,  C.  S.  Bragg,  A.  H.  Hinkle,  D.  B.  Ivison,  and  H. 
H.  Vail.  Under  the  control  of  the  board  and  selected  (rom 
this  number  is  an  Executive  Committee  of  three,  at  present 
consisting  of  H.  T.  Ambrose,  A.  C.  Barnes  and  H.  H. 
Vail.  The  Executive  Committee  is  responsible  for  the 
daily  conduct  of  the  business  in  all  its  departments,  and  its 
meetings  are  governed  by  the  President,  who  acts  as  Chair- 
man. 


WILLIAM    W.  FLANNAGAN. 

There  is  no  section  of  the  United  States  which  looks  to 
New  York  as  the  Metro])olis  par  excellence  as  intently  as 
the  South.  Seeing  in  this  city  a  broad  field  for  their  abil- 
ities. Southerners  come  here  to  win  fame  or  fortune,  or 
both  ;  as  a  consequence  we  meet  successful  Southern  gen- 
tlemen in  all  departments  of  finance,  trade,  and  commerce, 
as  well  as  in  the  professions.  Prominent  among  such  success- 
ful business  men  is  William  W.  Flannagan,  President  of  the 
Southern  National  Bank.  He  was  born  in  Charlottesville, 
Albemarle  County,  Va.,  on  November  6,  1843,  and  comes 
of  good  old  American  stock  of  Irish  and  English  descent 
His  father,  B.  C.  Flannagan,  was  a  leading  merchant  and 
banker  in  Charlottesville.  The  founder  of  the  American 
family  settled  in  Albemarle  County  before  the  Revolution, 
and  his  grandfather  and  great-grandfather  on  the  paternal 
side  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits.  From  the  Gilmer 
papers  of  the  Virginia  Historical  Society  it  appears  that 
Wittle  Flannagan,  his  ancestor,  was  one  of  the  signers 
of  a  declaration  of  independence,  together  with  Thomas 
Jefferson  and  other  residents  of  Albemarle  County, 
])rior  to  the  issuance  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence 
ultimately  adopted  in  1776.  William  Flannagan,  grand- 
father of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  fought  in  the  war  of 
1 81 2-14.  On  the  maternal  side,  his  great-grandfather  was 
John  Timberlake,  an  Englishman  who  lived  at  Shadwell 
Mills,  which  he  owned,  where  Thomas  Jefferson  was  born. 
His  son.  Rev.  Walker  Timberlake,  was  a  prominent  farmer, 
who  followed  his  business  on  week  days  and  on  Sundays 
acted  as  pastor  of  "  Temple  Hill,"  one  of  the  old-fashioned 
meeting  houses  in  that  section.  Mr.  Flannagan  was  edu- 
cated i)rimarily  in  a  select  school  at  Edge  Hill,  Albemarle 
County,  under  Colond  Frank  G.  Ruffin,  son-in-law  of 
Thomas  Jefferson  Randolph,  who  was  a  grandson  of 
Thomas  Jefferson.  Mr.  Ruffin  was  afterwards  Auditor  of 
the  State  of  Virginia.  He  was  next  sent  to  the  Albemarle 
Military  Institute  at  Charlottesville,  in  charge  of  Col.  John 
Bowie  Strange,  who  distinguished  himself  in  the  Civil  War 
and  fell  at  the  battle  of  Sharpsburg.  From  1858  to  1861 
Mr.  Flannagan  attended  the  famous  academy  presided  over 
by  Dr.  Gessner  Harrison.  This  institution  had  many  dis- 
tinguished graduates  of  the  University  of  Virginia  in  charge 
of  its  various  departments.  Prominent  Southern  families 
were  represented  among  the  students,  many  of  whom  sub- 
se(]uently  became  celebrated.  Several  of  them  died  on  the 
field  of  battle,  but  among  the  survivors  who  were  classmates 
of  Mr.  Flannagan,  we  find  such  men  as  the  Hon.  John  W. 
Daniel,  United   States  Senator  from  Virginia ;  Thomas 


Jones,  Governor  of  .Alabama  ;  J.  F.  Epps,  Congressman 
from  V  irginia  ;  Robert  Goldthwaite,  of  -Alabama,  and  T.  B. 
Dallas,  of  Tennessee,  and  many  other  well-known  men. 
From  there  he  went  to  a  temporary  military  school,  organ- 
ized at  the  University  of  Virginia,  and  ultimately  Avas  en-  * 
tered  at  the  Virginia  Military  Institute  at  Lexington,  Va., 
whence  he  graduated  in  the  class  of  1863.  Stonewall 
Jackson  had  been  professor  in  this  institute.  He  enlisted 
in  October,  1863,  in  the  Confederate  army,  was  attached  to 
the  First  Regiment  of  Mining  Engineers  as  Orderly  Ser- 
geant of  Company  I,  but  soon  had  himself  transferred  to 
McGregor's  Battery  of  the  Stuart  Horse  .Artillery,  which 
gave  him  all  the  fighting  he  was  looking  for.  He  was  pro- 
moted to  Corporal  in  his  first  battle,  and  when  McGregor 
was  made  Major,  was  promoted  to  be  .Adjutant  of  the  Bat- 
talion, his  commission  having  been  signed  and  forwarded, 
but  was  not  received  because  of  the  surrender  of  Appomat- 
tox. The  company  he  belonged  to,  though  at  Appomattox 
Court  House,  was,  however,  not  captured  ;  it  marched  from 
.Appomattox  to  Lynchburg  on  April  9,  and  was  there  dis- 
banded. After  the  surrender  Mr.  Flannagan  borrowed 
$1,000,  and  opened  a  country  store  in  Port  Republic,  Va.. 
which  he  sold  a  year  later  at  a  profit  of  §1,600,  and  obtained 
the  position  of  Cashier  of  the  Virginia  Loan  and  Trust 
Company  at  Charlottesville,  Va.  The  Trust  Company  was 
afterwards  merged  in  the  Citizens'  National  Bank,  which 
was  in  turn  consolidated  with  the  Charlottesville  National. 
He  was  in  1875  elected  cashier  of  the  People's  Bank  of 
Charlottesville,  which  was  in  1881  made  a  National  Bank, 
and  in  1885  was  elected  cashier  of  the  Commercial  National 
Bank  of  New  York,  when  that  institution  was  founded, 
with  a  capital  of  S!30o,ooo.  Hy  this  time  his  financial 
capacity  and  executive  ability  were  established,  and  in  1890 
he  was  elected  to  his  present  position  as  President  of  the 
Southern  National  Bank,  its  capital  having  been  increased  to 
$1,000,000.  In  the  management  of  this  bank  he  has  been 
brilliantly  successful.  Mr.  Flannagan,  needless  to  state, 
occujjies  a  high  social  position.  He  was  married  at  Lex- 
ington, Va.,  on  September  17,  1863,  to  Miss  Fanny  Jordan, 
of  an  old  Southern  family,  who  was  herself  one  of  the 
reigning  beauties  of  the  South.  He  is  an  officer  in  the  vari- 
ous banking  institutions  named,  is  trustee  of  St.  John's  Guild, 
Lieut.  Commander  of  the  Confederate  Veteran  Camp  of  New 
York,  member  of  the  executive  committee  of  the  Southern 
Society,  and  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  of  New  York,  trea- 
surer of  All  .Angels'  Church,  and  is  connected  with  many 
banks,  financial  institutions  and  corporations.  He  is  a  mem- 
l)er  of  the  Manhattan  C'lub,  Colonial  Club,  and  the  Players',  of 
this  city.  He  is  an  authority  on  finance,  and  it  was  he  who  first 
suggested  the  "Guarantee  Fund,  or  Security  for  Deposits," 
at  an  address  he  delivered  before  the  .American  Bankers' 
convention  at  Chicago  in  1885.  He  is  author  of  several 
pamphlets  on  questions  of  currency  and  finance,  including 
one  on  the  utilization  of  "  Silver  as  a  Basis  for  Bank  Circu- 
lation," and  the  "  Necessity  for  a  Bank  Circulation,"  along 
the  lines  which  are  now  being  advocated  by  Congressman 
Harter,  of  Ohio. 


P.   HENRY  DUGRO. 

The  Hon.  P.  Henry  Dugro,  one  ot  the  J ustices  of  the 
Superior  Court,  was  born  in  New  York  City  in  1855.  He 
received  his  early  education  in  the  ])ublic  schools  of  the 
city,  and  graduated  from  Columbia  College  in  1876.  In 
1878  he  graduated  from  Columbia  Law  School,  was  admit- 
te(i  to  the  bar  immediately  afterward  and  began  the  i)rac- 
tice  of  law.  In  the  fall  of  1878,  although  then  only  twenty- 
three  years  of  age,  he  was  elected  to  the  .Assembly  from  the 
Fourteenth  District,  and  in  iSSo  he  was  elected  to  Con- 
gress from  the  Seventh  Congressional  District.  In  1883  he 
was  nominated  for  Comj)troller,  but  declined  on  account  of 


266 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


the  death  of  his  father.  In  1886  he  was  elected  to  the 
place  on  the  Superior  Court  bench  which  he  now  fills  with 
credit  to  himself  and  full  satisfaction  to  the  public.  In 
1890  he  commenced  the  erection  of  the  magnificent  Savoy 
Hotel,  at  Fifty-ninth  Street  and  Fifth  Avenue,  which  he 
finished  in  the  spring  of  1892,  and  leased  to  the  Savoy 
Hotel  Company,  of  which  corporation  he  is  Treasurer. 


WILLIAM   WALLACE  FARMER 

Is  the  representative  and  leading  light  of  the  old  estab- 
lished type  founding  firm  of  A.  D.  Farmer  &  Son,  well 
known  and  respected  as  the  Old  New  York  Type  Foundry, 
and  the  bitter  opponent  and  successful  rival  of  the  American 
Type  P'ounding  Trust.  Mr.  Farmer  was  born  in  Brooklyn 
on  January  12,  1851,  and  educated  at  the  Polytechnic.  He 
graduated  in  1868,  and  began  his  business  career  in  his 
father's  office.     He  served  an  apprenticeship  of  eleven 


years,  becoming  ])roficient  in  every  branch  of  the  foundry 
business,  and  in  1881  was  taken  in  as  junior  partner.  Mr. 
Farmer  married  Miss  Annie  Jones,  of  Brooklyn,  in  1868, 
and  he  had  one  son,  but  the  mother  and  child  died.  He 
married  again  in  1888,  Mamie,  daughter  of  E.  M.  Knowles, 
a  well-known  banker  of  Wall  Street.  By  this  marriage  an- 
other son  was  born,  who  also  died  young.  Mr.  F;irmer  is  a 
social  favorite.  He  belongs  to  the  Colonial  Club,  the 
Fulton  Club  and  the  Riverside  Yacht  Club,  and  he  resides 
at  the  Osborne  Flats,  on  Fifty-seventh  Street.  Aaron  I). 
I'armer,  the  senior  member  of  the  Old  New  York  Type 
I'oundry,  was  born  in  Bolton,  Tolland  County,  Conn.,  in 
January,  1816.  He  was  educated  in  the  common  schools, 
and  at  the  early  age  of  fourteen  he  came  to  New  York.  He 


entered  Elihu  White's  foundry,  and  worked  his  way  up 
until  he  became  a  partner,  and  is  now  the  head  of  the  old 
firm.  The  history  of  the  Farmer  Type  Foundry  is  very 
interesting.  It  was  first  established  by  Elihu  White,  at 
Hartford,  Conn.,  as  far  back  as  1804.  In  1810  the  busi-  », 
ness  was  removed  to  New  York,  and  became  well  known  as 
the  Old  New  York  Type  Foundry.  Mr.  White  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Charles  T.  White  iJv:  Co.,  and  in  1857  the  firm 
was  changed  to  Farmer,  Little  <S:  Co.  For  many  years  the 
business  was  carried  on  prosperously  under  this  title,  and  it 
was  not  until  May,  1892,  that  the  present  firm,  calling  itself 
the  A.  D.  Farmer  &  Son  Type  Founding  Company,  became 
the  sole  owners.  For  over  forty  years  the  name  of  Farmer 
has  been  identified  with  the  history  and  progress  of  typogra- 
phy in  America. 


ALFRED    C.  BARNES. 

General  Alfred  C.  Barnes  was  born  in  Philadelphia, 
Pa.,  October  27,  1842,  but  has  resided  since  early  childhood 
in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  He  is  the  eldest  son  of  Alfred  S. 
Barnes,  founder  of  the  great  publishing  house  of  A.  S. 
]5arnes  &  Company  ;  his  mother  was  a  daughter  of 
(ieneral  Timothy  Burr,  Commissary  of  the  Western  United 
States  Army  in  181 2.  General  Barnes  received  a  thorough 
English  and  classical  training  at  the  Brooklyn  Polytechnic 
Institute,  and  at  an  early  age  entered  the  publishing  house  of 
hisfather,in  which  he  soon  becamea  partner.  Hismilitary  rec- 
ord is  a  brilliant  one.  December  15,  i860,  Mr.  Barnes  enlisted 
in  Company  C,  Seventh  Regiment,  National  Guard,  taking 
part  in  the  memorable  march  of  that  regiment  to  the  front 
in  April,  1861.  In  November,  1862,  he  was  transferred  to 
Company  E,  Twenty- third  Regiment,  N.  G.,  and  was 
identified  with  it  during  its  efficient  service  in  the  civil  war. 
He  was  appointed  Sergeant  in  1863,  participating  in  the 
campaign  around  Gettysburg  ;  and  was  elected  First 
Lieutenant,  Company  E,  May  10,  1864,  resigning  December 
26,  1867.  After  nine  years  of  retirement  he  was  elected 
Major  of  the  same  regiment  in  1876,  and  commanded  a 
detachment  of  the  regiment  during  a  very  critical  period  in 
the  riots  of  July,  1877.  In  1880,  Major  Barnes  was 
appointed  by  Governor  Cornell,  (ieneral  Insp  ctor  of  Rifle 
Practice,  S  N.  Y.,  with  the  rank  of  Brigadier  General.  In 
this  capacity  he  was  one  of  the  Commission  which  located 
and  constructed  the  State  Camp  at  Peekskill.  He  was 
also  assigned  to  the  agreeable  duty  of  receiving  and  enter- 
taining the  descendants  of  Lafayette,  De  Kalb  and 
Rochambeau  at  the  time  of  the  Yorktown  celebration.  He 
subsequently  became  Colonel  of  the  Thirteenth  Regiment, 
N.  G.,  when  his  rank  of  brigadier  general  was  confirmed  by 
brevet.  The  regiment  attained  great  prosperity  under  his 
command.  General  Barnes  was  originally  a  republican  in 
politics.  He  was  for  several  terms  president  of  the 
Republican  Association  of  the  Twentieth  Ward  (then  the 
''banner"  Republican  ward)  of  Brooklyn,  and  acted  as 
chairman  of  numerous  ])olitical  conventions,  including  that 
which  nominated  Seth  Low  for  Mayor  of  Brooklyn.  He 
subseijuently  became  a  democrat,  and  is  now  enrolled  with 
that  party.  He  never  was  a  candidate  for  any  position  of 
emolument  in  the  public  service,  though  solicited  to  accept 
nomination  as  congressman  or  mayor.  In  1890  the  firm  of 
A.  S.  Barnes  &  Company  sold  its  educational  publications 
to  the  American  Book  Company,  the  most  extensive 
])ublishing  house  in  the  world.  Of  this  concern  General 
]5arnes  is  V'ice-President.  He  was  ai)i)ointed  a  Trustee  of 
the  New  York  and  Brooklyn  Bridge  in  1879,  and  served 
continuously  (receiving  six  rea])poinlments)  until  the  reor- 
ganization of  the  Board  as  a  jiaid  commission  in  1893.  As 
chairman  of  the  Finance  Committee  he  supervised  the 
immense  ex]HMi(litures  made  upon  the  bridge,  and  also 
devised  the  terminal  structures  and  fa<  ilities  now  being  i)ut 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


267 


into  operation  on  the  Brooklyn  side,  which  are  known  in  his 
honor  as  the  "  Barnes  plans."  At  the  time  of  his  retirement 
he  was  the  oldest  trustee  in  continuous  service.  General 
Barnes  founded  the  Oxford  Club  in  Brooklyn,  in  1880,  and 
was  its  first  President.  He  has  also  served  as  President  of 
the  Aldine  Club  in  New  York,  and  as  a  Director  of  the 
Hamilton  Club  in  Brooklyn.  He  is  a  Trustee  of  Cornell 
University,  in  connection  with  which  lie  founded  the 
Barnes  Reference  Library  at  Ithaca,  and  is,  or  has  been,  a 
Trustee  of  the  Adelphi  Academy,  and  of  the  Polytechnic 
Institute  of  Brooklyn,  a  Director  of  the  Brooklyn  Hospital, 
President  of  Brooklyn  Home  for  Consumptives,  Director 
and  President  of  the  Brooklyn  Library,  etc.,  etc.  He  is 
also  a  member  of  the  New  York  Chamber  of  Commerce,  of 
the  Sons  of  the  Revolution,  of  Post  Lafayette,  G.  A.  R., 
and  of  the  Veteran  Associations  of  Thirteenth  and  Twenty- 
third  Regiments,  being  President  of  the  latter  In  con- 
nection with  his  business  as  a  publisher  Mr.  Barnes  has 
cultivated  literary  tastes,  possesses  a  large  library,  and 
frequently  writes  for  the  press.  He  is  also  kindly  received 
as  a  public  speaker  upon  occasion.  Upon  the  removal  of 
his  business  from  John  Street  to  Broadway  near  Eleventh 
Street,  a  few  years  ago,  he  was  impressed  with  the  lack  of 
banking  facilities  in  the  neighborhood,  and  thereupon 
organized  the  Astor  Place  Bank,  now  a  very  prosperous 
institution,  of  which  he  is  the  President.  Mr.  Harnes 
married  in  1863  Josephine  E.,  daughter  of  Henry  A. 
Richardson,  Escj.  They  have  two  living  children,  Harriet, 
the  wife  of  Truman  H.  Newberry,  Escj.,  of  Detroit,  and 
Victor,  who  holds  a  position  of  responsibility  in  the  manu- 
facturing establishment  of  A.  S.  Barnes  &  Company  in 
Brooklyn.  As  may  be  inferred  from  his  activity  in  Brook- 
lyn matters  Mr.  Barnes  resides  in  that  city,  in  a  mansion 
remodelled  by  himself  in  1886,  on  Pierrepont  Street,  facing 
Monroe  Place.  The  building  is  an  unusual  and  impressive 
example  of  "  modern  Gothic"  architecture,  with  tower  and 
gable,  adapted  to  the  exigencies  of  a  city  street.  This 
residence  is  fdled  with  curious  and  costly  objects  brought 
from  many  foreign  lands,  for  General  Barnes  has  frequently 
visited  Europe,  and  in  1892-3  with  his  wife  circum- 
navigated the  world. 


J    SELWIN  TAIT. 

Mr.  J.  Selwin  Tait,  President  of  the  Publishing  House 
which  bears  his  name  (J.  Selwin  Tait  &:  Sons)  is  both  author 
and  publisher.  He  is  a  native  of  Langholm,  Dumfriesshire, 
and  was  reared  and  educated  among  the  scenes  on  the 
Scottish  Border  immortalized  by  Sir  Walter  Scott  in  the 
"  Lay  of  the  Last  Minstrel,"  "Lochinvar,"  etc.  A  boyhood 
and  youth  spent  among  the  romantic  associations  insepar- 
able from  such  a  biithplace  could  scarcely  fail  to  imbue  the 
young  mind  with  a  strong  taste  for  literature,  and  in  Mr. 
Tait's  case  the  seed  sown  in  early  life  was  of  that  vital  kind 
which  was  destined,  sooner  or  later,  to  bear  fruit  in  spite  of 
opposing  circumstances.  On  completing  his  education,  Mr. 
Tait  ei::tered  the  British  Linen  Comj)any  Bank,  one  of  Scot- 
land's most  venerable  banking  institutions,  and  having  mas- 
tereS  the  science  and  practice  of  banking  in  its  severest 
school  he  joined  the  London  and  South  Western  Bank,  of 
which,  two  years  later,  he  was  appointed  a  Branch  Manager 
in  the  English  metropolis.  Mr.  Tait  was  then  in  his  twenty- 
third  year,  and  the  promotion  was  so  far  remarkable  inas- 
much as  he  was  the  youngest  bank  manager  ever  appointed 
in  London.  During  subsequent  years  Mr.  Tait's  duties 
were  very  considerably  increased,  until  he  occupied  the 
unique  position  of  acting  as  Manager  for  six  London  Branch 
Banks  simultaneously.  After  several  years  of  such  weighty 
responsibilities  he  retired  from  banking  in  order  to  devote 
his  attention  exclusively  to  his  own  affairs.  Mr.  Tait  came 
to  the  United  States  in  1881  for  the  purpose  of  having  his 


four  sons  educated  in  this  country,  where  he  considered  the 
outlook  for  young  men  was  better  than  at  home.  Since  his 
arrival  here  he  has  contributed  very  largely  on  financial 
questions  to  the  Evetting  Post,  Forum,  etc.,  and  has  written 
several  works,  prominent  among  which  are  "  National  Banks 
and  Government  Circulation,"  "  Cattle  Fields  of  the  Ear 
West;"  and,  in  fiction,  "  Who  is  the  Man  ?  "  "  My  Friend 
Pasquale,'  etc.  Mr.  Tait  was  elected  a  Fellow  of  the  Royal 
Society  of  Literature  (of  London)  in  187  r,  and  has  always 
been  regarded  as  a  high  authority  on  all  literary  cpiestions, 
as  his  admission  to  that  distinguished  body  will  indicate. 

W.  D.  MANN. 

Colonel  Mann,  publisher  of  Town  Topics,  is  an  Ohioan, 
having  been  born  in  Sandusky  City,  in  1839.  He  served 
during  the  War  with  the  Michigan  Cavalrv,  organizing  two 
or  three  regiments,  and  two  batteries  of  light  artillery,  which 
afterwards  formed  the  Brigade  which  Sheridan  said  was  the 
best  cavalry  he  ever  commanded.  Colonel  Mann  is  some- 
thing of  an  inventor,  having  devised  during  the  War  valu- 
able improvements  in  accoutrements  and  ec[uipments  for 


W.  D.  MANN. 

the  army,  and  later  on,  the  famous  "  Boudoir  Cars,"  which 
he  introduced  in  Europe  in  1872,  and  in  this  country  in 
1883.  He  resided  many  years  in  Europe,  and  has  a  very 
extensive  acquaintance  among  i)rominent  people  there,  is  a 
good  deal  of  a  linguist,  and  frecpiently  writes  strong  articlts 
in  his  paper  on  politics,  finance,  and  various  material 
questions  of  the  day.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Loyal  Legion, 
the  Lotos,  United  Service,  and  several  other  clubs,  an 
ardent  sportsman,  and  a  devotee  to  equestrian  exercise  and 
whist.  Town  Topics,  published  at  21  West  Twenty-third 
Street,  was  founded  in  1885  by  T.  J.  Oakley  Rhinelander, 
Doctor  William  A.  Hammond,  W.  G.  V.  T.  Sutphen,  James 
B.  Townsend,  George  Wotherspoon,  and  others  as  a  society 
and  fashion  journal.  The  ])aper  was  soon  after  purchased 
by  Mr.  E.  D.  Mann.  In  1886,  its  style  and  tone  were  con- 
siderably changed,  putting  it  more  in  line  with  its  London 


268 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


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NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


269 


prototypes,  Truth,  and  the  World,  and  making  it  a  very 
sensational  personal  journal.  This  change  seemed  to  hit  a 
vein  of  popularity,  and  the  circulation  grew  very  rapidly. 
In  1 89 1,  owing  to  a  breaking  down  of  health,  Mr.  E.  I). 
Mann  retired  and  was  succeeded  in  the  management  by 
(Colonel  W.  1).  Mann,  who  had  considerable  journalistic  ex- 
perience following  the  close  of  the  War  in  publishing,  as 
proprietor,  the  old  Mobile  Daily  Register  and  the  Alobile 
Evening  Ne^vs.  He  very  promptly  enlarged  Town.  Topics 
to  thirty-two  pages,  increased  its  editorial  staff,  introduced 
new  features,  such  as  high  class  stories  by  the  famous  writ- 
ers of  the  day,  and  generally  pushed  the  paj^c-r  with  so  much 
energy  and  tact  that  to  day  it  is  universally  known  on  the 
North  American  continent,  and  read  by  the  Four  Hundred, 
that  is  to  say,  society  people,  everywhere.  It  devotes  very 
much  attention  to  financial  matters,  and  that  department 
is  conducted  with  such  ability  as  to  gain  for  the  paper  a 
great  number  of  readers  among  bankers,  investors,  and 
financiers. 

At  the  same  time  Colonel  Mann  founded  a  quarterly 
magazine  entitled  Tales  from  Town  Topics,  designed 
primarily  to  bring  to  the  surface  new  talent  in  novel  writing 
by  publishing  a  prize  story  in  each  number  in  connection 
with  the  best  stories,  poems,  etc.,  from  the  earlier  issues  of 
Town  Topics.  He  gives  from  Ss^o  to  $1,000  prize  each 
issue  for  stories  from  authors  whose  names  are  un 
known  until  the  prize  is  awarded.  It  has  already  gained 
a  large  circulation  all  over  the  world  where  English  is 
read. 


C.  C.  SHAYNE. 

Christopher  Columbus  Shayne,  one  of  the  leading 
American  fur  merchants,  was  born  in  Galway  village, 
Saratoga  Co.,  N.  Y.,  Sept.  29th,  1844.  He  was  educated 
in  the  academy  of  his  native  county,  and  at  the  age  of 
seventeen  left  his  home  to  seek  fame  and  fortune.  His 
first  occupation  was  News  Agent  on  the  New  York  Central 
R.  R.  from  Albany  to  Buffalo,  and  while  there  he  gained 
a  knowledge  of  human  nature  which  has  been  of  much 
value  during  his  busy  and  useful  life.  At  the  age  of 
nineteen  he  entered  the  service  of  C.  B.  Camp  &  Co.,  Cm- 
cinnati,  the  largest  fur  establishment  west  of  the  Alleghany 
Mountains. 

At  the  age  of  21  he  was  admitted  as  partner,  and 
three  years  later,  1868,  started  in  business  for  himself, 
having  in  that  year  married  the  daughter  of  Duncan  Sloan, 
of  Pomeroy,  Ohio.  At  this  time  Mr.  Shayne  was  an 
active  member  of  the  Baptist  Church,  a  member  of  the 
Odd  Fellows,  and  on  the  committee  of  five  appointed 
by  the  Grand  Master  of  the  State  to  take  charge  of  the 
State  fund.  He  was  one  of  the  most  active  in  raising  the 
$40,000  inside  of  ten  days  for  the  relief  of  sufferers  from 
the  Chicago  fire.  He  was  also  member  of  Knights  of 
Pythias,  and  was  nominated  for  Grand  Chancellor  of  the 
State,  but  declined  on  account  of  his  time  being  devoted  to 
his  business.  Mr.  Shayne  recognized  the  fact  that  Cin- 
cinnati would  never  become  a  fur  centre,  so  in  1873  he  sold 
out  his  business  there  and  removed  to  New  York,  establish- 
ing the  fur  house  of  C.  C.  Shayne,  which  has  become  known 
and  famous  all  over  the  world,  not  only  as  one  of  the  largest 
distinctive  fur  houses,  but  as  one  of  the  most  reliable  His 
new  building  on  Forty-second  Street,  between  Broadway 
and  Sixth  Avenue,  is  fifty  feet  wide,  100  feet  deep  and  five 
stories  in  height.  Mr.  Shayne's  trade  extends  to  all  parts 
of  the  world  where  furs  are  worn  as  an  article  of  dress,  and 
his  styles  are  generally  recognized  and  adopted  by  fur 
dealers  throughout  the  country.  All  goods  of  his  own  manu- 
facture are  marked  with  the  firm  name  of  C.  C.  Shayne, 
which  is  a  guarantee  for  their  quality  and  durability.  Not- 
withstanding his  large  business  interests  Mr,  Shayne  con- 


tinues to  take  an  active  part  in  social  and  political  affairs. 
He  is  an  active  member  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  and 
Board  of  Trade  and  Transportation,  and  is  a  member  of 
the  Committee  of  One  Hundred.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Ohio 
Society  and  was  one  of  its  Governors  for  three  years,  and 
has  been  President  of  the  Manufacturing  Furriers'  Associa- 
tion for  many  years.  Mr.  Shayne  is  a  great  admirer  of 
Gladstone  and  was  (Chairman  of  the  Committee  rejjresenting 
50,000  Americans,  who  contributed  to  the  grand  testimonial 
in  recognition  of  his  services  in  behalf  of  Home  Rule  for 
Ireland. 

He  was  also  Chairman  of  the  Trades  and  Professions 
Parliamentary  Fund  Association,  which  raised  and  for- 
warded $150,000  to  aid  the  cause.  In  politics  Mr.  Shayne 
is  a  Republican,  is  Vice-President  of  the  National  League 
of  Clubs  of  the  United  States,  is  President  of  the  Hatters' 
and  Furriers'  Republican  Club,  Vice  President  of  the  Busi- 
ness Men's  Republican  Association  and  member  of  the 
Campaign  Committee  of  the  Republican  Club  of  the  City  of 
New  York.  Mr.  Shayne  is  a  ready  and  forcible  speaker. 
In  the  campaign  of  1888  he  took  the  stump  for  Harrison 
and  Morton,  made  eighteen  set  speeches,  making  many 
converts,  which  contributed  largely  to  carrying  the  Empire 
State.  He  also  went  to  Ohio  in  1890,  and  assisted  in 
carrying  that  State  for  McKinley.  Mr.  Shayne  was  unani- 
mously nominated  for  Congress  in  the  Fourteenth  Congres- 
sional District,  N.  Y.,  but  declined,  feeling  he  could  hardly 
serve  two  masters  well — his  business  and  the  public.  Mr. 
Shayne  is  a  Thirty-second  Degree  Mason,  served  as  Most 
Excellent  High  Priest  of  the  Royal  Arch  for  two  terms,  and 
also  as  Treasurer  of  Crescent  Lodge  for  two  terms.  He  is 
forty-nine  years  old,  enjoys  excellent  health,  has  a  fine  phy- 
sique and  carriage.  Altogether  a  man  to  attract  attention  in 
a  crowd  and  impress  favorably  all  those  with  whom  he  comes 
in  contact,  he  is  a  man  of  strong  convictions,  good  executive 
ability,  and  strict  integrity,  combined  with  a  kindly  dis- 
position, and  in  every  way  worthy  of  the  success  he  has 
attained,  in  not  only  securing  fortune,  but  the  respect  and 
affection  of  his  fellow  men.  Mr.  Shayne  has  a  delightful 
home  in  Galway,  Saratoga  Co.,  where  he  spends  a  portion  of 
his  summer  among  the  friends  of  his  school  boy  days. 


T.    C.  CAMPBELL. 

T.  C.  Campbell,  a  lawyer  of  national  repute,  was  born  in 
Rochester,  N.  Y.,  April  27,  1845,  and  while  still  a  child 
removed  with  his  parents  to  the  West.  When  sixteen  he 
enlisted  in  the  Federal  army  and  served  with  distinction 
throughout  the  war,  being  mustered  out  in  October,  1865, 
with  the  rank  of  Lieutenant.  At  the  Grand  Army  National 
Convention  in  1867  he  was  elected  Quartermaster-General 
on  the  staff  of  Commander-in-Chief  John  A.  Logan,  and 
was  chosen  editor  of  The  Republic,  the  Grand  Army  organ 
of  Ohio.  He  subsequently  purchased  the  publication  and 
successfully  edited  it  until  March,  1870,  when  ill  health 
compelled  him  to  part  with  it.  Mr.  Campbell  was  elected 
a  member  of  the  City  Council  of  Cincinnati  in  1869,  and 
was  appointed  Assistant  Revenue  Collector,  which  position 
he  held  for  two  years.  His  legal  training  was  gained  in 
the  Cincinnati  Law  College,  from  which  he  graduated  in 
1870,  was  elected  District  Attorney  of  Cincinnati  in  1871, 
and  re-elected  in  1873,  being  the  only  person  elected  on  the 
Republican  ticket  that  year.  In  1875  he  became  general 
counsel  for  the  Cincinnati  Ittquirer,  and  was  elected  by  the 
Ohio  Legislature  special  counsel  to  conduct  the  bribery 
investigations  before  the  Assembly  in  1877.  In  1880  he 
was  selected  counsel  for  the  Cincinnati  Gazette,  and  for  ten 
years  successfully  defended  many  important  libel  suits 
against  the  paper.  In  1876  he  appeared  as  counsel  for  the 
Republican  Committee  in  the  contested  election  cases  and 


270 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


convicted  a  score  or  more  of  persons  of  election  frauds. 
While  Mr.  Campbell  devoted  his  attention  chiefly  to  the 
civil  departments  of  the  law,  he  won  an  international  reputa- 
tion as  a  brilliant  lawyer  in  the  successful  defence  of  sev- 
eral famous  murder  trials.  He  was  counsel  for  the  defend- 
ant in  the  celebrated  Berner  murder  case,  and,  despite  the 
loud  clamors  of  the  iiress  and  police  for  Berner's  convic- 
tion, he  got  his  client  off  with  a  verdict  of  manslaughter. 
The  Cincinnati  riot  was  the  outgrowth  of  this  verdict.  'I  he 
mob  burned  the  county  court-house,  and  in  the  riot  two 
hundred  persons  were  killed.  Political  enemies  directed 
the  mob  against  Mr.  Campbell,  and  when  the  crowd  threat- 
ened to  burn  his  house  and  murder  its  inmates,  he  armed 
himself  and  servants  with  Winchester  rifles,  defied  the  mob 
and  held  it  at  bay.  The  following  day  Mr.  Campbell,  with 
his  usual  sattg froui,  walked  to  his  office  and  attended  to 
business.  In  1884  he  established  the  Evenitig  Telegram, 
and  conducted  it  until  1887,  when  he  sold  his  interest  in 
order  to  come  to  the  Metropolis.    Mr.  Campbell  has  won 


T.  C.  CAMIM3ELL. 

an  enviable  position  at  the  New  York  bar,  secured  a  lucra- 
tive ])racti(  e,  and  has  been  ap])ointe(l  assignee  of  many  large 
mercantile  and  financial  corporations.  He  is  counsel  for 
Snow,  Church  &  Co.,  the  largest  mercantile  collection  house 
in  the  world,  and  is  senior  partner  in  the  law  firm  of  Cani])- 
bell  &  Murphy.  Mr.  Cam])bell  was  married  in  1868  to 
Miss  Emma  Wise,  daughter  of  Hamilton  J.  Wise,  of  Ohio, 
and  has  a  family  of  four  children,  Hamilton  J.,  George 
ihichwalter.  Miss  Catherine  and  Colin  Campbell,  the  two 
first  mentioned  sons  being  associated  in  business  with  their 
father.  Mr.  Camplicll  is  an  enthusiastic  Republican,  an 
eloquent  and  logical  camijaign  orator  and  a])rominent  figure 
in  all  important  political  issues.  For  four  years  he  was 
President  of  the  Hamilton  Club,  Cincinnati,  is  a  ])oi)ular 
member  of  the  New  York  Republican  Club  and  Treasurer 
of  the  Rajjid  Transit  League.  As  lawyer,  journalist  and 
man  of  affairs  he  has  displayed  great  versatility  of  talent 
and  been  equally  successful  in  each. 


JOHN  HENRY  McCARTHY. 
Judge  John  Henry  McCarthy,  of  the  C'ity  Court,  is  one 
of  the  ablest  jurists  now  upon  ihe  municipal  Bench.  He  is 
the  smallest  corporeally,  and  the  greatest  for  his  poi)ularity 
and  invariable  attention  to  the  cases  brought  before  him.  *• 
Judge  McCarthy  was  born  in  New  York,  November  i6th, 
1850  ;  his  education  was  begun  in  the  old  public  school  on 
Allen  Street,  between  Canal  and  Hester  Streets,  and  con- 
tinued with  the  Christian  Brothers,  first  at  the  Transfigura- 
tion School  on  Mott  Street,  and  then  at  St.  Patrick's  and  at 
the  De  la  Salle  Academy  and  at  St.  Francis  Xavier's 
College.  He  began  his  business  career  by  entering  the  law 
office  of  James  T.  Brady  and  William  C.  Traphagen. 
Owing  to  pressure  from  his  people,  he  soon  left  the  law 
and  sought  his  fortune  in  mercantile  pursuits.  He  entered 
the  office  of  Case,  Chapman  &  I.ockwood,  wholesale 
Yankee  notions  and  fancy  goods  dealers,  as  entry  clerk 
and  bookkeeper.  He  became  in  a  short  time  as  familiar 
with  the  character  and  quality  of  the  stock  as  any  of  the 


JOHN  HENRY  MLCWRinV, 

salesmen  connected  with  the  firm.  He  remained  there 
some  years,  but  his  desire  for  the  study  of  the  law  never 
forsook  him.  In  1871,  against  the  ad\ice  of  his  friends 
and  emjjloyers,  who  had  the  greatest  regard  for  him,  he 
returned  to  his  old  love,  the  law,  and  sought  experience  in 
the  office  of  David  McAdam,  afterwards  Chief  Justice  of 
the  City  Court  of  this  City,  and  who  is  now  Associate 
Justice  of  the  Superior  Court  of  this  City.  In  1873,  he 
was  admitted  to  the  Bar,  being  one  of  the  leaders  of  his 
class  ;  in  1874  he  joined  Daniel  T.  Robertson,  but  the 
firm  only  lasted  a  few  months.  Young  McCarthy  then 
started  alone,  and  soon  managed  to  get  together  a  large 
and  lucrative  ])ractice,  having  at  one  time  as  large  a  jjractice 
in  the  Marine  Court  of  this  City,  now  the  City  Court,  as  any 
lawver  at  the  Bar.  In  1879,  he  was  nominated,  against  his 
wish,  as  a  member  of  Assembly  for  the  Fourth  .\ssembly 
District,  and  was  elected  over  Hon.  John  J.  Blair  and 
Bernard  J.  Douras,  having  a  majority  over  both  these  men. 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


271 


He  ran  again  the  following  year,  and  received  all  the 
votes  except  8,  which  was  virtually  a  unanimous  election. 
This  was  the  memorable  Legislature  of  1881,  in  which 
Hon.  Roscoe  Conkling  and  Hon.  T.  C.  Piatt  resigned 
from  the  United  States  Senate.  The  session  was  the 
second  largest  in  the  history  of  the  State,  and  lasted  from 
January,  1881,  to  July  26,  i88r.  Hon.  Warner  Miller  and 
Hon.  E.  G.  Lapham  were  elected  at  this  session  to  fill  the 
places  of  Conkling  and  Piatt.  In  the  fall  of  1881,  Mr. 
McCarthy  was  nominated  for  Justice  of  the  Fifth  District 
Civil  Court,  by  the  Independents  of  the  Thomas  Jefferson 
Association  of  the  Fourth  Assembly  District,  which  he, 
with  Hon.  Thomas  Shiels  and  others,  had  organized,  and 
County  Democrats,  against  Hon.  Timothy  J.  Campbell,  then 
Civil  Justice,  and  seeking  a  re-election,  who  was  supported 
by  Tammany  Hall  Democrats  and  Republicans.  He  was 
elected  by  5,800  majority,  being  the  first  time  the  Judi- 
cial District  had  l)een  carried  against  the  Regular  Demo- 
cratic candidate,  this  year  the  candidate  being  Timothy  J. 
Campbell.  It  was  during  this  contest  he  was  called  "  I  he 
Little  Giant,"  and  ever  since  he  has  been  popularly  called 
and  known  by  that  title  or  "The  Little  Judge."  In  the 
fall  of  1888,  Mr.  McCarthy  was  nominated  for  Congress 
for  the  Eighth  Congressional  District  against  Hon.  Timothy 
J.  Campbell.  Campbell  had  opposed  McCarthy  in  the  ])re- 
vious  election,  and  after  the  result  had  been  declared  against 
McCarthy,  he,  McCarthy,  announced  that  he  would  be  can- 
didate at  the  next  election  against  Campbell.  The  election 
took  place  and  McCarthy  again  defeated  Campbell  by  a 
large  majority.  While  serving  his  term,  Congressman 
McCarthy  was  appointed  by  Governor  Hill  as  Justice  of 
the  City  Court  to  fill  the  vacancy  caused  by  the  eleva- 
tion to  the  Superior  Court  of  the  Judge's  preceptor,  Hon. 
David  McAdam.  In  1891,  Judge  McCarthy  was  re-elected, 
as  a  Tammany  candidate,  and  he  now  fills  the  position  with 
tact,  talent,  and  to  the  satisfaction  of  all.  The  Judge  is 
deservedly  popular,  he  is  a  hard  worker,  giving  the  most 
minute  attention  to  the  smallest  cases,  energetic  in  his 
business  methods,  forceful  in  his  action,  and  recognized 
as  a  clever  jurist  by  Bench  and  Bar.  He  is  looked  up  to  as 
one  of  the  rising  young  men  in  the  Judiciary,  and  he  is  ex- 
pected to  take  a  high  position  in  the  councils  of  the  Nation. 


NICHOLAS  R.  O'CONNOR. 

A  career  which  is  interesting,  both  from  a  political  and 
business  point  of  view,  is  that  of  Mr.  Nicholas  R.  O'Connor. 
Mr.  O'Connor  was  born  in  New  Yorkin  1850.  Hisfather, 
John  C.  O'Connor,  was  one  of  the  old  time  merchants  of 
this  city,  and  for  sixty  years  transacted  business  in  South 
Street.  Mr.  Nicholas  R.  O'Connor  was  educated  in  New 
Haven,  graduated  from  General  Russell's  Military  School 
and  completed  a  course  at  the  Sheffield  Scientific  School. 
When  twenty-two  years  of  age  he  was  elected  Assistant  Al- 
derman of  New  York  City,  a  member  of  the  State  Legisla- 
ture in  1888,  and  then  became  connected  with  the  Public 
Works  Department  of  this  city.  He  has  now  held  the  po- 
sition of  General  Inspector  of  Public  Works  for  three  years. 
In  this  position  his  ability  and  early  studies  have  made  him 
invaluable,  and  his  social  qualities  have  won  for  him  the 
friendship  of  all  those  with  whom  he  has  come  in  contact, 
while  at  the  same  time  his  tact  and  integrity  have  gained  for 
him  the  esteem  of  all  those  with  whom  he  has  had  business 
relations.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Tammany  Society  and 
Chairman  of  the  Tammany  Hall  District  Committee  for  the 
Twenty-seventh  District,  in  which  he  resides.  He  also  be- 
longs to  the  Yale  Alumni  Association,  the  Jerome  Park 
Club,  the  Sagamore  Club,  the  Democratic  Club  and  the 
Oval  Club.  In  the  last  Presidential  campaign  he  designed 
and  had  charge  of  the  electrical  appliances  of  the  Sagamore 


NICHOLAS  R.  O'CONNOR. 


Club-house.  As  a  business  man,  Mr.  O'Connor  has  scored 
a  complete  success,  his  energies  being  chiefly  devoted  to 
gas  and  electrical  enterprises.  In  addition  to  the  duties 
devolving  upon  him  in  a  business  way,  Mr.  O'Connor  also 
finds  time  to  devote  to  charity,  and  is  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Managers  of  several  charitable  institutions.  His 
brother,  John  C.  O'Connor,  Jr.,  was  well  known  for  his 
opposition  in  the  Board  of  Aldermen  to  the  Broadway  fran- 
chise in  1884. 


TIMOTHY  D  SULLIVAN. 

Timothy  D.  Sullivan,  member  of  the  Assembly  for  the 
Second  District,  was  born  in  this  city  on  July  23,  1863,  and 
was  educated  in  the  public  schools.  Within  the  past  few 
years  he  has  been  going  through  a  law  course  in  Columbia 
College  and  expects  to  be  called  to  the  bar  this  year  (1893). 
After  leaving  school  at  an  earlier  age  than  he  could  have 
wished  Mr.  Sullivan  obtained  a  position  in  the  press  room 
of  the  Commercial  Advertiser  newspaper,  from  which  he  went 
into  the  delivery  department  of  the  Morning  Journal.  In 
1884,  having  just  attained  his  majority,  he  took  the  manage- 
ment of  the  A^assaii  A'e7vs  Agency,  and  possessing  a  high 
executive  ability  he  made  of  it  a  complete  success.  It  has 
grown  to  large  proj)ortions  under  his  hands.  About  the 
same  time  Mr.  Sullivan  entered  the  stormy  region  of  politics 
and  organized  the  celebrated  Cleveland  and  Hendricks 
Campaign  Club,  which  cut  quite  a  figure  in  the  memorable 
contest  between  Blaine  and  Cleveland  for  the  Presidency, 
in  the  fall  of  1884.  The  peculiarity  about  this  club  was, 
and  is  still  for  that  matter,  that  it  is  composed  of  three 
hundred  members,  every  one  of  whom  is  a  Sullivan  by  name 
and  belongs  to  the  Second  Assembly  District.  The  Sullivan 
Club,  for  so  is  it  appropriately  named,  is  still  in  existence 
and  fought  hard  and  successfully  for  Cleveland  and  Steven- 
son last  fall.  But  apart  from  the  fact  that  he  is  the  Sullivan 
Club  organizer  he  enjoys  another  distinction.  He  was 
elected  to  the  legislature  from  the  Second  Assembly  District 


272  NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


in  1886,  l)einfj;  then  only  twenty-three  years  old,  and  has 
since  been  elected  every  year  successively.  He  is  the  only 
man  in  New  York,  who  can  point  to  a  similar  record.  In 
the  Assembly  he  was  for  two  years  Chairman  of  the  Com- 
mittee on  Commerce  and  Navigation,  of  the  Committee  on 
Banks  three  years  and  as  member  of  the  Military  Committee 
for  five  years  has  been  active  and  efficient  enough  to  draw 
upon  himself  eulogy  from  all  quarters.  His  most  dis- 
tinguished services  in  the  Senate,  however,  were  in  con- 
nection with  bills  for  the  building  of  two  bridges  over  the 
East  River,  which  bills  he  introduced  and  carried  through 
by  skillful  parliamentary  management.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Tammany  Society,  and  it  is  noticeable  in  respect  to  his 
history  that  he  ran  on  the  Hewitt  ticket  in  1888,  and  was 
elected,  though  the  ticket  itself  was  defeated  by  4,000 
majority  in  a  district  with  only  7,000  registered  votes.  Mr. 
Sullivan  was  married  in  1887  to  Miss  Helen  Fitzgerald, 


TIMOTHY  D.  Sl'LLIVAN. 

daughter  of  Mr.  John  Fitzgerald,  a  well  known  citizen  of 
New  York.  He  is  a  total  abstainer,  using  nei  her  liquor  nor 
tobacco.  Mr.  Sullivan  has  moved  to  the  Third  District, 
and  been  elected  Tammany  Hall  leader  and  President  of 
the  Comanche  Club. 


JOSEPH  KOCH. 

Hon.  Joseph  Koch,  ex-State  Senator,  and  ex-President 
of  the  Board  of  Dock  Commissioners  and  Board  of  Excise, 
and  at  present  Police  Justice,  was  born  in  this  city  on 
Sejjtember  28,  1844.  His  father,  a  native  of  Bavaria,  came 
to  this  country  in  1834  and  became  a  merchant  and  manu- 
facturer. Josejjh  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  i)artly, 
after  which  he  entered  the  old  Free  Academy,  now  the 
College  of  the  City  of  New  York,  from  which  he  graduated 
in  the  class  of  1S62  as  Bachelor  of  Arts.  .At  College  he  was 
known  for  his  proficiencv  in  mathematics  and  the  languages. 
He  learned  to  s[)eak  French,  (lerman  and  Spanish  with  ease 
and  fluency.  After  graduating  from  the  City  College,  he 
studied  law  in  the  office  of  R.    H.  Huntley,  Esq.,  and 


attended  the  law  lectures  at  the  Columbia  College  Law 
Department,  from  which  he  received  the  degree  of  Master  of 
Laws.  He  was  called  to  the  bar  in  May,  1865,  and  almost 
immediately  went  to  Europe  and  studied  for  a  year  in  the 
famous  Cerman  University  of  Heidelberg.  Returning  to  », 
New  York  in  1867  he  resumed  his  law  practice  and  towards 
the  close  of  the  year  he  was  offered  and  declined  the 
Democratic  nomination  for  member  of  the  Assembly.  In 
1867  he  was  appointed  Law  Clerk  of  the  Supreme  Court  and 
.subsequently  Deputy  County  Clerk,  a  position  he  held  until 
1870,  when  he  was  elected  District  Court  Judge,  and  soon 
took  an  active  part  in  ojjposition  to  the  Tweed  ring.  In 
1877  he  was  nominated  by  Anti-Tammany  organization  for 
Justice  of  the  Marine  Court  and  would  have  been  elected 
but  for  the  treachery  of  those  employed  to  distribute  his 
ballots.  In  1881  he  was  nominated  for  the  State  Senate  in 
the  Tenth  District,  and  though  a  Democrat  was  elected,  the 


JOSEPH  KOCH. 


District  being  strongly  Republican.  He  was  both  active 
and  useful  in  the  Senate  and  in  1883  called  attention  to 
the  devastation  of  the  Adirondack  Forest,  filing  an 
elaborate  report  on  the  subject.  He  was  chairman  of  many 
important  committees  while  in  the  Senate.  At  the  close  of 
his  senatorial  term  he  once  more  resumed  professional  work 
and  practised  until  ajijxiinted  Commissioner  of  the  Depart- 
ment of  Docks  by  Mayor  Crace  in  1885.  He  was  sub- 
secjuently  elected  Chairman  ot .  the  Commission.  He  has 
almost  from  the  beginning  of  his  career  been  identified  with 
the  public  schools  of  the  city,  and  is  a  man  of  strong 
literary  tastes.  He  has  translated  from  the  German, 
Schiller's  "  William  Tell."  Goethe's  "  Faust,"  from  the 
Spanish  the  greater  ])art  of  "  Don  Quixote,"  and  from  the 
French  of  Moliere  and  Racine.  He  is  member  of  the  Man- 
hattan Club,  the  Harmonic  Social  Club,  the  Progress  Club, 
the  Liederkranz  Club,  the  .\rion  Club  and  the  German 
City  of  New  York.  In  fine.  Mr.  Koch  is  one  of  New  York's 
Society  of  the  prominent  citizens  and  is  both  esteemed  and 
popular. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


273 


JNO.  J.  MITCHELL. 

There  is  perliaps  no  more  successful  or  more  })opular 
young  business  man  in  the  Metropolis  than  Jno.  J.  Mitchell, 
the  founder,  president,  manager  and  leading  spirit  of  The 
Jno.  J.  Mitchell  Company,  which  publishes  The  Sartorial 
Art  Journal  and  The  American  Tailor  and  Cutter.  Mr. 
Mitchell  was  born  in  Ireland  in  185 1,  and  came  to  this 
country  when  a  mere  boy.  He  began  his  business  career 
early  in  life,  and  for  nearly  twenty-five  years  he  has  been 
identified  with  fashion  rejjorting.  He  is  an  accepted  au- 
thority on  men's  fashions  in  this  country,  and  as  a  fashioner 
is  highly  esteemed  in  Europe.  He  established  The  Jno.  J. 
Mitchell  Company  twenty  years  ago,  when  but  few  other 
than  foreign  fashion  plates  were  known  in  this  country,  and 
he  has  from  the  first  published  American  styles  exclusively. 
The  establishment  is  the  largest  publishing  house  devoted 
to  men's  fashions  in  the  world.  It  occupies  an  entire  build- 
ing on  Broadway,  where  all  the  editorial  work  for  its  two 


of  the  first  must  be  empiiasized  without  being  carica- 
tured, and  their  meaning  and  tendency  must  be  rightly 
read  and  fully  understood,  in  order  to  portray  the  second 
acce])tably  to  either  the  tailoring  world  or  to  the  general 
|)ublic.  These  qualities  Mr.  Mitchell  possesses  in  a  high 
degree,  and  they  have  enabled  him  to  carry  the  estab- 
lishment to  its  present  unequalled  position  in  its  special 
field.  When  he  commenced  the  publication  of  fashions, 
which,  besides  illustrative  plates,  included  a  descrip- 
tive journal  that  has  since  become  an  educational  as 
well  as  a  literary  power  in  the  trade,  and  is  now  known  as 
The  Sartorial  Art  Journal,  tailoring  in  this  country  was  an 
almost  despised  business,  whose  greatest  excellence  was  its 
ability  to  imitate  the  work  of  foreign  tailors,  but  it  has  now 
emerged  into  an  atmosphere  of  art  that  is  definitely  national, 
and  entered  upon  a  career  of  intellectual  progress  that  al- 
ready surpasses  that  of  any  other  country.  Besides  The 
Sartorial  Art  Journal,  with  its  fashion  plates,  the  estab- 


JNO.  J.  MITCHELL. 


monthly  publications  is  done,  and  where  the  designs  for  the 
fashion  plates  it  issues  are  prepared,  and  where,  besides  its 
celebrated  school  of  garment  cutting,  which  is  practically  a 
Sartorial  College,  is  located.  Its  offices  and  reception 
rooms  are  elegantly  fitted  up  and  furnished,  and  its  several 
departments,  editorial,  artistic  and  technical,  command  the 
services  of  the  ablest  men  in  their  respective  lines.  Its 
printing  and  lithographic  work  is  done  elsewhere,  the  latter 
occupying  the  full  time  of  a  large  corps  of  specially  trained 
artists.  The  company  has  the  proud  record  of  never  having 
copied  anything  in  its  illustrations,  nor  of  ever  liaving 
imitated  anything  of  foreign  origin,  but  its  success  has  for 
years  outrun  hope  and  defied  prophecy,  and  during  the  last 
six  or  seven  years  it  has  been  honored  by  having  the  ma- 
jority of  its  plates  copied  in  France,  Germany,  England  and 
Spain.  The  publication  of  correct  fashions  requires  pecu- 
liar gifts  as  well  as  special  opportunities  for  observation 
and  great  facilities  for  execution.  In  portraying  what  is, 
and  forecasting  what  will  be  fashionable,  the  characteristics 


lishment  publishes  another  monthly  journal,  The  American 
Tailor  and  Cutter,  a  trade  paper  chiefly  devoted  to  the 
technicalities  of  tailoring,  and  to  art  and  science  in  sys- 
tematic garment  cutting.  The  other  publications  of  the 
establishment  are  works  on  garment  cutting  that  have  be- 
come standard  textbooks. 


JAMES  H.  WORMAN. 

j.imes  H.  W'orman,  Ph.D.,  LL.D.,  the  present  editor  and 
publisher  of  Outing,  was  born  in  Germany  on  February 
28th,  1845  ;  was  educated  at  the  University  of  Berlin  and 
at  the  Sorbonne,  Paris.  In  Paris  he  had  the  good  fortune 
to  become  acciuainted  with  Dr.  John  McClintock,  then  the 
editor  of  McClintock  &  Strong's  Cyclopaedia,  and  was 
induced  to  become  collaborator  for  the  Cyclopaedia,  and 
near  the  same  time  accepted  a  professorship  in  Knox 
College,  Galesburg,  111.  Upon  the  founding  of  the  Drew 
Theological  Seminary,  at  Madison,  N.  J.,  he  was  appointed 


274  NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


its  librarian,  and  is  entitled  to  the  credit  of  having  brought 
together  a  most  valuable  collection  ot  books  for  that  insti- 
tution. He  also  made  quite  a  reputation  for  himself  as  an 
instructor  of  modern  and  Orientallanguages  in  Drew.  In 
1870,  upon  the  death  of  Dr.  McClintock,  he  assumed  the 
responsibility  of  comi)leting  his  part  of  the  work  on  this 
great  Cyclopcedia.  In  1876  he  came  to  New  York,  and 
engaged  himself  with  several  New  York  papers  as  an 
editorial  writer,  and  in  the  following  year  added  to  his 
other  duties  that  of  a  professorship  in  the  Adelphia  Academy. 
In  1883,  after  having  been  repeatedly  offered  the  chair  of 
languages  at  Vanderbilt  University,  he  removed  to  Nash- 
ville, Tenn.,  but  still  continued  his  work  for  the  news- 
papers. In  1886  he  acquired  possession  of  the  Sar(7togian, 
and  soon  made  this  newspaper  a  very  valuable  property.  In 
1887  he  removed  to  New  York  to  give  personal  direction  to 
the  conduct  of  Outing.  Dr.  Wornian  has  contributed  to 
nearly  every  cyclopaedia  published,  has  written  over  twenty 
textbooks  on  languages,  and  has  made  special  contributions 


JAMES  H.  WORMAN. 

to  the  science  of  comparative  religion  and  com])arative 
politics.  He  was  a  regular  corres])ondent  with  such  men  as 
President  Porter  and  Woolsey,  of  Yale,  and  he  reluctantly 
gave  u])  his  literary  work  and  special  studies  to  take  up  tlie 
management  of  Outing.  His  success  with  this  periodical 
has  given  warrant  to  his  friends  for  having  urged  him  to 
undertake  the  venture.  The  Outing  Publishing  Comi)any 
has  recently  taken  u])  book  publication,  and  has  a  control- 
ling interest  in  the  American  Amateur  Photographer,  which 
it  publishes.  Among  the  workers  in  the  concern  is  the 
editor's  son,  Pen  James  Worman,  still  a  student  at  Harvard, 
class  of  '95.  He  is  quite  noted  for  his  records  in  athletics, 
and  promises  to  second  Dr.  Worman  in  the  further  building 
up  of  Outing.  The  first  issue  of  Outing  a])peared  in  May, 
1882,  at  All)any,  N.  Y.,  and  owes  its  conception  to  William 
P.  Howiand,  its  first  issue  being  10,000  coi)ies.  In  June, 
1884,  the  /F//('(7///rj'w  Publishing  C'ompany,  of  Poston,  ac- 
quired control  of  Outing,  and  continued  the  |iiiblication 


under  the  title  of  Outing  and  the  Wheelman,  S.  S.  McClure, 
editor.  In  1885  the  word  Wheebnan  was  dropped.  Since 
then  it  has  grown  to  such  popularity  that  it  has  made  the 
word  Outing  synonymous  with  every  form  of  recreation. 
Mr.  Charles  Richard  Dodge  became  its  editor  early  in  1885.  », 
In  October,  1885,  Mr.  Poultney  Pigelow  obtained  a  control- 
ling interest  in  the  magazine,  and  transferred  Outing  to  New 
York  City,  where  the  "Outing  Company,  Limited,"  was 
organized,  with  a  capital  of  $100,000.  Mr.  Pigelow  is 
.reported  to  have  sunk  $40,000  of  his  own,  and  nearly  as 
much  more  for  his  associates  on  the  magazine,  when  in 
August,  1887,  he  left  the  property.  The  company  then 
secured  the  services  of  Dr.  J.  H.  Worman  as  editor  and 
manager.  Under  Dr.  Worman's  management  Outing  has 
been  several  times  enlarged,  and  instead  of  the  small  edito- 
rial staff  of  1887,  it  has  now  a  working  editorial  force  of 
more  than  twenty,  including  its  editorial  correspondents, 
besides  a  large  corps  of  regular  contributors,  with  offices  in 
New  York,  London  and  Melbourne. 


PHINEAS  C.  LOUNSBURY. 

Hon.  Phineas  C.  Lounsbury,  a  distinguished  citizen  and 
manufacturer  of  Connecticut,  Governor  of  the  State  in 
1887  and  1889,  and  for  some  years  past  President  o^  the 
Merchants'  Exchange  National  Bank,  is  a  resident  of  the 
town  of  Ridgefield,  Connecticut,  where  he  was  born  January 
10,  1 841.  His  parents  were  of  sturdy  New  England  stock. 
His  parents  are  still  living  and  greatly  venerated  in  the 
community  where  he  resides.  The  subject  of  this  sketch 
spent  his  years  u])on  the  farm,  where  he  assiduously  devoted 
himself,,  as  opportunities  offered,  to  the  acquirement  of 
knowledge.  At  the  close  of  academic  life  he  entered  upon 
a  business  career,  being  successively  a  member  of  the  firm 
of  Lounsbury  Bros.,  of  New  Haven  and  of  Lounsbury, 
Matthewson  &  Company,  of  South  Norwalk,  winning  for 
himself  and  his  firm  fortune  and  reputation.  Widely 
known  and  respected  for  his  sound  views  on  monetary 
affairs,  Mr.  Lounsbury  has  already  sat  for  a  number  of 
years  as  a  director  of  the  Merchants'  Exchange  National 
Bank,  when  in  1885  he  was  unanimously  elected  its 
President.  Gov.  Lounsbury  enlisted  early  at  the  breaking 
out  of  the  war,  and  served  as  a  private  soldier  in  the  17th 
Connecticut  Yols.  In  1874  he  was  elected  to  repre.sent  his 
town  in  the  House  of  Representatives  of  the  State.  His 
attitude  upon  the  temperance  issue  as  well  as  his  staunch 
Republicanism  had  much  to  do  with  securing  him  this 
honor.  He  was  at  once  accorded  the  prominence  he 
deserved,  and  his  ability  as  a  public  speaker  was  of  signal 
service  to  his  party  in  the  ])residential  campaign  which 
followed.  His  manly  conduct  throughout  this  and  other 
campaigns  and  his  untiring  political  services  finally  resulted 
in  his  nomination  and  ele(  tion  as  the  Chief  Executive  of 
the  State  of  Connecticut.  His  term  of  office,  which  covered 
two  years,  was  marked  by  a  wise,  patriotic  and  dignified 
administration  of  public  affairs,  which  has  placed  his  name 
high  among  those  of  the  Governors  of  that  Commonwealth. 
When  Governor  Loun.sbury  retired  from  office,  the  Jlart- 
ford  Times,  the  leading  Democratic  i)aper  of  the  State, 
contained  the  following:  '*  Govtrnor  Lounsbury  retires  from 
the  executive  office  to-morrow,  with  a  record  alike  credit- 
able to  him  as  a  man  and  as  an  official.  While  our  political 
])reference  did  not  favor  his  election  to  the  chief  magistracy 
of  the  State,  and  while  we  had  at  the  outset  some  doubts 
as  to  the  probable  methods  of  his  official  course,  we  may 
frankly  say  at  this  time  that  we  are  satisfied  that  he  has 
been  one  of  the  best  Governors  Connecticut  has  ever  had. 
We  have  found  in  Governor  Lounsbury  a  gentleman  of 
sterling  integrity,  of  unfailing  courtesy,  gifted  with  excellent 
!)usiness  tact,  and  inclined  to  adnlini^ter  the  affairs  of  State 
oil  business  principles,  and  with  a  view   to  economy  ami 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


275 


efficiency  in  every  matter  requiring  his  official  consideration 
and  action.  Governor  Lounslniry  unquestionably  retires 
from  office  with  the  respect  and  hearty  good  feeling  of  every 
one,  irrespective  of  party,  with  whom  he  has  been  brought 
into  official  or  personal  relations."  As  a  large  employer  in  one 
of  the  principal  manufacturing  States  of  the  Union,  Governor 
Lounsbury  has  made  a  close  study  of  the  labor  question 
and  his  views  have  been  very  generally  endorsed  among 
those  affected.  Known  to  be  humane  and  honorable' in  his 
dealings,  he  is  to-day  one  of  the  most  popular  men  in  the 
State  among  workingmen.  Among  veteran  soldiers  he  is 
likewise  welcomed  as  one  who  stood  in  their  ranks  in  the 
great  struggle  to  suppress  the  Rebellion  and  to  preserve  the 
Union.  His  intensely  patriotic  course  upon  all  public 
questions  has  led  to  his  being  spoken  of  as  "  a  second 
Buckingham."  He  is  at  present  absorbed  in  his  multifarious 
business  interests.  In  addition  to  the  position  he  holds  as 
President  of  the  Merchants'  Exchange  National  Bank  he  is 
trustee  of  the  American  Bank  Note  Company,  Chairman  of 
the  Executive  Committee  of  the  Washington  Trust  Com- 
pany and  actively  connected  with  many  other  financial 
enterprises.  Governor  Lounsbury  is  a  man  of  strong 
religious  convictions  and  feelings.  He  is  a  loyal  adherent 
to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  one  of  the  most 
influential  of  her  laymen.  He  is  a  trustee  of  Wesleyan 
University  at  Middletown,  Connecticut,  which  institution 
has  conferred  upon  him  the  degree  of  LL.D.  Governor 
Lounsbury,  as  will  be  seen  from  the  portrait  we  give,  is  a 
man  of  striking  appearance,  well  built,  intellectual  looking, 
and  combining  affability  with  natural  dignity,  he  is  a 
splendid  specimen  of  American  manhood,  a  citizen  of  whom 
his  native  State  may  well  be  proud.  In  1867,  Governor 
Lounsbury  married  Miss  Jennie  Wright,  daughter  of  Mr. 
Neziah  Wright,  one  of  the  founders  of  the  American  Bank 
Note  Company.  Mrs.  Lounsbury  is  a  lady  of  culture  and 
refinement  and  befittingly  graces  a  most  hospitable  home. 


DAVID  ELI  GWYNNE. 

David  Eli  Gwynne,  well  known  banker  and  financier, 
was  born  at  Cincinnati,  O.,  March  9th,  1843,  and  was 
educated  first  at  the  William  Russell  Academy,  New 
Haven,  Conn.,  at  Starr's  Military  School,  Yonkers,  then 
at  the  Phelps  Academy,  Sing  Sing,  and  finally  at  Phil- 
lips Academy,  Andover,  Mass.,  where  he  was  a  school- 
mate and  chum  of  Cornelius  Vanderbilt.  Mr.  Gwynne's 
father  was  a  prominent  lawyer  of  Cincinnati  ;  he  died 
when  young  David  was  but  a  boy.  The  family,  in  1852, 
came  to  New  York,  and  young  Gwynne  began  business  as 
a  clerk  in  the  large  silk  and  tea  importing  house  of  Ezra 
R.  Goodrich  &  Co.  Soon  after  his  mother  married  Albert 
Matthev/s,  a  well-known  New  York  lawyer,  and  David  de- 
termined to  study  law.  He  went  through  a  course  in  the 
Columbia  College  Law  School,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
in  1869.  He  practised  very  successfully  until  1882,  being 
an  expert  in  cases  of  negligence  and  master  and  servant 
In  1882  he  give  up  the  law  and  returned  to  financial  pur- 
suits, becoming  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Chauncey  & 
Gwynne  Brothers,  at  the  corner  of  Exchange  Place  and 
Broad  Street.  On  January  ist,  1893,  the  firm  was  dissolved  ; 
the  Gwynne  Brothers  started  together,  and  now  carry  on 
the  business  of  bankers  and  brokers  with  profit  and  honor. 
The  Gwynnes  originally  came  from  Wales,  but  the  family 
traces  its  descent  even  further  back  than  William  the  Con- 
queror— even  to  Edmund  Ironsides  and  Hugh  Capet,  of 
France.  The  family  history  is  interesting  in  both  hemi- 
spheres. James  Claypoole,  a  son  of  Sir  John  Claypoole, 
who  was  knighted  by  Cromwell,  came  to  Philadelphia  on  the 
good  ship  "Concord,"  on  June  8th,  1683.  A  direct  de- 
scendant of  this  early  settler  was  Abraham  Evan  Gwynne, 
who  was  a  lawyer  and  partner  of  Judge  Storer,  of  Cincin- 


nati. P>y  his  marriage  with  Cettie  Moore  I'lagg,  Mr. 
Gwynne  became  the  father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  and 
of  his  brother,  Abram  livan  Gwynne.  The  eldest  daughter, 
Alice  Claypoole  (iwynne,  is  now  the  wife  of  Cornelius 
Vanderbilt.  The  Claypooles  are  an  old  English  family, 
whose  direct  ancestor  was  Humphrey  de  Bohun,  Earl  of 
Hereford  and  Essex,  and  Lord  High  Constable  of  England, 
who  married,  in  1306,  the  Princess  Elizabeth,  daughter  of 
Edward  the  First ;  so  that  a  direct  line  can  be  traced, 
through  the  Plantagenets,  from  the  (iwynne  family  to 
Edmund  Ironsides,  King  of  the  Anglo-Saxons,  A.  D.  989, 
and  Hugh  Capet,  King  of  France,  A.  I).  940.  Mr.  Gwynne 
has  a  handsome  estate  at  Lawrence,  Long  Island.  He 
married  Miss  Louisa  Hanna,  who  is  of  Scotch  descent,  and 
a  member  of  the  great  Erskine  family.  He  has  one  son, 
who  is  of  age. 


DAVID   ELI  GWYNNE, 

ABRAM   EVANS  GWYNNE. 

Abram  Evans  Gwynne  is  of  the  fine  old  family  of  the 
Gwynnes  of  Wales,  who  have  not  only  iielped  to  consolidate 
the  ancient  British  Empire,  but  also  have  taken  a  leading 
part  in  the  foundation  and  development  of  these  United 
States.  Mr.  Gwynne  is  among  the  select  few  who  can 
clearly  prove  the  title  of  an  American  of  Royal  descent. 
His  family  came  to  this  country  in  1683,  the  represent- 
ative being  Sir  John  Clay])oole,  who  first  landed  in  Philadel- 
phia. Sir  John  was  knighted  by  Cromwell,  and  he  came 
from  the  old  Welsh  family  which  traces  direct  descent  from 
Humphrey  de  Bohun,  Earl  of  Hereford  and  Essex,  and 
further  back,  through  the  Plantagenets,  to  Edmund  Iron- 
sides and  Hugh  Capet  of  France.  Abram,  who  is  a  partner 
in  the  firm  of  Gwynne  Brothers,  was  born  at  Cincinnati, 
November  22,  1847.  He  was  educated  at  Starr's  Academy 
with  his  brother,  then  at  Phillips  Academy,  Andover,  Mass., 
and  he  completed  his  studies  at  Columbia  College,  in  the 
Class  of  '70.  During  the  war,  the  youngster,  before  he 
went  to  college,  had  a  short  business  experience  in  Wall 
Street,  as  clerk  to  Graham,  Nichols  &  Co.,  brokers.  Yxom 
this  Mr.  Gwynne  is  proud  of  the  fact  that,  although  only  a 


276 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


little  over  forty,  he  has  a  record  of  thirty  years  in  Wall 
Street.  After  leaving  College  the  young  financier  returned 
with  delight  to  the  excitement  of  Wall  Street  and  he  worked 
hard  and  gained  valuable  experience  as  a  clerk  in  the  office 
of  Frederick  (1.  Swan,  stockbroker.  In  1876,  after  five 
years  in  the  realms  of  money,  young  Gwynne  entered  the 
New  York  Post  Office  as  a  clerk  in  the  Register's  Depart- 
ment, having  received  the  appointment  from  Postmaster 
James.  In  1877  the  first  Civil  Service  examination  was 
held  for  advancement  in  the  Post  Office,  and  Mr.  Gwynne 
passed  as  one  of  the  first  three  in  order  of  merit.  He 
stopped  for  two  years  only  in  the  Post  Office,  and  in  1878 
he  left  to  take  a  position  offered  him  by  Cornelius  Vander- 
bilt,  in  the  Canada  Southern  Railway  Company.  He  re- 
mained there  two  years  and  then  returned  to  his  old  love. 
Wall  Street,  joining  his  brother  in  the  firm  of  Chauncey  & 
Gwynne  Brothers.  In  December,  1892,  he  purchased  a  seat 
in  the  Stock  Exchange,  and  he  now  represents  Gwynne 
Brothers  in  that  organization.  Mr.  Gwynne  is  a  bachelor, 
and  resides  at  Seaside,  Long  Island.  His  favorite  amuse- 
ment is  painting  and  he  is  considered  a  good  amateur.  He 
is  proud  of  his  descent  from  Washington  Allston,  the  most 
eminent  of  American  artists.  His  most  admired  works  are 
landscapes.  He  has  also  written  many  clever  articles  for 
the  papers  and  magazines. 


U11,L1.\.\1  .M.\.\WLIJ.  EV.AklS. 


WILLIAM   MAXWELL  ^EVARTS. 

William  Maxwell  Kvarts,  of  the  New  York  Bar,  was 
born  in  Boston  on  February  6th,  1818,  and  is  a  son  of  the 
late  Jeremiah  Kvarts,  who  was  a  native  of  Vermont  and  a 
noted  lawyer,  editor  and  philanthropist.  The  subject  of 
this  sketch  received  his  ])re])aratory  education  in  the  lioston 
Latin  School,  entered  Yale  College  in  1833,  and  after  a 
brilliant  course  was  graduated.  His  early  legal  training 
was  gained  in  Harvard  Law  .School  and  in  the  office  of 
Daniel  Lord,  founder  of  firm  of  Lord,  Day  t'v  Lord.  From 
1849  to  1 85 1  Mr.  F^varts  was  Assistant  District  .Attorney, 
successfully  conducted,  in   1851.  the  prosecution  of  the 


Cuban  filibusters  of  the  "  Cleopatra"  expedition,  and  argued 
in  favor  of  the  Metropolitan  Police  Act.  One  of  his  most 
famous  legal  contests  was  the  "  Lemmon  "  slave  case,  in 
1857-60,  in  which  he  appeared  as  counsel  for  New  York 
State  against  Charles  O'Conor,  who  acted  for  the  State  of  * 
Virginia.  In  i860,  as  chairman  of  the  New  York  delegation 
to  the  National  Convention,  he  proposed  the  name  of 
William  H.  Seward  for  the  presidential  nomination.  In 
1 86 1  he  was  the  rival  of  Horace  Greeley  for  the  United 
States  senatorship,  but  withdrew  his  name  to  secure  har- 
mony, the  result  being  the  election  of  Ira  Harris.  In  1866 
he  successfully  contested  the  constitutionality  of  taxing 
United  States  bonds  and  National  bank  notes,  and  in  1868 
defended  President  Johnson  in  his  impeachment  trial 
before  the  United  States  Senate,  his  success  in  this  trial 
leading  to  his  appointment  as  Attorney-General  of  the 
United  States.  As  counsel  for  the  United  States  in  the 
Alabama  Claims  Board  of  Arbitration,  he  presented  the 
decisive  arguments  which  led  to  the  adjustment  of  the 
damages.  Among  some  of  the  other  celebrated  causes  in 
which  he  api)eared  as  leading  counsel  were  the  Henry 
Ward  Beecher  trial  and  the  litigations  resulting  from  the 
Parrish  and  the  Gardner  wills.  In  1877  he  was  ajjpointed 
United  Slates  Secretary  of  State  by  President  Hayes,  and 
in  1885  was  elected  to  the  United  States  Senate,  where  he 
became  the  leader  of  his  party.  Mr.  Evarts'  public  career, 
like  his  professional  life,  has  been  so  conducted  as  to 
command  the  admiration  and  respect  of  all  true  Americans. 
His  reputation  is  both  national  and  international,  and  his 
name  will  be  handed  down  to  posterity  on  history's  pages 
as  one  of  America's  most  distinguished  and  honorable  .sons. 


WHITELAW  REID. 

Born  near  Xenia,  Ohio,  October  27,  1837,  graduated  at 
Miami  University  in  1855, Hon.  Whitelaw  Reid,  before  he  was 
twenty-one,  made  speeches  for  the  Republican  Party  in  the 
Fremont  Campaign,  and  became  editor  of  the  Xenia  News. 
The  opening  of  the  Civil  War  found  him  in  the  field  as 
correspondent  ot  the  Cincinnati  Gazette.  His  letters 
attracted  much  attention  by  their  thorough  information  and 
cogency  of  style.  He  served  as  volunteer  aide-de-camp  to 
(General  Morris,  and  afterwards  to  General  Rosecrans  in 
the  \Vest  Virginia  Campaign  of  1861,  and  was  present  at 
the  battles  of  Shiloh  and  Gettysburg.  From  1863  to  1866 
lie  was  Librarian  of  the  House  of  Representatives  at  Wash- 
ington, and  Washington  Correspondent  of  the  Cincinnati 
Gazette.  After  the  close  of  the  war  he  engaged  in  cotton 
planting  in  Louisiana  and  Alabama,  and  embodied  the  re- 
sults of  his  observations  in  a  book  entitled  "After  the 
War."  Returning  to  Ohio,  he  gave  two  years  to  writing  a 
book  which  has  since  become  historical,  and  which  was 
published  in  1868,  "Ohio  in  the  War  "  Horace  Greeley 
then  invited  him  to  come  to  New  York  and  become  an 
editorial  writer  upon  the  Tribune.  On  the  death  of  Mr. 
Greeley  in  1872,  Mr.  Reid  succeeded  him  as  editor  and 
principal  owner  of  the  pa])er.  In  1872  Mr.  Reid  was 
chosen  by  the  State  Legislature  as  Regent  for  life  of  the 
University  of  the  State  of  New  York.  Offered  the  Embassy, 
to  Germany  by  President  Hayes  and  afterwards  by  Presi- 
dent Garfield,  he  was  forced  in  both  cases  by  press  of  busi- 
ness to  decline,  but  finally  ac(  e|)ted  the  French  Embassy, 
to  which  he  was  appointed  by  President  Harrison.  The 
general  appreciation  of  his  services  in  France  found  expres- 
sion on  his  return  home  last  year  in  the  dinners  that  were 
given  in  his  honor  by  the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  the  Lotos 
Clul),  and  other  organizations.  The  Chamber  of  Com- 
merce elected  him  an  honorary  member,  a  mark  of  esteem 
that  has  only  been  bestowed  on  fiftee.i  men  besides  Mr. 
Reid.  since  the  Chamber  was  founded  a  hundred  years  ago. 
.\  few  weeks  after  his  arrival  from  Paris  the  Republican 


277 


WHITELAW  REID- 


State  Convention  was  held  to  elect  delegates  to  the  Repub- 
lican National  Convention.  Mr.  Reid  was  chosen  to  pre- 
side over  its  deliberations.  After  the  renomination  of 
General  Harrison,  at  Minneapolis,  for  the  Presidency,  the 
New  York  delegation  was  requested  to  present  a  candidate 
for  Vice-President.  Mr.  Reid  was  named,  and  the  Conven- 
tion indorsed  the  nomination  by  a  unanimous  vote.  Dur- 
ing the  canvass  Mr.  Reid  delivered  several  speeches  under 
the  direction  of  the  National  Committee,  these,  with  his 
letter  of  acceptance,  being  looked  upon  as  among  the  nnost 
effective  contributions  to  the  literature  of  the  campaign. 
The  titles  of  some  of  his  works,  "  The  Schools  of  Journal- 
ism," "  The  Scholar  in  Politics,"  "  Some  Newspaper  Tend- 
encies," "  Town  Hall  Suggestions,"  all  show  how  Mr.  Reid 
has  been  in  touch  with  the  people.  Frequent  contributor  to 
periodical  literature,  an  extensive  traveller  in  Europe,  of 
ample  means,  of  ripened  experience,  happily  married,  no 
man  was  better  fitted  to  succeed  Vice-President  Morton 
than  he  who  so  successfully  and  gracefully  filled  every  trust 
which  has  been  reposed  in  him. 


ROBERT  P.  PORTER. 
Robert  P.  Porter  was  born  June  30,  1852.  He  is  the 
youngest  son  of  Jane  Harvey  and  James  Winearls  Porter, 
Esq.,  of  Marham  Hall,  Norfolk,  England.  From  his  moth- 
er, a  woman  of  great  character  and  sound  education,  he 
inherited  the  literary  ability  which  distinguished  her  father, 
Prof.  John  Harvey  of  Cambridge  ;  and  from  his  father  the 
splendid  physique  of  a  long  line  of  English  country  gentle- 
men whose  lives  v;ere  largely  spent  in  out  door  pursuits 
and  amusements.  Young  Robert's  early  education  was  re- 
ceived at  that  famous  grammar  school  of  King  Edward  the 
Sixth  in  Norwich,  where  he  continued  up  to  the  time  of  his 
father's  death,  just  at  the  close  of  the  Civil  War,  which  he 


had  f(jllo\vcd  with  keen  interest  and  Uie  understanding  of 
the  close  student  of  American  history.  One  of  a  family  of 
sixteen  children,  he  now  determined  to  take  his  fortune  in 
his  own  hands,  and  seek  a  career  in  the  new  country  which 
has  been  a  providence  to  so  many  ambitious  young  English- 
men, whose  only  chance  at  home  is  in  the  church  or  in  the 
army.  On  his  arrival  here,  Mr.  Porter  went  at  once  to 
Northern  Illinois,  where  a  branch  of  his  father's  family  had 
preceded  him,  and  after  a  few  years  devoted  to  study  and 
teaching,  found  his  natural  vocation  in  journalism,  whicr.  he 
ado])ted  as  a  profession,  at  the  same  time  taking  out  natu- 
ralization papers  in  season  to  cast  his  first  vote  on  attaining 
his  majority.  He  served  his  apprenticeshij)  on  a  country 
newspaper,  and  from  1872  acted  as  contributor  and  regular 
correspondent  to  the  Chicago  Times,  Tribune,  and  J nter- 
Ocean.  In  1877  he  joined  the  ediiorial  staff  of  the  latter 
pa])er,  making  his.  specialty  economic  subjects,  in  dealing 
with  which  he  evinced  special  aptitude.  In  1879  Mr.  Por- 
ter became  connected  with  the  Census  Bureau  under  Gen. 
Walker,  contributing  to  various  papers  at  the  same  time. 
In  1882  appeared  "The  West  in  1880,"  a  volume  which  re- 
ceived the  generous  criticism  of  the  English  press  and  had 
a  large  sale.  In  1882  Mr.  Porter  was  appointed  by  Presi- 
dent Arthur  a  member  of  the  Tariff  Commission,  and  did 
an  unusual  amount  of  work.  On  his  return  from  a  visit  to 
Europe,  Mr.  Porter  accepted  an  editorship  on  the  Philadel- 
])hia  Press.  During  the  campaign  of  1884,  Mr.  Porter  was 
I  most  energetic  worker  and  writer,  over  half  a  million  of 
iiis  pamphlets,  etc.,  being  distributed  throughout  the 
country.  In  1885  Mr.  Porter,  in  conjunction  with  Mr.  E. 
H.  Ammidown,  founded  the  American  Protective  Tariff 
League.  In  1887,  Mr.  Porter  returned  to  New  York,  where 
he  saw  a  field  for  a  daily  Republican  paper,  at  a  price  and 
of  a  conciseness  calculated  to  meet  the  wants  of  busy  and 
working  people.  The  result  was  the  New  York  Press, 
which  now  has  an  enormous  circulation  and  did  most  effec- 
tive service  in  the  Presidential  campaign  of  1888.  In  1889. 
President  Harrison  appointed  Mr.  Porter  Superintendent  of 


ROBERT   p.  PORTER. 


278  NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


tlic  KlcveiUli  Census.  In  spite  of  the  enormous  |)ressure  ol 
the  census  work  Mr.  Porter  found,  or  rather  made,  time  to 
write  a  number  of  articles  for  encyclopajdias,  the  North 
American  Review,  I ndependetit,  Frank  Leslie's,  and  other 
publications.  There  never  has  been  a  census  so  well  and 
so  rapidly  taken,  as  the  passage  of  the  Ajjportionment  Bill 
two  years  earlier  than  ever  before  shows.  Its  results  will 
add  largely  to  Mr.  Porter's  reputation  for  executive  ability, 
shown  in  the  magnificent  way  he  has  brought  together, 
equipped  and  handled  a  force  numbering  at  different  times 
from  2,000  to  50,000  people  ;  his  broad-mindedness,  as 
evinced  in  his  selection  of  experts  and  sijecialists  in  all 
branches  of  industry  :ind  science  with  which  the  census 
deals  ;  and  his  skill  at  financiering  in  the  taking  of  a  census 
for  the  first  time  in  the  history  of  the  country  within  the 
appropriations  made  by  Congress  ;  upon  the  completion  of 
which  he  was  engaged  until  July,  1893,  when  he  resigned 
the  i)ositiori  to  again  become  the  editor  of  the  I'ress. 


JOSEPH  HODGES  CHOATE. 

Joseph  Hodges  Choatc,  of  the  New  York  Bar,  was  born 
in  Salem,  Mass.,  on  January  24th,  1832.  He  belongs  to 
one  of  the  oldest  of  New  England's  families,  and  many  of 


JOSEPH  HODGES  CHOATE. 


his  relatives  have  achieved  distinction  in  various  fields  of 
endeavor,  but  more  especially  at  the  bar.  At  the  age  of 
sixteen  he  entered  Harvard  College,  from  which  he  was 
graduated  in  1852.  He  was  graduated  two  years  later  from 
Dane  Law  School,  and  was  called  to  the  bar  of  Massaciiu- 
setts  in  1855.  In  1856  he  came  to  New  York,  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  of  the  State,  and  has  practiced  here  ever  since 
with  brilliant  success.  He  has  been  engaged  in  the  most 
celebrated  cases.  Mr.  Choate  was  one  of  the  Committee 
of  Seventy  which  crushed  Boss  Tweed  and  his  infamous 
ring,  and  purified  the  political  atmosphere  of  New  York 
City,  and  was  mainly  instrumental,  with  his  friend,  Charles 
O'Conor,  in  bringing  about  that  much  desired  result.  He 
was  counsel  for  Ccneral  Fitz  John  Porter  in  the  fight  of 
that  officer  for  reinstatement  in  his  military  rank,  and  the 
rights  of  which  he  was  deprived  by  sentence  of  a  court 
martial.  That  after  a  protracted  struggle,  which  lasted  for 
years,  he  was  successful,  is  what  every  one  knows.  He 
was  also  premier  counsel  in  the  almost  ecjually  celebrated 
Cesnola  case,  and  was  again  successful.  To  enumerate  the 
trials  in  which  Mr.  Choate  has  taken  a  leading  part  in  this 
city  would  involve  the  task  of  writing  a  legal  history  of 
New  York  for  the  past  <]uarter  of  a  century.    He  rivals 


Chauncey  M.  Depew  as  an  after  dinner  sjjeaker,  and  is  at 
all  times  ready  of  s])eech,  caustic,  witty,  and,  when  neces- 
sary, very  sarcastic.  He  is  an  enthusiastic  Republican,  and 
takes  an  active  and  prominent  part  in  the  Municipal,  State 
and  National  politics.  Mr.  Choate  not  only  enjoys  distinc-  *• 
tion  as  one  of  the  leaders  of  the  New  York  bar,  but  is 
decidedly  the  most  popular  lawyer  in  the  city.  It  is 
doubtful  if  any  living  lawyer  has  as  many  professional 
friends,  and  his  popularity  is  due,  in  large  measure,  to  his 
genial  personality.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Union  League 
Club  and  the  New  England  Society,  and  has  been  president 
of  both  associations. 


JAMES  C.  CARTER. 
James  C.  Carter,  of  the  New  York  Bar,  was  born  in 
Lancaster,  Mass.,  on  October  14,  1827,  and  is  a  son  of 
Solomon  and  Elizabeth  White  Carter.  His  preparatory 
education  was  gained  at  the  Derby  Academy,  Hingham, 
Mass.  He  entered  Harvard  College  and.  after  a  brilliant 
course,  during  which  he  won  prizes  for  a  dissertation  in 
Latin  and  two  others  for  Essays,  was  graduated  with  the 

r  ■ — ^  '  ■ — 


JAMES  C.  CARTER. 

Bachelor  of  .Vns  degree  in  the  class  of  1850.  His  legal 
training  was  acc}uired  in  the  law  department  of  the  same 
institution,  from  which  he  graduated  three  years  later  as  a 
Bachelor  of  Laws.  He  subsequently  had  the  Doctor  of 
Laws  honor  conferred  on  him  by  that  Law  School  in  1885. 
Mr.  Carter  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  1853  and  his  profes- 
sional career  has  been  one  of  distinction  and  success.  He 
is  recognized  as  one  of  America's  ablest  lawyers  and  pos- 
sesses one  of  the  finest  legal  minds  this  country  has  ever 
produced.  His  counsel  is  sought  in  controversies  involving 
national  and  international  questions  of  law.  His  recent 
brilliant  argument  as  counsel  for  the  United  States  in  the 
Alaska  Seal  International  Controversy  was  but  an  instance 
of  his  many  great  legal  achievements.  Mr.  Carter  seems  to 
not  only  have  acipiired  the  legal  reasonings  of  the  authori- 
ties on  law,  but  has  himself  produced  monograi)hs  which  are 
well  known  to  every  well  read  lawyer.  Among  the  most 
Ijrominent  of  his  treatises  is  "The  Attemi)ted  Codification 
of  the  Common  Laws  "  Mr.  Carter's  love  of  his  i)rofession 
is  similar  to  that  of  the  artist's  for  his  art,  and  all  measures 
beneficial  to  the  profession  of  law  have  ever  met  with  his 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS.  279 


hearty  co-operation.  His  addresses  before  the  X'irginia 
State  Bar  Association,  in  1889,  on  "The  Provinces  of  the 
Written  and  the  Unwritten  Law,"  and  before  the  American 
Bar  Association,  in  1890,  on  "  The  Ideal  and  Actual  in 
Law,"  are  famous.  No  banquet  or  gathering  of  distin- 
guished legal  gentlemen  is  complete  without  his  presence, 
where  his  ready  wit  and  eloquent  oratory  contribute  much 
to  the  success  of  the  occasion.  Mr.  Carter  is  independent 
in  politics  and  has  been  actively  identified  with  all  move- 
ments for  the  betterment  of  municipal  government.  He  is 
a  member  of  the  Union  League,  Century,  University,  and 
Alpha  Delta  Phi  Clubs  of  this  city. 


ELLIOTT  FITCH  SHEPARD. 

Colonel  Elliott  Fitch  Shepard,  lawyer,  editor,  and  one  of 
New  York's  most  eminent  citizens,  was  a  man  of  versatile 
talents,  great  force  of  character,  but  above  all  was  remark- 
able for  the  practical  Christianity  which  he  made  the  rule  of 
his  life.  He  was  born  in  Jamestown,  this  State,  on  July  25, 
1833,  his  father.  Fitch  Shepard,  being  at  the  time  connected 
with  the  Chautauqua  County  Bank,  an  institution  still  flour- 
ishing. Colonel  Shepard  was  educated  at  the  University  of 
the  City  of  New  York.  Since  leaving  the  university  his  life 
was  full  of  activity — useful  to  himself,  his  fellow  citizens  and 
humanity  at  large.  In  1858  he  was  called  to  the  New  York 
bar,  and  at  once  began  a  practice  which  was  uninterrupted 
for  twenty-five  years,  save  now  and  then  by  work  bearing 
upon  national  interests.  On  the  breaking  out  of  the  Ci\  il 
War  he  was  placed  on  the  military  staff  of  Governor  E.  D. 
Morgan,  who  was  also  a  major-general  of  volunteers,  and 
commanded  the  Department  of  the  State  of  New  York,  and 
in  that  position  manifested  much  executive  ability  and 
organizing  powers  of  a  high  order.  In  September,  1861,  he 
was  mainly  instrumental  in  raising  and  equipping  the  Fifty- 
first  Regiment  of  New  York  volunteer  infantry,  called  after 
him  the  "  Shepard  Rifles."  Appreciating  his  capacity. 
Governor  Morgan  appointed  Colonel  Shepard  to  the  com- 
mand of  the  depot  for  State  volunteers,  at  Elmira,  where  he 
organized,  equipped  and  forwarded  to  the  front  upwards  of 
50,000  men  within  two  years.  After  the  war  he  resumed 
his  legal  practice,  was  counsel  for  the  New  York  Central 
and  other  railroads  and  corporations,  and  procured  the 
passage  of  the  act  creating  the  Court  of  Arbitration  for  the 
New  York  Chamber  of  Commerce.  He  organized  the  Bank 
of  the  Metropolis,  the  Columbia  Bank,  the  American  Savings 
Bank,  and  in  1876  founded  the  New  York  State  Bar  Asso- 
ciation, of  which  he  was  subsequently  unanimously  elected 
president.  Colonel  Shepard,  though  a  wonderfully  hard 
worker,  was  not  made  of  iron  altogether,  and  in  1884 
travelled  for  health  and  relaxation  in  Europe,  Asia  and 
Africa. 

He  took  a  trip  to  Alaska  in  1887,  and  upon  his  return 
delivered  a  series  of  delightful  and  instructive  lectures 
upon  this,  until  then,  almost  unknown  land.  A  year  later 
he  published  his  famous  pamphlet,  "  Labor  and  Capital 
are  One,"  which  had  a  very  large  circulation,  and 
drew  a  good  deal  of  comment  from  the  press  and  politi- 
cal economists.  In  this  pamphlet  he  asserts  that  the 
modern  corporation  is  a  distinguishing  mark  of  the 
Nineteenth  Century's  civilization,  deprecates  strikes  and 
advocates  arbitration  in  settlement  of  disputes  between  the 
employer  and  the  employed.  In  1888  Colonel  Sliepard  en- 
tered into  a  new  field  of  enterprise  when  he  purchased  the 
Mail  and  Express  from  Cyrus  W.  Field,  and  became  its 
editor.  For  many  years  he  had  been  known  as  a  practical 
Christian,  one  not  ashamed  to  be  seen  lecturing  on  religious 
matters,  or  advocating  the  interests  of  religion  boldly  from 
every  coin  of  vantage  his  position  gave  him  possession  of. 
On  his  assuming  control  of  the  Mail  and  Express  he  placed 
every  day  a  text  from  the  Holy  Scriptures  at  the  head  of  its 


columns,  because,  as  he  said,  he  thought,  as  we  are  all  the 
offspring  of  God,  it  is  well  for  us  to  take  the  Word  of  our 
Heavenly  Father  into  everyday  life  with  us.  The  new 
editor  breathed  life  into  his  newspaper,  its  circulation  quad- 
rupled, advertisements  of  the  best  kind  came  pouring  in,  he 
constructed  one  of  the  finest  buildings  in  the  country  for 
its  home,  and  to-day  the  Mail  and  Express  takes  rank  with 
the  great  Metropolitan  dailies.  There  was  nothing  incon- 
sistent in  Colonel  Shepard  putting  Scripture  texts  in  his 
paper.  When  he  purchased  the  Fifth  Avenue  Omnibus 
Line,  every  one  knew  it  was  to  put  a  stop  to  its  Sunday 
traffic,  and  it  was  stopped.  To  do  the  rival  newspapers 
justice,  it  must  be  said  of  them  that  they  have  never  charged 
him  with  hypocrisy.  Even  if  they  had  it  would  have  been 
all  the  same  to  him,  possessing,  as  he  did,  the  exasperating 
faculty  of  pursuing  the  even  tenor  of  his  way  regardless  of 
what  the  world  was  saying.  As  a  philanthropist  in  the  best 
sense  of  the  word  Colonel  Shepard  will  go  down  to  pos- 
terity.   His  was  not  the  philanthropy  that  exploits  itself  on 


ELLIOT  FITCH  SHEPARD. 


the  ;,highways  and  byways  of  the  land.  His  crusade 
against  the  intended  opening  of  the  World's  Columbian 
Exhibition  on  Sunday  awakened  responsive  throbs  from  the 
religious  heart  of  the  country.  Personally  Colonel  Shep- 
ard was  a  fine  looking  man,  with  very  handsome,  clear  cut 
features  and  a  bold,  open  eye,  bespeaking  a  fearless  soul 
within.  He  married,  in  1868,  Margaret  Louisa,  eldest 
daughter  of  William  H.  Vanderbilt,  by  whom  he  had  six 
children.  Last  year  the  University  of  Omaha  conferred 
upon  him  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Laws,  and  his  Alma 
Mater  the  degree  of  Master  of  Laws.  It  is  hardly  neces- 
sary to  add  that  he  was  a  staunch  Rejjublican,  for,  to  use 
his  own  words,  "  It  is  natural  for  the  patriotic  citizens  of  a 
Rejjublic  to  be  Republicans."  The  above  is  a  too  brief 
sketch  of  a  man  about  whom  much  has  been  said  and 
written,  not  only  in  New  York  City,  but  all  through  the 
country.  His  death,  March  24,  1893,  came  suddenly,  and 
his  loss  is  lamented  by  the  whole  community. 


28o 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS 


JOSEPH   HOWARD,  JR. 

Joe  Howard  has  always  been  reticent  about  the  facts  of 
his  life,  though  they  have  been  generally  altogether  credit- 
able to  him.  He  was  born  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  June  3, 
1833.  His  father  was  a  merchant  and  senior  deacon  in 
Ellymouth  Church,  highly  esteemed,  and  a  friend  of 
Henry  Ward  Beecher.  His  early  education  was  in  the 
public  schools.  Early  in  his  life  he  manifested  a  strong 
bent  for  journalism,  and  first  exploited  himself  promi- 
nently in  print  in  connection  with  the  great  strike  of  the 
shoemakers  in  Lynn,  Mass.,  about  i860.  Happening  to 
visit  the  place  just  then,  he  ventured  some  letters  to 
the  New  York  Times,  which  were  accepted,  and  secured 
him  some  income  and  a  place  on  the  Times  staff.  For  the 
paper  that  year  he  reported  the  National  Democratic  Con- 
vention, at  Charleston,  which  nominated  Mr.  Breckenridge 


JOSKI'tl    HOWARD.  IK 


upon  a  pro-slavery  platform,  and  the  National  Rciiul)lican 
Convention  which  nominated  Mr.  Lincoln,  and  has  reported 
every  convention  on  both  sides  since  that  time.  He  was 
after  offered  the  city  editorship  of  the  Times,  and  since  then 
his  career  is  pretty  well  known  to  all  well-informed  news- 
paper men.  Under  the  Tweed  regime  he  conducted  the 
New  York  S/ar  at  an  immense  loss  to  "the  ring,"  although 
there  were  many  fat  municipal  jobs.  In  later  years  he 
became  a  correspondent,  dictating  hardly  less  copiously 
than  the  renowned  "  Ciath."  Mr.  Howard  has  served  as 
city  editor  of  the  Brooklyn  Eag/e,  city  editor  of  the  New 
York  Sunday  Meriiiry,  has  contributed  to  the  Atlantic 
Monthly,  \.\\^  Independent,  the  Leader,  Noah's  Sunday  Times, 
the  Citizen,  the  Boston  Globe,  the  Chicago  News,  has  been 
engaged  on  the  New  York  World,  and  served  on  the  staff 
of  the  New  York  Ileiald.    His  services  as  war  corresjjon- 


dent  and  the  signature  "Howard"  are  familiar  to  all 
readers  of  the  Press.  He  is  a  good  talker,  thoroughly 
social  and  at  times  convivial  ;  and  with  his  round 
head,  gray  hair,  moustache  and  imperial,  is  a  marked 
figure  in  any  group  of  our  periodical  writers.  He  married  *. 
in  Brooklyn,  and  has  a  daughter  who  is  one  of  the  most 
brilliant  girls  of  the  day,  and  is  now  devoting  herself  to  the 
education  of  the  native  American  Indian. 

THOMAS  H.  EVANS. 

Thomas  H.  Evans,  who  has  been  associated  with  the 
newspapers  of  the  Ignited  States  for  more  than  ten  years, 
and  in  a  business  capacity  has  obtained  an  enviable,  and 
well  known,  and  deserved  reputation,  is  a  Welshman  by 
birth  and  31  years  of  age.  Our  acquaintance  with  Mr. 
Evans  began  some  years  ago,  when   he  was  connected 


THOMAS  H.  EVANS. 

wilh  /udi^^e,  since  which  he  has  had  the  business  agency  in 
New  York  for  the  Chicago  Tribune,  the  Sati  Francisco  Chron- 
icle and  the  North  American,  of  Philadelphia,  the  oldest 
daily  paj)er  in  the  United  States.  Mr.  Evans  has  recently 
been  elected  a  director  in  the  Franklin  Bank,  of  New  York. 
He  organized  the  trij)  of  the  International  League  of  Press 
Clubs  across  the  continent  to  San  Francisco,  which  ])roved 
a  pleasure  to  all.  He  has  served  as  Trustee  of  the  New 
^'ork  Press  Club  for  several  terms,  and  has  been  instru- 
mental in  adding  considerably  to  the  Building  and  Charity 
Fund  of  the  club.  He  was  the  orator  of  the  National 
I'"-isteddfod,  at  Wilkesbarre,  Pa.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
F.  &  A.  M.  and  of  the  Order  of  the  (rolden  Chain.  He  is 
frcciuenlly  called  upon  to  preside  at  entertainments  given  to 
re])resentatives  of  the  press,  and,  seconded  by  an  accom- 
plished wife,  ])resides  over  a  jileasant  and  charitable  home 
in  Brooklyn. 


NEW  YORK, 
THE  METROPOLIS. 


PART  III. 


COMMERCIAL-ILLUSTRATED. 


Copyrighted,  1802. 

THE  NEW  YORK  RECORDER. 
1893. 


2 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


COMMHRCE, 


NEIV  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


3 


THE  CHEMICAL  NATIONAL  BANK. 

The  Chemical  National  Bank  is  the  most  famous  of  all 
American  banking  corporations.  Its  stock  commands  a 
greater  price  in  proportion  to  its  par  value  than  any  other 
bank  stock  in  the  world.  It  has  the  greatest  surplus  and 
undivided  profits  of  any  bank  in"  the  country.  It  has  by 
far  the  largest  amount  of  individual  deposits  of  any  bank 
not  paying  interest.  It  pays  the  largest  percentage  of 
dividends  on  its  par  value  of  any  financial  corfxjration. 
The  Chemical  bears  the  honored  distinction  of  being  the 
one  financial  institution  that  never  suspended  specie  pay- 
ment during  the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  and  redeemed  its 
every  promise  in  gold.  So  remarkable  has  been  its  ])ros- 
perity,  that  to-day  its  yearly  dividends  amount  to  150  per 
cent  The  Chemical  Bank  originated  in  1824,  being 
organized  under  a  State  charter  as  "The  Chemical  Manu- 
facturing Company,"  with  banking  privileges.  The  name 
arose  from  the  fact  that  some  of  the  leading  men  in  the 
enterprise  were  connected  with  the  drug  trade.    The  charter 


dei)osits,  exceeding  i|23,ooo,ooo,  are  secured  without  the 
l)ayment  of  a  penny  of  interest.  Its  first  dividend  was 
paid  in  1849,  five  years  after  its  reorganization,  being  at  the 
rate  of  12  per  cent,  per  annum,  which  was  increased  to  18, 
then  to  24  per  cent.,  advancing  in  1863  to  36  per  cent.,  in 
1867  to  00  per  cent.,  in  1872  to  100  per  cent.,  and  in  1888 
to  150  per  cent,  per  annum.  The  shares  of  the  bank,  based 
on  %\oo  par  value,  have  sold  as  high  as  $4,980  each,  the 
(juotations  varying  from  that  sum  to  $4,500  a  share.  The 
Chemical's  first  banking  house  was  on  Broadway,  opposite 
St.  Paul's  Chapel,  occupying  part  of  the  site  of  the  present 
Park  Bank.  In  1850  it  moved  to  and  occupied  its  present 
site  at  270  Broadway.  In  1872  a  lot  on  the  rear  extending 
through  to  Chaml)ers  Street  was  purchased,  the  extension 
furnishing  additional  room  at  the  rear  of  the  original 
building,  and  in  1888  another  building  on  Chambers  Street 
was  acquired,  and  a  spacious  addition  made  to  the  bank 
quarters.  Mr.  George  G.  Williams  entered  the  service  of 
the  old  Chemical  Manufacturing  Company  in  1841,  became 


[ 

!  I 

! 

J  It—    -W      ■  CJ  ' 

THE  CHEMICAL   NATIONAL   BANK.— INTERIOR  VIEW. 


expired  in  1844,  and  through  the  efforts  of  Peter  and 
Robert  Goelet  a  capital  of  $300,000  was  subscribed,  and 
February  24,  1844,  the  business  of  the  Chemical  Manufac- 
turing Company  was  taken  over  by  the  Chemical  ]>ank. 
John  Q.  Jones  was  the  first  president,  and  remained  in  that 
office  until  1878.  He  was  surrounded  by  some  of  the 
wealthiest  and  most  influential  merchants  of  New  York  as 
directors,  shareholders  and  depositors,  among  them,  Alex- 
ander T.  Stewart,  John  David  Wolfe,  Joseph  Sampson,  C. 
V.  S.  Roosevelt,  Robert  McCroskrey  and  Japhet  Bishop. 
These  men,  representing  the  strength  of  the  drygoods  and 
hardware  trades,  brought  their  own  business  to  the  bank 
and  attracted  many  others  to  it.  Its  stability  in  the  midst 
of  panics  and  financial  disturbances  was  also  influential  in 
securing  for  the  Chemical  large  individu  \\  and  corporate 
deposits.  The  New  York  Central  Railroad  was  one  of  its 
earliest  customers.  The  conservatism  of  the  management 
and  the  strict  adherence  to  the  legitimate  banking  methods 
are   generally  recognized,  and  its    enormous  individual 


cashier  in  1855,  and  jjresident  in  1878.  For  nearly  forty 
years  the  affairs  of  the  bank  have  been  guided  by  his 
hand,  with  results  which  require  no  praise.  Mr.  William 
J.  Quinlan,  Jr.,  the  cashier,  has  filled  that  office  since 
1878.  The  Board  of  Directors  consists  of  George  G. 
Williams,  James  A.  Roosevelt,  Frederic  W.  Stevens,  Robert 
Goelet  and  William  J.  Quinlan,  Jr. 


THE  NATIONAL  PARK  BANK  OF  NEW  YORK. 

'I  he  National  Park  Bank  of  New  York  is  one  of  the  largest 
banks  in  the  United  States,  and  stands  not  only  pre-emi- 
nent among  the  banks  of  New  York,  but  indeed  among  those 
of  the  entire  country.  It  has  now,  and  for  a  long  time  has 
maintained,  aggregate  de])Osits  of  $15,000,000,  with  re- 
sources of  upwards  of  $34,600,000,  and  the  largest  busi- 
ness of  any  financial  institution  in  the  western  world,  its 
influence  extending  to  every  portion  of  the  United  States. 
In  fact,  the  banking  connections  of  the  National  Park  Bank 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


are  not  confined  to  this  country,  l)ut  among  the  hundreds 
of  banks  and  bankers  who  act  as  its  correspondents,  and  of 
which  it  is  the  New  York  agent  and  depository,  are  a 
number  in  Canada,  Mexico  and  other  countries.  In  addi- 
tion, the  relations  of  the  bank  with  commercial,  manufactur- 
ing and  corporate  interests,  as  well  as  with  bankers  and 
capitalists,  furnish  a  volume  of  business  unequalled  in  the 
history  of  American  l)anking.  A  perfect  organization, 
exceptional  facilities  for  the  transaction  of  every  class  of 
business,  an  uninterrupted  record  of  success,  and  a  manage- 
ment in  which  experience,  energy  and  conservatism  pre- 


llll':    NA!Il>N.\I,    I'AKK    HANK   nl      .1   .\  MiKK. 

dominate,  are  the  foundations  upon  which  this  prosperity 
has  been  established.  The  name  of  the  bank  recalls  to 
former  generations  of  New  Yorkers  the  Park  which  sur- 
rounds the  City  Hall.  The  charter  dates  from  1856,  the 
bank  being  established  in  that  year  at  the  corner  of  Beek- 
man  Street  and  Theatre  Alley,  where  'i'emple  Court  now 
stands.  Reuben  W.  Howes  and  Charles  .X.  Macy  were  the 
first  President  and  C'ashier  res|)ertively.  The  original 
capital  of  $2,000,000  has  remained  un(  iianged,  and  a 
surplus  of  nearly  $3,000,000  has  been  added  to  it.  In  1865 
it  became  a  National  bank,  and  in  1866  it  pur(  based  the 


premises  at  214  and  216  Broadway,  opposite  St.  Paul's,  and 
built  thereon  the  dignified  marble  building,  of  fireproof 
construction,  which  has  since  been  its  home.  This  site  has 
been  at  one  time  occupied  by  the  Chemical  Bank.  The 
up])er  portions  are  divided  into  offices,  the  tenants  of  which  ' 
include  prominent  firms  and  corporations,  notably  the 
Illinois  Central  Railroad  Company.  The  entire  first  floor 
is  occupied  by  the  bank,  the  rotunda  in  the  rear  being  a 
stately  apartment  decorated  in  white  and  gold.  Its  propor- 
'tionsare  amjjle  for  its  125  emi)loyes,  the  largest  number 
engaged  in  any  New  York  banking  institution.  'I  he  trea- 
sure-vault in  the  bank  is  one  of  the  strongest 
in  the  world,  and  contains  from  $10,000,000  to 
$15,000,000  in  specie  and  notes.  Beneath  the 
banking-room  is  a  great  safe-deposit  vault,  the 
entrance  to  which  is  through  the  bank,  and 
which  is  conducted  as  one  of  its  departments. 
In  safety  and  convenience  it  compares  with  any 
in  New  York,  and  scarcely  a  safe  among  its 
hundreds  is  unrented.  The  character  of  the 
management  is  sliown  by  the  i)roniinence  and 
high  standing  of  the  Board  of  Directors,  which 
consists  of  Eugene  Kelly,  Ebenezer  H.  Wright, 
Josejjh  T.  Moore,  Stuyvesant  Fish,  Ceorge  S. 
Hart,  Charles  Sternbach,  Charles  Scribner, 
Edward  C.  Hoyt,  Edward  E.  Poor,  W.  Rockhill 
Potts,  .\ugust  Belmont,  Richard  Delafield, 
Francis  R.  Appleton,  and  John  Jacob  Astor. 

Ebenezer  H.  Wright  became  its  President 
in  1890,  having  entered  the  bank  in  1859  as  a 
teller's  assistant,  rising  through  the  various 
grades  to  the  post  of  Cashier  in  1876,  Director 
in  1878,  and  Vice-President  in  i88c.  Vice- 
Presidents  are  Stuyvesant  Fish  and  Edward  E. 
Poor,  the  Cashier,  Ceorge  S.  Hickok,  and  the 
Assistant-Cashier  Edward  J.  Baldwin,  have  each 
a  record  of  many  years'  service  in  the  bank. 

THE  SECOND  NATIONAL  BANK. 

'i  he  Second  National  Bank  is  situated  on 
the  spot  where  Broadway,  Fifth  .\venue,  and 
Twenty-third  Street  intersect,  that  is  to  say, 
tlie  very  best  spot  in  the  <  ity  for  such  an  in- 
stitution. It  occupies  a  commodious  suite  of 
rooms  under  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel,  and  be 
gan  doing  business  there  in  1863,  when  it  was 
organized.  The  Board  of  Directors  consists  of 
gentlemen  representing  both  uptown  and  down- 
town banking  interests,  and  is  com])osed  as 
follows,  viz.:  Amos  R.  Eno,  Henry  A.  Hurlbut, 
.Alfred  B.  Darling.  John  S.  Rike'r,  William  C. 
Brewster,  Wm.  P.  St.  John,  George  Montague, 
("harles  B.  Fosdick.  (ieorge  Sherman.  \N"illiam 
(i.  Hitchcock,  and  George  W.  .Aitken.  They 
were  the  first  to  perceive  and  take  advantage 
of  the  large  commercial  interests  centring 
around  Madison  Scjuare  recjuiring  local  bank- 
ing facilities.  Its  original  (■a])ital  of  $300,000 
remains  unchanged,  and  a  surplus  of  nearly  half 
a  million  has  accumulated  since  1884,  besides  its  dividends 
of  10  percent.  The  bank  deposits  amount  to  over  $6,000,000 
and  its  gross  assets  to  u])\vard  of  $7,000,000.  'J"he  Bank 
is  largely  jiatronized  by  sojourners  in  the  great  u])town 
hotel,  and  by  that  section  of  the  wealthy  i)ublic  having 
Madison  Sipiare  for  a  centre,  including  a  constituency  of 
aliout  3,000  ladies,  it  being  the  first  commercial  l)ank,  as 
distinguished  from  Savings  Banks,  to  have  a  separate 
(leiiartment  for  ladies.  The  President  is  Mr.  George 
Montague,  and  the  Cashier,  Mr.  Josej)!!  S.  Case,  of  whom 
biographical  sketi  lies  api)ear  elsewhere  in  this  volume. 


NEIV  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


5 


INTERIOR  VIEW  OF  THE  SECOND  NATIONAL  BANK. 


6 


■NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


AMERICAN  SAFE  DEPOSIT  CO. 
One  of  the  surprises  which  a  New  \  orker  may  ex- 
perience near  his  own  door  is  the  revelation  of  spaciousness, 
richness,  and  comfort,  to  say  nothing  of  solidity  and 
security,  in  the  vaults  of  the  handsome  building  on  the 
corner  of  Fifth  Avenue  and  Forty-second  Street,  which  is  the 
property  of  the  American  Safe  Deposit  Company.  It  is 
hard  to  believe  from  an  outside  inspection  that  so  much  of 
importance  and  interest  can  be  contained  within  its  walls 
and  beneath  the  surrounding  sidewalk.  Upon  entering  the 
office  and  reception  room  l)y  tlie  42d  Street  entrance  one  is 
struck  by  the  good  taste  displayed  in  all  its  a])])ointments. 
and  the  completeness  with  which  the  needs  of  jjatrons  are 
ministered  to.    A  broad  staircase  of  marble  and  l)rass,  or  a 


vidual  safes,  which  are  under  the  control  of  the  depositors 
themselves.  This  vault  is,  in  fact,  a  large  room,  whose  walls, 
ceiling  and  floor  consist  of  alternate  layers  of  Franklinite 
and  chrome  steel,  between  which  are  flowed  layers  of  soft 
iron,  making  a  structure  which  can  be  neither  drilled  nor  » 
fractured.  This  room  is  lighted  by  electricity  and  supplied 
with  a  constant  stream  of  fresh  air  brought  from  the  roof  of 
the  building,  so  that  one  experiences  no  discomfort  of  either 
aimosjjhere  or  temperature  at  any  season  of  ihe  year.  The 
'vault,  which  is  the  most  extensive  in  the  world,  cost 
$100,000.  All  this  mass  of  steel  and  iron  is  further  pro- 
tected by  the  latest  electrical  devices,  so  that  when  the 
vault  is  closed  at  night  and  the  time  locks  are  set  in 
operation,  connection  is  established  with  the  police  station, 


AMKKICAN  S.M-E  DEPOSIT  COMPANV  S  BlMLniNG. 


cozy  little  hydraulic  elevator,conveys  the  visitor  to  the  strong- 
hold below,  where  one  is  amazed  at  the  largeness,  fresh- 
ness and  brightness  of  the  numerous  rooms  of  which  it  is 
composed.  The  floor  is  divided  into  two  distinct  apart- 
ments, the  one  for  gentlemen,  the  other  for  ladies.  Each 
has,  besides  its  many  ample  coupion  rooms  and  well- 
appointed  toilet  rooms,  a  large  reading  or  writing  room,  in 
which  a  depositor  may  while  away  a  s])are  hour  or  two,  or 
where  meetings  of  ])arties  to  a  trust  or  heirs  to  an  estate 
may  be  held.  'l"he  gentlemen's  parlor  is,  among  other 
things,  su])plied  with  a  (juotation  "ticker"  and  the  current 
newspapers.  ('onvenient  to  all  these  comforts  are  the 
burglar-proof  trunk  rooms,  for  the  general  storage  of  silver- 
ware, jewelry,  and  other  valuables,  and  the  massive  fire  and 
burglar-proof  vault,  in  whi(  h  are  disposed  the  1,700  indi- 


and  thereafter  the  slightest  tampering  with  any  part  of  the 
enclosing  structure  will  transmit  a  telegraphic  message 
which  will  bring  a  policeman  instantly  to  the  aid  of  the 
watchmen  stationed  within  and  without  the  building. 
'I'here  are  otiur  elaborate  devices  for  ])rotection  against  un- 
usual dangers,  such  as  riot,  one  of  which  has  for  itsi)uri)ose 
the  filling  of  the  whole  l)asement  in  which  the  vault  is 
situated  with  water.  The  .American  Safe  Dei^osit  Com])any 
is  now  controlled  by  the  \'anderl)ilts,  who,  it  is  understood, 
intend  to  develop  its  business  and  to  add  to  its  pojjularity. 
They  have  already  introduced  changes  looking  to  a  very 
liberal  jjolicy  towards  ])atrons,  and  the  officers  and  attend- 
ants ini])ress  the  visitor  as  being  eager  to  make  the 
institution  in  every  way  attractive  and  convenient  to 
depositors.    Mr.  Charles  I",  ("ox  (who  is  also  Vice-President 


ATE IV  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


of  the  Canada  Southern  Railway  Company,  with  office  at  the 
Grand  Central  Depot)  has  recently  been  made  President, 
and  a  number  of  new  directors  have  been  elected,  most  of 
whom  are  conne  ted  with  N.  Y.  Central  system  of  railroads, 
among  whom  are  Mr.  Rossiter  the  Treasurer,  and  Mr. 
Carstensen,  the  Comptroller  of  the  Central,  Mr.  Dutcher, 
Superintendent  of  its  cattle  traffic,  and  Mr.  Skirt,  Superin 
tendent  of  the  Harlem  R  R  Co.'s  City  Line.  Mr.  Russell 
Raymond,  who  has  been  connected  with  the  Safe-Deposit 
Company  since  its  organization,  remains  as  Secretary  and 
Manager. 

UNION  DIME  SAVINGS  INSTITUTION. 

The  Union  Dime  Savings  Institution,  a  white  marble 
building,  standing  at  the  junction  of  Sixth  Avenue  and 
Thirty-second  Street,  is  one  of  the  sights  of  New  York,  not 
only  because  of  its  architectural 
beauty,  but  from  the  fact  also  that  " 
it  is  one  of  the  city's  most  useful 
and  popular  banks.    As  such  it 
is  entitled  to  a  place  in  a  history 
like  '"New  York,  the  Metropolis.'" 
It  was  founded  in  1859  and  open 
ed  in  a  small  building  on  Canal 
and  Varick  Streets.    Its  begin- 
ning was   very  modest  indeed, 
but  that   it  has   progressed  is 
evident  from  the  fact  that  in  a 
generation  its  number  of  depos- 
itors has  increased  to  57,000  and 
the  amount  of  deposits  to  I14,- 
000,000.    It  was  originally  chris- 
tened the  Dime  Savings  Institu- 
tion, but  when  the  war  broke  out 
its  promoters  prefixed  the  word 
■'Union"  in  order  to  emphasize 
their  patriotism.  They  did  more, 
for  to  manifest  their  faith  in  the 
ultimate  success  of  the  national 
cause  they  invested  extensively 
in  the  United  States  bonds  and 
found  their  reward  in  large  pro- 
fits.   The  idea  was  to  treat  small 
depositors  as   carefuly  and  as 
courteously  as  those  who  brought 
in  large  sums,  and  this  idea  is 
carried  out  by  the  present  man- 
agement in  its  integrity.  As  time 
rolled  on  the  business  of  the  in- 
stitution so  increased  that  it  was 
found  necessary   to  move  into 
more  commodious  quarters,  and 
the  premises  on  Canal  and  Laight 
streets, used  at  present  as  a  United  Stales  Pension  office,  were 
selected.  Ten  years  later  another  move  was  made  for  similar 
reasons,  and  this  time  in  an  uptown  direction,  when  the 
present  site  was  chosen  in  one  of  the  most  central  and  acces- 
sible parts  of  New  York.    E.  V.  Houghwout  was  the  first 
President  of  the  institution,  and  his  successors  have  been 
John  McLean.  Napoleon  J.  Haines,  John  W.  Britton,  Silas 
B.  Dutcher,  Gardner  S.  Chapin,  and  Charles  E.  Sprague. 
Mr.  Chapin,  recently  deceased,  was  an  officer  of  the  bank 
from  its  foundation.    He  received  the  first  deposit  ever 
made  in  the  bank.  Colonel  Charles  E.  Sprague,  the  present 
incumbent,  was  born  in  Nassau,  N.  Y.  State,  in  J  842,  of  old 
New  England  stock,  was  educated  in  Union  College,  and 
served  in  the  Union  Army  during  the  Rebellion.    He  en- 
tered the  Union  Dime  Savings  Bank  as  junior  clerk  in  1870, 
was  made  secretary  in  1878,  and  in  1891  was  elected  Presi- 
dent.   The  other  officers  of  the  Union  Dime  Savings  Insti- 


tution are  Channing  M.  Britton,  First  Vice-President  (also 
Ch  airman  of  the  Fmance  Committee),  and  James  S.  Herr» 
man.  Second  Vice-President;  George  N.  Birdsall,  Treasurer; 
and  Francis  M.  Leake,  Secretary. 

THE  CENTRAL  NATIONAL  BANK. 

The  Central  National  Bank  is  the  largest  and  strongest 
banking  institution  of  the  drygoods  district  of  New  York. 
It  was  organized  in  1863  and  occupies  the  substantial  white 
marble  building  on  the  north-east  corner  of  Broadway  and 
Pearl  Street,  which  it  owns.  The  present  chief  executive  is 
Col.  William  L.  Strong,  who  was  elected  Vice-President  in 
1882,  and  President  in  1888.  A  merchant  of  long  exi)erience 
and  successful  record,  and  identified  with  many  of  the 
city's  financial,  social  and  political  institutions,  with 
personal  prominence,  great  wealth  and  wide  influence  in 

  the  drygoods  and  allied  trades, 

he  presides  over  a  Board  of 
Directors  representing  the  strong- 
est factors  among  the  textile  in- 
terests. Edwin  Langdon,  the 
Vice-President  of  the  Bank,  has 
been  in  its  service  since  1865, 
rising  through  all  the  grades  to 
his  present  responsible  jiosition. 
Charles  S.  Young,  for  many  years 
Paying  Teller,  is  now  the  Cashier 
of  the  Hank.  '1  he  total  resources 
and  deposits  of  the  Bank  exceed 
1 6,000,000  ;  the  capital  is 
$2,000,000  ;  its  surplus  and  un- 
divided profits  $600,000. 


rXION  DIME  .SAVINGS  INST  ) T U T K  )N' 


THE    SEVENTH  NATIONAL 
BANK. 

The  Seventh  National  Bank  is 
ihe  lineal  representative  of  the 
Old  Seventh  Ward  Bank,  estab- 
lished in  1833,  the  name  having 
been  changed  when  the  institu- 
tion took  a  National  Bank 
Charter  in  1865.  As  the  name 
indicates,  the  bank  originated  in 
the  Seventh  Ward,  then  a  fash- 
ionable portion  of  the  city.  Its 
original  officers  were  in  East 
Broadway,  and  for  many  years 
the  bank  occupied  the  premises 
at  the  corner  of  Pearl  Street  and 
Burling  Slip.  The  removal  to  its 
present  more  conspicuous  quar- 
ters at  182  and  184  Broadway, 
came  much  later.  The  present 
John  McAnerney,  assumed  the 
bringing  to  the  bank  a  success- 
ful and  honorable  personal  record  in  the  iron  business, 
and  as  an  officer  and  director  of  Southern  railroad 
corporations,  with  a  connection  and  influence  that  have 
materially  stimulated  the  Seventh  National's  progress, 
offering  as  it  does  the  assurance  of  conservative  and  sound 
but  vigorous  management.  The  growth  of  its  deposit  line 
and  the  expansion  of  its  business  have  been  of  a  marked 
character.  The  composition  of  its  Board  of  Directors, 
representing  some  of  the  largest  business  interests  of  New 
York,  is  eminently  calculated  to  insure  the  stability  and 
substantiality  on  which  a  high  position  among  Metropolitan 
banks  depends.  George  Montague,  now  President  of  the 
Second  National  Bank,  for  a  number  of  years  held  the  same 
position  with  the  Seventh  National. 


corner  of  John  Street, 
head  of  the  institution, 
Presidency  in  July,  1891, 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


THE  MANHATTAN  SAVINGS  INSTITUTION. 

The  Manhattan  Savings  Institution  has  its  banking 
rooms  on  the  ground  floor  of  its  own  stately  eight-story 
sandstone  front  building,  at  644  and  646  Broadway,  corner 
of  Bleecker  Street,  comjileted  for  its  use  in  1890,  at  a  cost  of 
over  half  a  million  dollars.  This  structure  replaced  another 
vvliich  had  been  erected  in  1857,  the  bank  having  in  1863 
purchased  this  site  and  moved  thither  from  its  original 
quarters  at  648  Broadway.  The  incori)oration  dates  back 
to  1851,  when  it  was  formed  by  such  leading  citizens  as 
Augustus  Schell,  James  Harper,  E.  1).  Morgan  (afterwards 
Governor  of  New  York),  Henry  Stokes,  A.  A.  Alvord  and 
James  M.  McLean.  Ambrose  C.  Kingsland,  ex-Mayor  of 
New  York,  was  the  first  Pre.sident.  The  institution  has 
a  history  of  steady  growth  and  of  the  confidence  to  which 
the  high  standing  of  its  management  entitles  it.  The 
deposits  since  its  inception  have 
amounted  to  $95,250,055,  and  the 
amount  due  depositors  at  present 
is  $8,700,000,  the  assets  repre- 
senting nearly  a  market  value  of 
$10,000,000.  Edward  Schell,  its 
President,  has  been  a  trustee 
nearly  forty  years  ;  the  Vice- 
President,  Robert  G.  Remsen, 
and  Joseph  Bird,  have  been  iden- 
tified with  the  bank  for  many 
years ;  the  Secretary,  Frank  G. 
Stiles,  has  a  record  of  32  years 
spent  in  the  service;  and  George 
H.  Pearsall,  the  Assistant  Secre- 
tary, has  been  connected  with 
the  institution  since  1865.  The 
Board  of  Trustees,  in  which  the 
officers  are  also  included,  consists 
of  :  Henry  M.  Taber,  John  H. 
Watson,  P.  Van  Zandt  Lane,  E. 
A.  Walton,  William  J.  Valentine, 
De  Witt  C.  Hays,  Edward  King, 
H.  B.  Stokes,  George  Blagden, 
John  D.  Jones,  (ieorge  H. 
McLean,  William  H.  Oakley,  S. 
R.  Lesher,  James  W.  Smith, 
James  W.  Beekman  and  Phillij) 
Schuyler.  

DREXEL,  MORGAN  &  CO. 

The  international  prominemc 
and  high  standing  of  the  firm  of 
Drexel,  Morgan  &  Co.  j)lace  it 
l)eyond  the  retpiirements  of  any 
explanatory  reference  in  this 
work;  but  a  few  facts  concerning 
its  inception,  growth  and  field  of 

usefulness  cannot  but  be  of  great  interest.  This  world  re- 
nowned banking  house  is  the  outgrowth  of  the  i)receding 
firms  of  Drexel,  Winthrop  <\:  Co.,  and  Dabney,  Morgan  &: 
Co.,  which  were  dissolved  in  July,  1S71,  and  the  new  firm 
formed  by  Mr.  J.  Pierpont  Morgan  of  the  latter  firm  joining 
the  members  of  the  firm  of  Drexel  iK:  Co.,  of  Philadelphia  ; 
and  Drexel,  Harjes  iV  Co.,  of  Paris.  Drexel,  Morgan  \:  Co. 
are  the  agents  and  attorneys  of  Messrs.  J.  S.  Morgan  i.V  Co., 
of  London.  The  members  of  the  firm  resident  in  New  York 
are  Messrs.  J.  Pierpont  Morgan,  J.  Hood  \Vright,  George 
S.  Bowdoin,  Charles  H.  Coster,  J.  Pieri)ont  Morgan,  Jr., 
and  Temple  Bowdoin.  As  one  of  the  leading  banking 
houses  of  America  its  colossal  achievements  in  the  develop- 
ment of  the  magnificent  railroad  system  of  the  United 
States  are  matters  of  history;  many  of  the  largest  issues  of 
bonds  ever  offered  to  the  investing  ])ul)lic  having  been 


MANHATT.\N  S.WINT.S  INSTITl HON. 


placed  successfully  through  its  agency.  It  makes  a  specialty 
of  drawing  Bills  of  Exchange  at  customary  usances  on 
Great  Britain  and  France;  issues  commercial  and  travellers' 
credits,  available  all  over  the  world,  makes  collections  both 
here  and  abroad  through  its  allied  houses  and  chain  of  1 
correspondents,  and  is  in  every  w-ay  representative  of  the 
soundest  and  most  conservative  financial  methods.  The 
splendid  building  at  the  southeast  corner  of  Wall  Street 
and  Broad  was  erected  in  1872-3.  directly  facing  the  United 
.States  Sub-Treasury  on  the  one  hand  and  the  Stock  Ex- 
change on  the  other,  and  the  firm  moved  into  the  offices 
now  occupied  by  them  on  May  ist,  1893.  It  is  an  archi- 
tecturally handsome  six  story  marble  structure,  affording 
ample  accommodations  for  the  transaction  of  the  enormous 
business  there  centralized.  The  influence  exercised  by  this 
widely  know  n  firm  has  been  of  the  most  salutary  character, 

and  the  house  is  in  every  respect 
a  thorough  exponent  of  the  guid- 
ing princii)les  of  financial  probity 
and  conservatism,  and  the  repre- 
sentative position  it  occupies 
forcibly  indicates  the  confidence 
wisely  re])osed  in  it  by  the  public 
at  large.  The  senior  member  of 
the  firm,  Mr.  J  Pierpont  Morgan, 
is  universally  regarded  as  one  of 
the  ablest  financiers  this  country 
has  yet  produced.  The  force  of 
his  masterly  hand  in  the  adjust- 
ment of  the  difficulties  ai  d  re- 
habilitation and  reorganization 
of  such  properties  as  the  West 
Shore  Railroad,  Pittsburgh  &: 
Western,  Chicago  iv:  Atlantic, 
Ohio,  Indiana  i^c  \\'estern,  the 
Chesapeake  &  Ohio,  Richmond  <Jv: 
Alleghany,  Elizabethtown,  Lex- 
ington i^-  Big  Sandy,  and  the 
Reading  Com])any  are  too  fresh 
in  the  mind  of  the  people  to  need 
recounting  here.  His  succe  s  in 
these  negotiations  is  said  to  ha\e 
been  due  mainly  to  his  absolute 
fairness,  consulting,  as  he  did, 
the  rights  of  all  interested,  stock- 
holders as  well  as  bondholders. 
Mr.  L  Pierpont  Morgan  was  born 
in  Hartford,  Conn.,  in  1837,  was 
educated  at  Giittingen,  and  upon 
the  death  in  1890  of  his  father, 
Junius  S  Morgan  (who  was  the 
former  ])artner  and  successor  of 
(icorge  Peabody),  he  became  also 
the  head  of  the  London  house  of 
J.  S.  Morgan  Co.  Personally  Mr.  Morgan  is,  under 
cover  of  an  imperious  manner,  sympathetic,  warm  hearted 
and  generous.  His  benefactions  are  as  extended  and 
liberal  as  they  are  unostentatious.  His  is  a  unique  figure, 
strong,  intellectual,  talented,  one  of  which  the  Metropolis 
may  well  be  proud.  Anthony  J.  Drexel,  senior  member 
of  the  firms  of  Drexel  &  Co.,  Drexel,  Harjes  Co., 
and  Drexel,  Morgan  &  Co.,  died  at  Carlsbad,  Bohemia, 
June  30,  1893.  He  was  born  in  Philadelphia  in  1S26. 
His  father,  Francis  Martin  Drexel,  who  established  the 
large  financial  institution  of  which  his  son  was  the 
head,  was  a  native  of  Dornbin,  in  the  Austrian  Tyrol, 
and  came  to  America  in  181 7.  He  founded  the  bank- 
ing house  of  Drexel  Co.  in  1837.  After  his  death,  in 
1863,  he  was  succeeded  by  his  sons,  A.  J.  and  Francis 
A.  Drexel. 


DREXEL,  MORGAN  &  CO.'S  BUILDING. 


lo  NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


THE  MILLS  BUILDING. 

The  Mills  Building,  named  for  the  owner,  D.  O.  Mills,  is 
one  of  the  handsomest  and  best  known  office  buildings  on 
this  continent.  It  is  said  to  be  the  most  costly  office 
structure  owned  by  any  single  individual,  having  cost 
upwards  of  $3,500,000.  At  the  time  of  its  erection  it  out- 
ranked any  similar  structure.  Its  fine  architectural  effects 
are  admirably  shown  off  by  its  situation,  its  main  front 
being  on  Broad  Street,  a  thoroughfare  actually  broad  in  fact 
as  well  as  in  name.  It  has  two  other  street  fronts,  one  on 
Wall  Street  and  the  other  on  Exchange  Place,  the  three 
fronts  having  distinct  entrances,  all  of  which  lead  into  the 


On  the  lower  floor,  on  Broad  Street,  is  the  St.  Nicholas 
Bank  and  the  banking  house  of  Henry  Clews,  and  on  the 
eleventh  floor,  above  the  offices,  is  a  restaurant.  The 
great  feature  of  the  Mills  Building,  architecturally,  is  its 
large  open  court,  which  gives  admirable  light  to  all  its 
offices.  Mr.  Mills  is  one  of  the  California  magnates  who 
came  to  New  York  many  years  ago.  He  is  also  the  owner 
of  one  of  the  finest  buildings  in  San  Francisco,  also  called 
the  "  Mills  Building."  He  is  identified  with  a  large  number 
of  the  greatest  of  New  York's  financial,  commercial  and 
other  institutions.  Among  his  charitable  works  is  the 
"  1).  ().  Mills  Training  School  for  Male  Nurses."  He  is  the 
father-in-law  of  the  Hon.  Whitelaw 
Reid,  e.x- United  States  Minister  to 
France,  and  the  late  Republican 
nominee  for  Vice-President  of  the 
United  States,  but  who  is  probably 
Itest  known  as  the  editor  of  the  New 
\'ork  Tribune.  The  erection  of  the 
Mills  Building  enhanced  the  value  of 
all  Broad  and  Wall  Street  real  estate. 


TlIK  MIM,.S  HUILDING. 

grand  rotunda,  wlii(h  leads  especially  from  the  Broad 
Street  entrance.  Its  Broad  Street  side  is  oi)|)osite  the 
main  entrance  to  the  Stock  Exchange,  the  Wall  Street 
entrance  is  opposite  to  the  United  States  Sub-Treasury 
building,  and  the  F^xchange  Place  entrance  is  within  a 
stone's  throw  of  the  Custom  House.  It  is  eleven  stories 
high,  and  covers  about  23,000  scpiare  feet  of  surface 
area,  taking  in  11  to  23  Broad  Street  and  35  Wall  Street. 
It  has  seven  elevators  of  the  most  modern  construction. 
Its  tenants  number  about  800,  among  them  being  many 
railroad  and  other  cori)orations,  and  some  of  the  most 
.  imj)ortant  banking  and  brokerage  houses  in  "  the  Street." 


UNITED  STATES  TRUST 
COIVIPANY. 

There  are  twenty  trust  companies 
ill  New  York,  and  one  of  the  oldest 
and  most  substantial  of  them  is  the 
United  States  It  is  one  of  the  most 
important  fiduciary  institutions  in 
the  country.  In  fact,  it  is  the  largest 
trust  company  on  the  continent,  hav- 
ing the  greatest  amount  of  assets. 
The  United  States  Trust  Company 
was  organized  in  1853,  under  a 
special  charter,  to  act  as  trustee, 
executor,  and  guardian,  as  well  as  a 
legal  depository  of  money.  Its  capital 
is  $2,000,000,  it  has  a  sur])lus  of 
,$8,000,000,  deposits  of  $42,000,000, 
and  gross  assets  of  $52,000,000.  The 
business  of  the  com])any  has  lately 
become  very  varied  and  extensive. 
It  has  fretjuently  been  selected  by 
courts  of  law  to  act  as  depository  for 
funds  in  litigation.  It  is  often  ajipoint- 
ed  executor  for  the  settlement  of 
large  estates,  and  to  act  as  guardian 
for  wealthy  minors.  It  is  the  trustee 
for  bondholders  of  railroads  and 
other  corporations,  and  it  acts  as 
transfer  agent  and  registiar  of  com- 
pany stocks.  It  allows  interest  cn 
deposits,  which  are  subject  to  five 
days'  notice  of  ])ayment.  In  1888 
the  company  took  possession  of  its 
l)resent  palatial  offices,  on  Wall 
Street,  and  they  carry  on  their  large 
business  in  the  massive  granite 
Romanes(iuc  jiile,  which  is  considered  one  of  tl-.e  finest 
office  buildings  in  the  city.  The  Board  of  Trustees  include 
such  names  as  William'  Walter  Pheljis,  Samuel  Sloan, 
William  Rockefeller  and  William  Waldorf  Astor.  The 
present  President  is  John  A.  Stewart,  who  was  at  one 
time  Assistant  Treasurer  of  the  United  States.  The 
Secretary  is  Henry  L.  Thornell,  and  the  Assistant  Secretary 
Louis  Ci.  Hamilton.  \\'\\\\  such  men  as  managers,  and 
with  an  unblemished  reputation  for  hone-ty,  fairness,  and 
business  dispatch,  the  United  States  Trust  Company 
illustrates  the  growth  of  the  great  financial  institutions 
of  America. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


THE  METROPOLITAN  TELEPHONE    &  TELEGRAPH 
COMPANY. 

Telephone  service  has  for  many  years  been  recognized 
and  employed  as  the  most  direct  and  convenient  means  for 
business  and  social  communications.  Improvements  and 
inventions  have  been  continually  applied  to  render  the 
service  thoroughly  efficient,  and  many  scientists,  mechanical 
experts  and  skilful  workmen  have  been  engaged  in  its 
perfection.  Through  the  multitude  of  wires  and  inS'truments 
all  i)arts  of  the  city  are  brought  into  close  connection,  and 
conversation  cm  be  maintained  not  only  with  a  neighbor, 
but  with  correspondents  as  far  distant  as  Chicago.  The 
service  of  New  York  City  is  furnished  by  the  above  named 
Company,  which  by  means  of  its  connections  with  suburban 
points  and  with  the  long  distance  lines  of  the  American 
Telephone  &  Telegraph  Company,  ])laces  at  the  disposal 


the  nature  of  the  business  recjuires  the  utmost  security  to 
avoid  the  possil)ility  of  the  slightest  interruption.  Over  800 
persons  are  employed,  nearly  400  of  whom  are  girls  retained 
as  o])erators.  The  salaries  paid  exceed  $600,000  per  annum. 
A  few  years  since  the  system  was  conducted  by  overhead 
wires,  but  these  with  their  poles  and  fixtures  have  been 
removed,  and  substituted  for  them  are  cables  containing 
30,000  miles  of  wire  run  through  the  subways  and  radiating  in 
every  direction  from  the  central  offices,  each  central 
office,  therefore,  as  may  be  supposed,  connecting  with 
hundreds  of  underground  lines  These  wires  are  run  in 
metallic  circuit  or  pairs,  each  cable  carrying  about  50  jjairs. 
The  adoption  of  the  underground  system  has  been 
attended  with  immense  outlay  of  money  and  many 
electrical  and  mechanical  difficulties,  and  the  complete 
remodelling  of  the  Comi)any's  plant.    The  exchanges  are 


CENTRAL  OFFICE  OF  THE  ME  1  R(  H  i  1 1  1T.\N  TELEPHONE  .-^ND  TELEGRAPH  COMPANY,  SHOWING  PART 
OF  THE  SWITCH  BOARD  AND  OPERATORS  AT  WORK. 


of  its  patrons  at  their  offices  and  residences  facilities  to 
communicate  direct  with  80,000  telephone  users,  scattered 
through  New  York,  New  England,  Pennsylvania,  Ohio, 
Illinois  and  other  contiguous  States.  This  large  number  of 
persons  or  companies  having  lines  for  their  individual  use, 
and  who  are  properly  termed  subscribers,  may  be  indefi- 
nitely increased  by  the  mass  of  people  who  avail  themsrlves 
of  the  telephone  at  the  public  stations  established  for  their 
accommodation.  Owing  to  the  multiplicity  of  wiring  and 
the  necessities  incident  to  and  arising  from  the  operation 
of  so  large  an  exchange,  where  each  subscriber  in  his  local 
service  is  provid  d  with  the  means  of  communicating  with 
over  Q,ooo  other  stations,  with  which  his  calls  are  not  limited 
either  in  time  or  number,  the  city  is  divided  into  eight 
districts,  each  district  containing  its  central  office  or  ex- 
change centre.    These  offices  are  in  fireproof  buildings,  as 


provided  with  dining  and  reading  rooms,  lavatories,  and 
wardrobes  and  every  convenience  for  the  comfort  of  the 
operators,  whose  wants  are  looked  after  by  a  matron, 
serving  refreshments,  etc.  The  maintenance  of  this  vast 
and  complicated  system,  the  equipment  and  offices  and 
lines,  is  under  the  most  complete  and  thorough  system  of 
management,  each  department  being  under  a  special  staff, 
with  responsible  chiefs,  each  one  of  whom  is  in  direct 
charge  of  the  General  Manager.  When  it  is  stated  that  a 
complete  lecord  of  a  large  proportion  of  the  individual 
transactions  of  every  one  of  the  telephone  stations  belong- 
ing to  the  Company  is  kept,  so  that  all  information  con- 
cerning them  is  immediately  available,  some  idea  of  the 
work  performed  by  the  Company  may  be  imagined  when 
over  100,000  connections  are  made  daily,  during  the  ten 
working  hours,  from  8  a.  m.  to  6  p.  m.    The  largest  central 


12 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


office  or  exchange  centre  of  the  Company  is  at  i8  Cort- 
landt  Street,  in  a  handsome  eight-story  structure.  The 
wires  enter  the  building  to  the  number  of  about  16,000, 
incased  in  lead  cables,  from  the  terminals  of  which  wires 
are  extended  to  the  upper  floor,  which  is  entirely  occupied 
as  the  operating  department.  The  switchboard  of  this 
flbor  is  250  feet  long,  and  is  the  largest  of  the  kind  in  the 
world,  its  cost  being  about  $400,000.  It  contains  more 
than  260,000  separate  electrical  instruments  and  hundreds 
of  miles  of  fine  insulated  wire,  passing  through  the  board  and 
connecting  the  different  parts  together.  The  service  is 
prompt  and  regular  and  not  surpassed,  if  equalled,  by  any 
elsewhere.  The  engraving  on  page  11  gives  a  view  of  a 
section  of  the  switchboard. 


rods,  tubes  and  wire,  besides  lamps  and  chandeliers  of  every 
kind  for  kerosene  oil.  The  business  extends  not  only  all 
over  the  country,  but  embraces  considerable  export  trade. 
They  are  also  the  sole  manufacturers  of  the  celebrated 
Tobin  bronze  metal  for  ship  sheathing  and  fastenings,  pump  % 
rods  and  yacht  shafting,  sheets  and  plates  for  pump  linings, 
tube  sheets,  etc.  This  metal,  when  rolled  hot,  is  remarkable 
for  its  high  elastic  limit,  toughness  and  uniform  texture,  and 
is  stronger  than  ordinary  mild  steel  rods  or  plates.  The 
testimonials  and  orders  are  coming  in  constantly,  and  are 
too  numerous  to  mention,  but  embrace  such  firms  as  Wm, 
Cramp  &  Sons,  Harlan  &:  Hollingsworth,  Columbia  Iron 
Works,  the  Pusey  &  Jones  Co.,  and  the  Morgan  Iron  Works. 
The  Ansonia  Brass  and  Copper  Company  also  manufac- 


THE  ANSONIA  BRASS  AND  COPPER  COMPANY. 
This  industry  was  founded  in  i<S47  l)y  Anson  Ci.  Phelps, 
of  Phel])s,  Dodge  &  Co.,  Mr.  Pheli)s'  Christian  name  being 
the  origin  of  the  name  "  Ansonia."  The  company  now  has 
six  large  factories,  covering  about  sixteen  acres,  and  (  on 
stanlly  em])loying  from  1,200  to  i,.^oo  workmen,  with  a  i)ay- 
roll  of  nearly  i^90o,ooo  a  year.  The  growth  and  uninter- 
rui)ted  ])rosperity  of  the  industry  has  been  remarkable,  at 
the  present  time  ranking  among  the  most  important  in  the 
country,  and  first  in  their  sjjccial  field  of  production,  namely, 
sheet  copper  and  copi)er  bottoms,  co])per  wire  for  electrical 
purposes,  and  ingot  cojjper.  The  company  controls  over  a 
hundred  patents  for  lamps  and  chandeliers  and  for  various 
forms  of  metal  working,  and  produces  great  varieties  of 


tured  clocks  until  1878,  when  that  part  of  the  business  was 
reorganized  under  the  name  of  the  Ansonia  Clock  Com- 
pany, with  factories  in  Brooklyn  and  New  York,  employing 
about  1,200  hands.  Their  production  embraces  clocks  of 
Nickel,  Wood,  Brass,  Bronze,  Marble  and  Onyx,  of  every 
description,  style  and  ])rice,  including  mantel  and  hanging 
clocks,  with  bronze  figures  of  original  and  various  designs. 
The  comi)any  sui)plies  jobbers  all  over  the  United  States, 
and  exi)ort  to  every  part  of  the  globe.  They  have  branch 
offices  in  Chicago  and  London,  and  agencies  in  Canada, 
South  America,  Australia,  Mexico,  India,  China  and  Ja])an. 
They  issue  a  handsome  and  comprehensive  catalogue  of  over 
160  pages,  and  the  exhibit  of  varied  and  beautiful  designs 
at  the  salesrooms,  on  Cliff  Street,  will  amply  re])ay  a  visit. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


13 


THE  MOUNT  MORRIS  ELECTRIC  LIGHT  COMPANY'S  WORKS. 


THE  MOUNT  MORRIS  ELECTRIC  LIGHT  COMPANY. 

This  company  was  incorporated  October  25,  1886,  and 
was  granted  a  franchise  by  the  Board  of  Aldermen  of  New 
York  City  May  31,  1887,  for  the  entire  city.  The  company 
is  organized  with  a  capital  of  $1,500,000,  and  its  officers  and 
directors  are  men  with  high  standing  in  the  business  com- 
munity. Its  business  is  electric  lighting  and  supplying 
motor  power.  From  moderate  beginnings  it  has  become 
one  of  the  principal  sources  of  light  to  the  city.  Its  many 
arc  and  incandescent  lights,  its  length  of  subways  and 
number  of  motors  supplied,  are  testimonies  to  its  enterprise, 
skill  and  service  rendered.  In  lighting,  it  employs  all  im- 
provements and  methods  of  electric  illumination  for  both 
arc  and  incandescent  lighting  that  have  been  discovered, 
and  every  advantage  derived  from  the  use  of  electric  light 
in  public  and  private  buildings  is  obtained.  Through  its 
skilful  corps  of  practical  experts  it  applies  its  service  with 
economy  and  efficiency.  The  Nav  York  Recorder,  in  a 
recent  issue,  thus  referred  to  the  Mount  Morris  Electric 
Light  Company's  service  : 

"  The  Recoi  der  press  room  is  the  best  lighted  press  room 
in  the  world.  It  has  the  best  lighting  system  extant.  Eight 
hundred  incandescent  and  six  incandescent  arc  lights  (the 
so-called  Helos  lamps)  are  used.  The  light  produced  is  a 
steady  one,  doing  away  with  the  sickly  flicker  of  gas  flames. 
If  any  one  has  cause  to  bless  the  invention  of  the  electric 
light  it  is  the  newspaper  writer  and  printer.  The  steady 
burning  of  this  light,  outside  of  its  brilliancy,  has  been  a 
great  boon  to  newspaper  workers  in  every  department,  both 
above  and  below  ground,  and  in  no  place  can  the  system  be 
found  in  greater  perfection  than  in  the  home  of  the  Re- 
corder." 

The  general  ofifice  of  the  Mount  Morris  Electric  Light 
Company  is  situated  at  the  corner  of  Vandam  and  Green- 
wich streets,  where  the  company  has  an  immense  plant, 
which  will  soon  be  extended  to  meet  the  demands  of  its 
growing  business.  The  building  at  V;indam  and  Green- 
wich streets  is  a  five-story  fireproof  structure,  covering  a 
plot  of  ground  67  x  100  feet.  It  was  built  expressly  for  the 
purpose  for  which  it  is  used,  and  is  complete  in  every  detail. 
The  plant  is  as  perfect  as  money,  skill  and  experience  can 


make  it,  and  the  machinery  used  to  produce  the  light  is  of 
the  most  costly  and  improved  character,  and  employs  a 
small  army  of  men  in  the  various  departments  of  its  opera- 
tions. Adjoining  the  building,  on  the  east  side,  the  com- 
pany further  owns  a  plot  of  ground  50  x  117  feet,  and  on  this 
another  building  will  soon  be  erected.  In  addition  to  this, 
the  company  has  an  uptown  station  at  2285  Eighth  Avenue, 
near  i22d  Street.  Here  a  three-story  building,  25  x  85  feet, 
is  occupied,  and  is  thoroughly  equipped  with  perfect  ma- 
chinery. When  the  new  building  is  completed,  the  stations 
will  have  a  capacity  of  50,000  incandescent  and  1,500  arc 
lights,  and  power  to  supply  several  hundred  motors.  The 
service  of  the  company,  as  before  stated,  is  the  best  and 
highest  the  most  skilful  electricians  can  provide.  It  now 
furnishes  its  customers  with  over  25,000  incandescent  and 
900  arc  lights,  besides  supplying  over  100  motors.  Electric 
lighting  is  the  necessity  of  the  age;  the  discoveries  and 
improvements  in  the  past  few  years  have  made  its  service 
indispensable,  and  it  is  the  object  of  the  Mount  Morris 
Electric  Light  Company  to  furnish  its  patrons  with  the  best 
and  most  economical  service  obtainable.  The  officers  of 
the  company  are  Edward  May,  President  ;  Julius  A.  May, 
Vice-President  and  Treasurer  ;  Harry  Sanderson,  Secre- 
tary. Associated  with  these  gentlemen  on  the  Board  of 
Directors  are  John  Hills,  Henry  Claussen,  Jr.,  H.  B.  Schar- 
mann  and  William  Foster. 


THE  "FAIR  &  SQUARE"  RIBBON  MILL. 

The  manufacturers  of  New  York  City  are  famous  not 
only  for  the  volume,  but  for  the  variety  of  goods  produced. 
There  are  few  branches  of  industry  omitted  from  the  long 
list,  and  we  find  represented  among  them  the  manufacture 
of  silk  ribbons,  which  has  attained  large  proportions  through 
the  protective  tariff  and  the  energy  of  Messrs.  Joseph  Loth 
&:  Co.,  whose  salesrooms  at  65  and  67  Greene  St.  are  the 
distributing  point  for  high  grades  of  silk  ribbons.  Their 
mill  on  Washington  Heights  is  one  of  the  landmarks  of 
that  vicinity;  it  is  built  in  the  most  substantial  and  jjleasing 
style  of  architecture,  and  from  which  comes  the  ''  Fair  &: 
Square  "  ribbon,  known  everywhere  where  fine  goods  are 
sold. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


THE  MrrUAL  LIFE  INSURANCE  COMPANY  OF  NEW  YORK.— lU'II. DINGS. 


15 


THE  MUTUAL  LIFE  INSURANCE  CO.  OF  NEW  YORK. 

The  rise,  the  progress,  the  difficulties  it  has  encountered, 
the  success  the  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Comi)any  has 
met  with  in  the  fifty  years  of  its  existence  is  in  a  large 
deg  ee  the  history  of  life  insurance  in  the  United  States, 
and  has  been  detailed  in  many  publications.  The  Mutual 
Life  sailed  out  on  an  untried  sea.  There  was  no  experienced 
helmsman  to  guide  the  ship.  There  was  no  capital,  no 
money,  but  a  few  men  simply  banded  together  and  agreed 
to  protect  each  other,  in  that  each  paid  an  amount  in 
specified  sums  per  year  to  protect  the  others.  The  company 
was  organized  in  1842,  and  began  business  in  1843.  At  the 
former  date  there  were  no  life  insurance  companies  in 
existence  in  this  country.  Organized  without  funds, 
without  capital,  the  progress  of  the  Mutual  has  been 
marvellous.  It  was  an  experiment  wonderfully  successful. 
The  first  days  of  business  of  the  Company  amounted  to 
$105.50.  The  business  increased  very  slowly,  and  it  is  a 
fact  that  there  were  not  funds  enough  to  meet  the  first  loss, 
which  was  obtained  through  the  personal  endorsement  of 
the  President.  At  the  end  of  ten  years  it  had  scarcely  more 
policies  in  force  than  it  now  issues  in  one  month  At  the 
close  of  1892,  the  forty-four  life  insurance  companies  doing 
business  in  New  York  had  assets  of  over  $850,000,000  and 
over  $4,000,000,000  of  insurance  in  force,  with  an  income 
over  $200,000,000,  and  paid  out  $150,000,000.  The  Mutual 
Life  disbursed  over  one-fifth  of  this  amount.  Since  the  first 
of  February,  1843,  the  company  has  received  from  its 
policyholders  more  than  $425,000,000,  collected  for  its 
policyholders  more  than  $120,000,000  in  interest,  rents,  etc., 
and  paid  out  to  its  policyholders  more  than  $340,000,000. 
In  1891  it  paid  its  policyholders  nearly  $19,000,000 
in  cash.  Its  income  in  1892  was  over  $40,000,000,  with 
assets  of  $175,000,000.  Such  is  the  record  and  of  such 
monumental  proportions  is  the  business  of  the  largest 
life  insurance  company  of  the  world.  But  the  greatness  of 
the  Mutual  Life  is  not  to  be  expressed  by  the  foregoing  or 
any  other  figures,  nor  is  it  possible  to  picture  the  good 
that  has  been  wrought  by  the  company.  In  every  city  and 
village  of  the  country  there  are  homes  that  have  been 
benefited,  and  many  a  life  made  better  and  comfortable  by 
the  payments  made  on  its  policies.  Not  less  than  three 
hundred  thousand  persons  have  received  its  benefits. 
Since  the  day  of  its  organization,  the  company  has  been 
advancing,  in  assets,  in  increase  of  business  issuing  more 
policies  each  year,  demonstrating  the  practical  benefits 
derived  from  life  insurance.  The  financial  ability  of  the 
Company  has  never  been  more  characteristic  than  its 
mathematical  precision.  The  first  distinctly  American 
system  of  rates  and  titles  was  compiled  for  it  by  Professor 
Charles  Gill,  its  actuary,  and  embrace  every  question  that 
could  be  foreseen.  The  vital  statistics  of  the  United  States 
were  made  for  the  Company  by  Dr.  Wynne,  and  were 
received  as  the  most  valuable  table  of  its  experience  under 
the  title  of  the  "  American  Experience,"  and  was  adopted 
by  New  York  as  the  legal  standard  of  the  State.  In  1876, 
commutation  and  other  extensive  tables  were  published 
based  on  the  experience  of  the  Mutual  Life  Company.  Its 
Mortality  Report  issued,  in  1876  is  the  standard  authority 
on  all  questions  relating  to  the  Laws  of  American  insurance 
on  lives.  "The  Company  was  formed  on  the  bedrock 
principle  of  accumulation  in  its  firmest  and  strongest  expect- 
ations," it  has  always  been  conducted  on  a  cash  basis,  its 
premiums  were  cast  upon  a  scale  that  beyond  a  perad- 
venture  result  in  a  steady  profit  to  associated  members  over 
and  above  all  contigencies.  Whoever  holds  a  policy  of  this 
Company,  paying  his  premiums  as  they  become  due,  may 
rest  free  from  all  anxieties  which  are  inseparable  from 
provision  for  the  future.  From  1848  to  1863,  dividends 
were  declared  every  five  years,    In  1866  a  three  years' 


dividend  of  nearly  $3,000,000  was  made.  Since  1867,  the 
yearly  dividends  have  ranged  from  $2,500,000  to 
$3,000,000.  The  number  of  ])olicyholders  now  exceed 
250,000;  of  the  original  policyholders  in  1843,  473  number, 
21  now  remain  alive.  Its  investments  have  been  made 
with  great  care,  are  solid  and  secure  and  never  speculative. 
It  is  a  company  of  policyholders,  conducted  for  their 
benefit.  In  1885,  Mr.  Richard  A.  McCurdy,  then  Vice- 
President,  was  elected  President  of  the  Company,  and 
under  his  administration  it  has  become  the  greatest 
insurance  organization  of  the  world.  The  Vice-President 
is  Mr.  Robert  A.  Granniss;  Dr.  Walter  R.  Gillette,  General 
Manager;  Mr.  Isaac  F.  Lloyd,  second  Vice-President,  and 
Mr.  William  J.  Easton,  Secretary.  The  Board  of  Trustees 
are  thirty-four  in  number,  gentlemen  of  prominence  at  the 
bar,  among  banking  institutions,  railways  and  mercantile 
houses.  And  here  the  Recorder  wishes  to  pay  its  meed  of 
tribute  to  Dr.  Gillette,  the  general  manager  of  the  (Company, 
and  while  it  has  every  term  of  praise  for  him  as  an  individual, 
it  voices  public  sentiment  by  saying  that  no  name  is  held 
in  higher  estimation  in  the  insurance  world. 


CHARLES  HORN. 

Mr.  Charles  Horn  is  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the  Silk 
Ribbon  industry  in  this  country.  Like  so  many  of  our  suc- 
cessful manufacturers  he  is  of  German  birth,  but  came  to 
New  York  when  he  was  only  nine  years  old.  He  has  been 
connected  with  the  Silk  interest  since  1856,  and  in  1870 
began  the  manufacture  of  Silk  Ribbons  under  the  firm  name 
of  Bertschy  <S:  Horn.  He  has  been  the  sole  proprietor  since 
1878.  In  the  fall  of  1892  Mr.  Horn  reorganized  his  busi- 
ness into  a  stock  company  under  the  firm  name  of  "  Charles 
Horn  Silk  Company,"  of  which  he  is  both  President  and 
Treasurer.  The  mill  which  this  firm  occupies  was  built  by 
Mr.  Horn  about  four  years  ago,  and  is  situated  in  a  central 
and  growing  portion  of  the  citv,Sixty  seventh  Street  and  West 
End  Avenue,  overlooking  the  Hudson  River.  This  build- 
ing is  not  only  an  ornament  in  an  architectural  sense,  but  is 
especially  adapted  in  all  its  appointments  for  the  purpose  for 
which  it  was  built.  It  embraces  a  throwing  mill  and  a  well 
arranged  dye  house,  thus  enabling  every  branch  of  the  busi- 
ness to  be  done  on  the  premises.  The  special  aim  of  Mr. 
Horn  has  always  been  to  turn  out  a  popular,  but  very  tasty, 
grade  of  goods  for  general  consumption.  The  evenness 
and  uniform  regularity  of  his  manufactured  products  have 
gained  and  held  a  market  all  over  the  country.  Their 
popularity  has  crowded  from  the  market  many  a  foreign 
make  which  at  one  time  held  undisputed  sway  in  this 
country.  Mr.  Horn  is  a  member  of  the  Silk  Association 
and  does  all  he  can  to  help  raising  the  standard  of  the  silk 
industry  of  America. 


THE  GENERAL  ELECTRIC  COMPANY. 

The  General  Electric  Company  of  New  York  is  a  cor- 
poration, with  a  special  charter  granted  early  in  1892.  Its 
main  work  at  present  is  electric  lighting,  electric  railways, 
and  electric  transmission  of  power.  In  lighting  it  owns  and 
controls  the  patents  of  almost  every  known  method  of 
electric  illumination  in  all  its  different  departments,  alter- 
nating and  direct  current,  for  both  arc  and  incandescent 
lamps.  The  two  last-named  departments  have  shown  most 
phenomenal  growth,  and  their  rapid  extension  is  an  accurate 
gauge  of  the  wide  adoption  of  the  electric  light  in  both 
public  and  private  life.  The  arc  lamps  already  manufac- 
tured and  in  use  number  hundreds  of  thousands,  while  the 
incandescent  lamps  reach  millions.  The  problem  of  the 
subdivision  of  electric  illumination,  by  means  of  lamps  of 
reduced  size  and  smaller  candle-power,  has  been  success- 


i6  NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


fully  solved,  and  the  many  additional  advantages  derivable 
from  the  use  of  the  electric  light  in  this  way  rendered  still 
more  striking.  As  a  pioneer  and  careful  developer  toward 
perfection  in  the  electric  lighting  field,  the  General  Electric 
Company  stands  to-day  pre-eminent.  In  street  railway 
locomotion  it  has  developed  and  has  in  practical  operation 
the  most  perfect  system,  known  as  the  overhead  system, 
while  it  has  already  developed  high  power  locomotives  for 
heavy  traction  work.  So  rapid,  indeed,  have  been  the 
strides  made  in  this  direction  that  the  substitution  of  the 
steam  locomotive  by  the  electric  locomotive  has  been 
brought,  by  the  latest  developments  of  this  company,  within 
the  range  of  immediate  probabilities.  In  mining  work  it 
manufactures  appliances  for  drilling,  hoisting,  conveying, 
pulverizing,  extracting,  etc,  by  electricity.  In  power  work 
it  has  created  appliances  for  every  conceivable  kind  of 
portable  or  stationary  motors,  from  the  smallest  to  the 


THE  GENERAL  ELECTRIC  CUMl'ANV,  Hli.\D  Oi-KICE,  NKW  VORK. 

greatest.  It  has  enabled  the  industrial  world  to  take 
advantage  of  the  immense  energy  in  the  undeveloped 
water-powers  of  the  country.  By  means  of  its  perfected 
apparatus  the  waterfalls  and  water-courses  of  the  countrx 
have  been  laid  under  contribution,  and  rendered  sub 
servient  to  the  uses  of  man.  Mines,  heretofore  unwork- 
able on  account  of  the  cost  of  fuel,  are  now  proving 
sources  of  great  profit,  the  power  to  work  them  l)eing 
transmitted  to  them  by  means  of  the  electrical  devices 
which  this  company  has  invented  and  constructed.  Mills 
and  fa(  tories  all  over  the  land  testify  to  the  almost  universal 
uses  to  which  electricity  has  been  put,  all  rendered  possible 
and  practicable  l)y  the  inventive  talent  which  the  (ieneral 
Kle<  trie  Company  has  at  its  command.  It  has  very 
extensive  electrical  works  at  Schenectady,  N.  V.,  and  at 
Lynn,  Mass.,  and  the  largest  works  in  the  world  f(>r  the 


manufacture  of  incandescent  lamps  at  Harrison,  N.  J.  In 
its  various  dejiartments  it  gives  em])loyment  to  over  14,000 
people,  many  of  whom  command  the  highest  pay  for  their 
skill  and  knowledge  of  both  the  theory  and  practice  of 
electricity.  It  is  not  the  exclusive  province,  however,  of  the  , 
General  Electric  Company  to  deal  with  the  public  consumer 


genp:r.'\l  electric  co.,  schexect.^dv,  X.  v. 


of  electricity  directly.  It  is  also,  as  its  name  implies,  the 
general  or  "  parent "  organization  under  which  several 
thousand  distinct  local  com])anies,  chartered  in  every 
State  and  territory,  and  also  in  many  foreign  countries, 
are  licensed  to  use  its  patents,  appliances,  and  products. 
The  large  capital  employed  by  this  Company,  together  with 


GEN'ER.\L  electric  CO.,  LYNN,  M.\SS. 


its  unrivalled  cor])s  of  inventors,  scientists,  and  ex])erts, 
permits  it  to  examine  and  test  thoroughly  any  and  all 
ideas  that  are  likely  to  develop  the  science  of  electricity, 
and  to  apply  it  commercially.  The  capital  of  the  General 
Electric  Company  is  $50,000,000.  Its  executive  offices 
are  located  in  a  large,  handsome  building,  eight  stories 


GENER.\L  Ki.l.l  IKIC  CO.,  H.\RR!S0N,  n.  j. 


high,  at  44  Hroad  Street,  in  New  York  City,  and  also  at 
620  .Atlantic  .Avenue,  Boston.  Its  officers  are  C.  .\.  Coffin, 
i'residont  ;  l-.ugene  C.ritifin,  First  Vice-President  ;  E.  I. 
Garfield,  Secretary:  .\.  S.  Beves,  'treasurer  ;  and  Joseph  P. 
( )rd,  Coniptroiier. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


COLLINS  &  CO. 

The  American  abroad,  no  matter  in  what  part  of  the 
world  he  may  be  sojourning,  wherever  through  civilization  he 
goes,  he  will  find  articles  which  were  manufactured  on  his 
native  soil.  There  was  a  time  when  this  was  not  so  and  when 
the  tools  and  agricultural  implements  were  almost  unani- 
mously English  make.    Were  it  necessary  to  illustrate  the 
rapidity  with  which  American  ingenuity  is  beating  British 
persistence  in   the  World's 
markets  the  names  of  two  - 
articles  might  be  mentioned, 
namely,  AlcCormick's  reap- 
ing machine  and  Collins'  axe. 
Collins'   axe    is  essentially 
American.    It   is   made  of 
American  cast  steel  and  it 
was  evolved  from  American 
inventive  genius  to  suit  the 
American  man.    Hence  it  is 
an  American  axe,  though,  as 
above  stated,  it  is  to  be  found 
the  world  all  over,  for  the 
reason  that  it   is  the  best 
known.      To    the  ancient 
house    of   Collins    &  Co., 
Hartford,  Connecticut,  must 
be  attributed   an  improve- 
ment amounting  to  an  invention,  which  has  in  a  measure 
revolutionized  labor.  The  Collins  Bros,  began  the  manufac- 
ture of  the  axe  bearing  their  name  in  1826  in  Hartford,  and 
although  their  factory  was  subsequently  removed  to  its  pre- 
sent locality  on  the  Farmington  River,  with  a  large  store  in 
New  York,  the  original  stamp  on  their  axes  and  other  tools 
has  been  retained,  "  Collins  &  Co.,  Hartford,"  which  name 
carries  with  it  a  reputation  for  superexcellence  that  has 
brought  to  the  surface  a  host  of  forgers  and  imitators.  Pre- 


mands  unlimited  capital,  the  experience  of  more  than  half  a 
century,  the  skill  that  capital  and  experience  combined  can 
command,  and  since  its  foundation  has  never  allowed  a 
comjjetitor  either  at  home  or  abroad  not  only  to  outstrip  it 
in  public  favor,  but  not  to  come  up  to  it.  The  Collins  axe 
retains  the  supremacy  now  it  won  in  1826,  though  since  then 
great  events  have  occurred  in  the  world.  The  New  York 
office  is  at  212  Water  Street  and  has  been  there  since  1849. 

Though  the  old  heads  and 
managers  of  that  period  have 
jjassed  away  the  business 
continues.  New  heads  and 
managers  have  taken  their 
places,  men  of  equal  push 
and  ability  who  prefer  to 
lose  their  identity  in  the  firm 
name  of  Collins  &  Co.,  a 
name  rendered  famous  by 
time  and  the  reputation  of 
its  wares  throughout  the 
United  States,  and  indeed 
all  parts  of  the  world,  which 
firm  from  a  modest  beginning 
has  prospered  until  to-day  it 
employs  650  hands,  turns  out 
5,000  axes  per  diem,  has  a 
surplus  of  a  million  dollars 
2,500  tons  of  iron,  800  tons 


VIEW  OF  COLLINS  CO.'S  WORKS,  COLLINSVILLK,  CONN.,  I8;6. 


and  consumes  at  the  rate  of 


of  steel,  10,000  tons  of  anthracite  coal. 


HART  BROS.,  TIBBETTS  &  CO. 

About  thirty-five  years  ago  this  well  known  firm  of 
Accountants  was  started  at  its  present  headquarters  in  the 
city  of  London,  where,  ever  since,  a  large  business  has  been 
fostered.  In  1889  a  branch  was  established  in  New  York  City 
imderthe  direction  of  HenryVVilliam  Hart,  A. C. A.;  the  opera- 


VIEW  OF  COLLINS  CO.'S  WORKS,  COLLINSVILLK,  CONN.,  1893. 


vious  to  1826  the  Northern  and  Western  States  were  supplied 
by  country  blacksmiths  with  axes  generally  made  from  com- 
mon blistered  steel,  and  it  took  a  woodchopper  about  half  a 
day  to  grind  one  of  them  into  readiness  for  use,  while  the 
Southern  States  used  miserable  unground  axes  imported 
from  England,  \\hen  the  Collins  axe  became  known  it 
superseded  all  others  and  took  the  position  at  the  head  of 
the  trade  it  possesses  to  this  present  day.  This  famous 
house,  established  for  the  manufacture  of  edge  tools,  com- 


tion  of  the  office  extending  all  over  the  United  States  and 
C'anada.  Since  the  opening  of  the  New  York  Branch  this 
firm  has  been  officially  concerned  in  examinations  that  have 
led  to  the  formation  of  several  of  the  largest  combinations, 
while  it  is  saying  but  little  when  it  is  mentioned  that  the 
work  turned  out  by  them  has  always  earned  the  entire  satis- 
faction of  their  clientage.  The  senior  member  of  the  firm, 
Edward  Hart,  Sr.,  F.C.A.,  was  elected  an  Alderman  of 
the  city  of  London  in  1888,  and   on  the  granting  of  a 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


19 


royal  charter  to  "Tlie  Institute  of  Chartered  Accountants 
in  England  and  Wales"  was  elected  one  of  the  first  members 
of  council.  The  other  partners  are  William  Oscar  Tibbetts, 
F.C.A.,  Edward  Hart,  Jr,  F.C.A.,  located  in  London; 
and  William  Henry  Hart,  A.C.A.,  the  representative  in 
New  York  City. 


EAGLE  PENCIL  COMPANY. 

A  lead  pencil  is  a  small  article,  and  yet  one  New  York 
Company  alone  engaged  in  its  manufac ure  employ  u])waids 
of  a  thousand  hands.  This  is  the  Eagle  Pencil  Com])any, 
founded  by  Daniel  Berolzheimer  in  a  small  way,  and  carried 
on  by  his  successors  until  to-day  it  turns  out  over  half  the 
pencils  in  the  world  from  this  city  of  New  York,  has  offices 
and  warerooms  in  Franklin  Street,  a  factory  occupying  No. 
702  to  732  East  14th  Street,  another  from  703  to  725  East 
13th  Street,  cedar  works  for  cutting  wood  in  Florida  and 
Alabama,  branch  houses  in  London  and  Paris,  travellers  in 
this  country,  China,  South  Africa,  Australia,  South  America 
and  agencies  everywhere.  The  astonishing  growth  of  this 
great  American  industry  must  be  ascribed  to  the  pluck, 
energy  and  indomitable  courage  and  perseverance  of  its 
founders  and  promoters.  Although  Daniel  Berolzheimer 
started  the  business  its  real  founder  was  his  son  Henry,  for 
Daniel  died  soon  after  its  establishment.  It  was  originally 
founded  in  Furth,  kingdom  of  Bavaria,  in  1858,  and  a 
small  branch  started  in  this  country  in  i860.  When,  in 
1861,  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  broke  out  and  our  govern- 
ment were  compelled  in  its  suppression  to  levy  heavy  duties 
on  imports,  the  firm  erected  a  factory  in  this  city  and  the 
business  prospered  beyond  their  most  sanguine  expecta- 
tions, so  much  so,  in  fact,  that  they  were  obliged  to  increase 
manufacturing  facilities  here  and  reduce  the  imports  from 
Bavaria  in  proportion,  until  finally  (1870)  the  German 
concern  was  abandoned  altogether  and  their  energies  con- 
fined to  the  American  market  exclusively.  At  this  time  the 
factory  was  in  Yonkers,  N.  Y.,  but  in  1876  headciuarters 
were  transferred  to  this  city,  a  step  rendered  necessary  by 
an  ever  increasing  trade.  Since  that  time  the  intrinsic 
merit  of  their  productions  has  given  the  business  an  impetus 
until  it  now  appears  as  if  the  Eagle  Pencil  Company  were 
about  to  control  the  pencil  markets  of  the  whole  world,  as 
in  effect  it  controls  more  than  half  of  them  already.  They 
have  the  largest  establishment  on  the  globe,  the  ground 
covered  by  their  works  embracing  thirty-two  city  lots. 
Their  Steel  Pen  and  Penholder  factory  on  13th  Street 
alone  covers  80,000  square  feet.  The  concern  was  in  1885 
incorporated  into  a  joint  stock  company,  and  Emil,  son  of 
Henry  and  grandson  of  Daniel,  was  elected  President.  He 
inherits  his  father's  traits  of  character  in  an  eminent  degree 
and  especially  his  executive  ability.  Emil  was  born  in 
Furth,  Bavaria,  on  April  26,  1862,  and  graduated  from  the 
Government  high  schools.  He  started  in  life  as  clerk  in  a 
Frankfort  (on  the  Main)  Bank,  and  was  subsequently 
engaged  in  the  Bancjue  de  Paris,  Brussels.  From  thence 
he  came  to  this  country  and  engaged,  together  with  his  bro- 
ther Phillip,  in  his  father's  business,  first  as  a  clerk  in  the 
concern  and  through  successive  stages  as  manager.  Phillip 
has  recently  returned  from  what  may  be  termed  a  business 
trip  round  the  world,  the  result  of  which  gives  some  idea  of 
the  concern's  vastness,  its  enterprise  and  what  Emil  Berolz- 
heimer has  achieved  in  the  way,  so  to  speak,  of  universal 
dominion.  Mr.  Phillip  opened  connections  in  China,  Japan, 
Australia,  the  East  Lidies,  the  republics  of  South  and 
Central  America,  France,  Italy  and  other  European  nations, 
all  of  which  countries  had  purchased  their  goods  in  Germany 
hitherto.  Indeed  the  Comi)any  have  agents  and  travellers 
always  on  the  move  in  their  interest,  and  the  Eagle  Com- 
pany is  now  known  throughout  civilization  and  even  a 
trifle  beyond  it.    The  factory  on  14th  Street  turns  out  lead 


jiencils  and  rubber  erasers,  and  that  on  i3tli  Street  pen- 
holders and  steel  pens,  the  latter  being  a  new  depar  ure,  for 
they  have  entirely  abandoned  the  old  methods  employed  in 
the  manufacture  of  steel  pens,  and  through  their  inventive 
skill  and  perseverance  have  discovered  a  new  and  original 
process  for  the  production  of  that  much  used  writing 
material.  Their  constant  aim  has  been,  and  still  is,  to 
improve  the  articles  in  the  production  of  which  they  are 
engaged  as  well  as  the  process  of  manufacture,  and  their 
efforts  in  that  respect  are  eminently  successful.  They  have 
invented  several  ingenious  contrivances  in  this  direction, 
among  them  the  well  known  automatic  pencil,  which  has 
revolutionized  the  whole  trade  in  mechanical  pencils.  They 
also  manufacture  a  patented  copying  ink  pencil,  with  which 
one  can  write  a  letter  and  copy  the  same  just  as  though  it 
were  written  with  copying  ink.  One  of  their  latest  pro- 
ductions is  the  Fountain  Pen.  Owing  to  their  wonderful 
jnachinery,  inventions  and  complete  facilities,  a  school  boy 
can  purchase  a  fountain  pen  out  of  his  pocket  money  which 
a  few  years  ago  was  considered  a  luxury  only  accessible  to 
the  comparatively  wealthy.  It  is  worthy  of  note  that  ])rize 
medals  have  been  awarded  to  Eagle  pencils  wherever  they 
have  been  exhibited,  the  last  of  which  was  at  the  Centennial 
Exposition,  when  they  oljtained  the  highest  award  for  cheap- 
ness and  good  cjuality.  Still  more  important  are  the 
expressions  of  approval  constantly  coming  in  from  the  real 
judges — those  who  are  compelled  to  use  pencils  in  the  line 
of  their  professional  duties,  such  as  reporters  and  stenograph- 
ers, who  speak  of  their  value  with  convincing  sincerity,  sec- 
onded by  a  continuous  patronage.  From  a  small  beginning 
this  Company  has  worked  its  way  up  until  to-day  there  is 
not  a  child  that  does  not  know  the  lead  pencil  bearing  a 
picture  of  the  American  bird  of  freedom. 


OELBERMANN,  DOMMERICH  &  CO. 

The  transition  of  the  great  firm  of  Oelbermann,  Dom- 
merich  &  Co.,  57  to  63  Greene  Street,  from  importers  and 
commission  merchants  to  commission  merchants  pure  and 
simple  is  significant  of  the  impetus  the  policy  of  protection 
has  given  to  American  manufactures.  The  house  is  an  old 
one  and  for  many  years  sold  goods  imi)orted  from  England 
and  other  European  countries,  whereas  at  present  the  great 
bulk  of  the  goods  it  handles  is  the  product  of  American 
looms.  It  was  first  established  in  1849,  and  has,  therefore, 
been  in  existence  nearly  half  a  century.  Since  then  the 
name  of  the  firm  controlling  it  has  been  changed  a  few  times 
and  its  personality  has  been  modified,  though  in  essence  it 
remains  the  same,  and  the  present  owners,  Messrs.  Oel- 
bermann and  Dommerich,  have  been  connected  with  it  for 
thirty-seven  and  thirty-three  years  respectively.  They  have 
always  confined  themselves  strictly  to  the  commission  trade, 
believing  in  the  principle  that  in  a  mixed  business  equal 
justice  cannot  be  meted  out  to  the  manufacturer  and  the 
vender  on  his  own  account;  in  other  words,  the  seller  on  his 
own  account  is  more  zealous  in  pushing  his  than  the  manufac- 
turer's interests.  That  commission  pure  and  simple  pays,  and 
pays  well  in  the  long  run,  is  clearly  illustrated  by  the  volume 
of  trade  carried  on  by  this  large  and  prosperous  concern, 
which  to-day  stands  in  the  front  rank  of  the  great  com- 
mission houses  of  the  country.  Representing  as  they  do  the 
very  highe-t  class  of  drygoods,  and  having  connections  all 
over  the  civilized  world,  they  are  eminently  in  a  position  to 
distribute  the  products  of  American  manufacture  to  jobbers 
and  large  retailers  in  every  city  of  the  Union.  Another  of 
the  benefits  of  a  purely  commission  business  is  the  ad- 
ditional stability  it  derives  from  the  absence  of  risks, 
attaching  to  the  carrying  of  large  stocks  of  their  own.  The 
only  risk  they  are  liable  to,  is  from  the  guaranteeing  of 
credits,  and  thus  they  hold  a  decided  advantage  over 
competitors  in  the  trade  wlio  are  compelled  to  carry  both. 


20 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


1111,  NEW  VORK  LIFK  INSURANCE  COMPANY'S  BUILDINGS. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


21 


THE  NEW  YORK  LIFE  INSURANCE  COMPANY. 

The  history  of  Life  Insurance  in  the  Metropolis  has 
been  even  more  remarkable  than  the  history  of  the  Metro- 
polis itself.  The  city  has  been  more  than  two  centuries 
in  growing  ;  Life  Insurance  has  become  one  of  its  most 
important  interests  during  the  past  fifty  years.  Half  a 
century  ago  three  companies  had  been  chartered  by 
citizens  of  New  York,  and  one  of  them  began  business  in 
1843  ;  there  are  now  twelve  New  York  companies,  with 
accumulated  assets  amounting  to  over  five  hundred  million 
dollars.  In  1843  it  was  a  question  whether  any  life  insur- 
ance company  could  do  business  enough  to  keep  it  in  exist- 
ence: in  1893  it  is  seriously  proposed  to  limit  by  legislative 
enactment  the  amount  of  business  which  a  single  company 
may  do.  The  New  York  Life  Insurance  Company  was 
chartered  in  1843,  under  the  name  of  the  "Nautilus  Insur- 
ance Company,"  which  it  bore  until  1849  ;  it  was  organized 
and  began  business  in  1845.  In  December  of  that  year 
there  were  four  active  companies  in  the  country,  two  in 
New  York,  one  in  New  England  and  in  New  Jersey.  The 
four  had  less  than  $300,000  in  assets  and  less  than  $800,000 
in  insurance.  At  the  end  of  1892  there  were  forty- four 
companies,  with  over  $850,000,000  in  assets  and  over 
$4,000,000,000  of  insurance  in  force.  They  had  an  income 
in  1892  of  over  $200,000,000  and  disbursed  nearly 
$150,000,000.  Of  this  immense  business  over  half  was  done 
by  New  York  companies  and  over  one-seventh  by  the  New 
York  Life  alone.  It  is  proper  to  trace  with  some  degree  of 
detail  the  history  of  a  company  that  has  been  thus  con- 
nected with  the  history  of  Life  Insurance  in  the  Metropolis. 
The  New  York  Life  was  organized  and  has  continued  as  a 
purely  mutual  company,  under  the  control  of  Trustees 
elected  by  the  insured  members.  Its  growth  was  slow — or 
seems  so  now — during  the  first  fifteen  years  of  its  existence, 
and  in  i860,  when  there  were  seventeen  companies  doing 
business  in  the  State,  with  combined  assets  of  over 
$24,000,000,  the  New  York  Life  was  the  fourth  in  size  with 
less  than  $2,000,000.  In  this  year  it  originated  and  introduced 
non-forfeitable  policies,  anticipating  by  over  half  a  year 
the  Massachusetts  law  on  this  subject.  Ten  years  before  it 
had  expunged  the  suicide  clause  from  its  policies,  standing 
alone  in  this  respect  for  many  years.  The  year  1873,  which 
marked  the  culmination  of  the  period  of  commercial  pros- 
perity following  the  civil  war,  also  marked  the  culmina- 
tion of  a  period  of  rapid  growth  in  life  insurance  which 
followed  the  introduction  of  non-forfeitable  policies. 
There  were  then  fifty-six  companies  doing  business  in  the 
State,  having  an  income  in  1873  of  $118,000,000,  assets  to 
the  amount  of  $360,000,000,  and  over  $2,000,000,000  of 
insurance  in  force.  The  New  York  Life  was  doing  about 
one-fifteenth  of  the  entire  business,  having  an  income  of 
$7,000,000,  assets  to  the  amount  of  $24,000,000,  and  over 
$123,000,000  of  insurance  in  force.  During  the  next  seven 
years  nearly  half  the  companies  went  out  of  existence  and 
the  total  business  fell  off  nearly  one-third  ;  the  New  York 
Life,  however,  made  substantial  gains  both  in  income  and 
insurance.  In  1869-71  the  Tontine  plan  of  insurance  was 
introduced,  and  the  New  York  Life  became  one  of  its  lead- 
ing exponents.  The  two  radical  features  of  this  plan  were 
(i)  cash  surrender  values  of  the  entire  reserve  and  surplus 
at  the  end  of  ten,  fifteen  or  twenty  years,  and  (2)  policies 
forfeitable  for  non-payment  of  premium  during  the  Tontine 
period.  The  second  feature  was  not  long  maintained,  but 
the  first  was  found  of  such  practical  value  that  it  has  been 
adopted  by  nearly  all  companies.  As  the  New  York  Life 
withstood  the  effects  of  the  financial  stringency  following 
1873  better  than  most  companies,  so  it  grew  more  rapidly 
with  the  advent  of  more  favorable  conditions.  It  extended 
its  agency  system  until  it  became  a  world-wide  company, 
with  Branch  Offices  in  all  the  great  centres  of  trade  and 


ci\iIization.  In  1892  the  company  began  the  issue  of  a 
contract  called  the  "  Accumulation  Policy,"  which  retained 
the  deferred  dividend  and  cash  surrender  features  of  the 
Tontine  plan,  with  liberal  non-forfeiture  provisions,  and 
without  any  restrictions  whatever  upon  residence,  occupa- 
tion, travel,  habits  of  life  and  manner  of  death.  Incidental 
features,  with  respect  to  grace  in  payment  of  premium,  the 
privilege  of  reinstatement,  loans  on  the  policy,  and  incon- 
testability after  one  year,  add  to  its  value  and  render  this 
the  most  liberal  contract  issued  by  any  company.  The 
company's  business  for  1892  was  the  largest  of  any  year  of 
its  history,  its  new  insurances  exceeding  $173,000,000.  Its 
income  was  $30,936,590.83,  disbursements  $21,654,290.76, 
assets  January  i,  1893,  $137,499,198.99,  and  a  surplus  of 
$16,804,948.10.  The  company  was  thoroughly  examined  by 
the  Insurance  Department  in  1891-92  and  its  assets  and  lia- 
bilities carefully  verified  by  experts.  The  Company's  Home 
Office  is  a  handsome  marble  edifice  at  346  and  348  Broad- 
way, corner  of  Leonard  Street,  and  it  owns  office  buildings 
in  Minneapolis,  St.  Paul,  Kansas  City,  Omaha,  Montreal, 
Paris,  Vienna  and  Berlin.  Officers  and  Trustees  of  the 
Company  are  as  follows  :  John  A.  McCall,  President  ; 
Henry  Tuck,  Vice-President  ;  A.  H.  Welch,  2d  Vice  Presi- 
dent ;  G.  W.  Perkins,  3d  Vice-President  ;  R.  W.  Weeks, 
Actuary;  C.  N.  Jones,  Associate  Actuary  ;  H.  C.  Richard- 
son, Ass't  Actuary  ;  E.  N.  Gibbs,  Treasurer  ;  H.  S. 
Thompson,  Comptroller  ;  C.  C.  Whitney,  Secretary  ;  T.  M. 
Banta,  Cashier  ;  J.  A.  Brown,  Auditor  ;  I).  P.  Kingsley, 
Supt.  of  Agencies  ;  A.  Huntington,  M.D.,  Medical  Director  ; 
S.H.Carney,  M.D.,  Associate  Medical  Director;  M.  L. 
King,  M.D.,  Assistant  Medical  Director  ;  O.  H.  Rogers, 
M.D.,  Assistant  Medical  Director.  Trustees  :  William  H. 
Ai)]jleton,  C.  C.  Baldwin,  William  A.  Booth,  William  F. 
Buckley,  John  Claflin,  Charles  S.  Fairchild,  Edward  N. 
Gibbs,  William  R.  Grace,  Wm.  B.  Hornblower,  Walter 
H.  Lewis,  Woodbury  Langdon,  John  A.  McCall,  Henry  C. 
Mortimer,  Richard  Miiser,  A  igustus  G.  Paine,  Edmund  D. 
Randolph,  Hiram  R.  Steele,  William  L,  Strong,  Henry  Tuck, 
A.  H.  Welch,  and  William  C.  Whitney. 


WILLIAM  CAMPBELL  CO. 

The  leading  Wall  Paper  Manufacturing  establishment 
in  the  United  States  was  founded  by  William  Campbell  in 
1867,  by  the  purchase  of  eight  lots  in  Forty-first  Street, 
west  of  Tenth  Avenue,  on  which  he  proceeded  to  build.  He 
at  first  utilized  two  lots,  on  which  he  erected  a  four  story 
factory,  fifty  by  a  hundred  feet.  He  turned  out  a  first-class 
style  of  wail  paper,  business  increased,  and  in  1872  he 
erected  a  five  story  structure  on  the  lots  adjoining,  facing 
on  Forty-second  Street.  This  building  he  devoted  to 
dyeing  purposes.  In  1875  he  ran  up  another  five  story 
building,  and  in  1880  on  the  two  remaining  lots  still  an- 
other, thus  covering  the  original  eight  lo  s  and  making  of 
the  four  stores  one  of  the  largest,  most  commodious  and 
handsomest  business  structures  in  the  city.  This  great 
building  is  200  by  100  feet.  In  1884  the  exigencies  of  a 
trade  always  increasing  compelled  another  enlargement  and 
he  constructed  what  he  terms  his  second  annex,  with  100 
feet  frontage  on  Forty-second  Street.  This  annex  is  eight 
stories  high  and  is  surmounted  by  a  tower  containing  a  large 
clock  which  may  be  seen  from  afar.  The  entire  front  of 
the  salesrooms  facing  Forty-second  Street  is  composed  of 
plate  glass,  showing  an  interior  superbly  and  appropriately 
equipped.  Mr.  Campbell's  office  is  located  in  the  rear  and  he 
makes  of  it  almost  as  much  a  home  as  a  business  ofifice. 
Here  he  receives  his  principal  customers  and  visitors  from 
all  parts  of  the  world  in  a  style  becoming  his  position  as  the 
leading  wall  paper  manufacturer  and  mural  decorator  of 
the  United  States.  It  is  only  when  one  gets  inside  and  looks 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


around  that  the  immensity  and  adaptability  of  the  ])la(  e  are 
fully  realized.  To  do  it  anything  like  justice  in  the  space 
at  our  disposal  would  be  impossible.  And  yet  all  the  space 
is  somehow  or  other  utilized,  what  with  machinery,  raw 
material  and  the  manufactured  articles,  which  are  as  beauti- 
ful in  texture  and  artistic  in  design  as  the  genius  of  man 
can  make  them.  In  the  cellar  are  situated  the  colossal 
boilers  and  engines  that  move  the  machinery,  and  here 
also  great  piles  of  raw  material  and  colors  are  stored.  The 
visitor  anxious  to  see  the  sights  of  Gotham  would  not  be 
wise  to  leave  the  city  without  seeing  the  sights  of  this 
mammoth  establishment.  The  elevator  is  always  at  the 
service  of  such  visitors.  On  the  fifth  floor  the  first  manipu- 
lation of  the  raw  material  takes  place.  On  the  fourth  floor 
are  the  printing  rooms,  where  designs  are  arranged  for  the 
presses  in  colors.  Here 
also  are  four  large  cylin- 
der machines  as  well  as 
machines  for  bronzing. 
These  latter  receive  the 
paper  as  it  comes  from 
the  printing  presses  be- 
fore the  designs  are  dry 
on  it.  The  third  floor  is 
used  as  a  drying  and  a 
rolling  room,  where  the 
paper  is  put  uj)  into  balls 
or  rolls  and  thence  taken 
down  to  the  salesrooms. 

The  second  floor  is  like- 
wise utilized  for  cylinder 
colored  printing  machines 
and  bronzing  machines  of 
a  different  process.  The 
Annex  building  is  dedi- 
cated among  other  uses 
to  the  accommodation  of 
hand  printers  engaged  in 
doing  fine  work  of  the 
most  expensive  and  ela- 
borate patterns.  On  other 
parts  of  this  building  are 
stock  rooms,  rooms  for 
mixing  colors,  not  forget- 
ting places  where  the  nu- 
merous and  skillful  artists 
of  this  est.iblishment  i)re- 
pare  and  execute  original 
designs.  Mr.  Campbell 
makes  it  a  rule  to  S|)are 
neither  time,  labor  nor 
expense  in  carrying  out 
his  plans,  and  he  is  now 
(July,  1892)  introducing 
a  machine  which  has  cost 
%\ofioo.    This  is,  in  fact, 

one  of  the  great  secrets  of  his  success  and  in  a  measure 
explains  why  it  is  that  his  wall  papers  are  so  near  absolute 
perfection.  Some  of  his  designs  in  "high  relief"  are  con- 
sidered very  beautiful.  The  decorations  of  the  Hotel 
Metropole,  for  instance,  done  by  Mr.  Cam])bell,  and 
especially  the  ladies'  parlor,  are  for 
and  brilliancy  of  execution  without 
perhaps  any  other  city.  The  same 
interior  of  the  Home  Bank,  which 
its  elegance, 
the  trade  in 


DAWSON  &  ARCHER. 
John  Dawson  &  William  Archer,  coni])rising  the  well 
known  building  firm  of  Dawson  &  Archer,  in  1883  started  in 
business  together  as  Dawson  &  Archer.  Each  has  had  the 
most  implicit  faith  and  confidence  in  the  other,  and  every 
contract  they  have  had  has  been  carried  through  success- 
fully in  consequence  hereof,  until  now  they  rank  among  the 
most  extensive  builders  in  the  country.  Their  first  important 
work  was  the  Bloomingdale  Building  on  'i  hird  Avenue. 
Since  then  they  have  erected  the  Jewish  Synagogues  at 
65th  Street  and  Madison  Avenue,  and  72d  Street  and  Lex- 
ington Avenue,  a  number  of  houses  for  the  Rhinelander 
Estate,  the  Edison  Building  and  Power  Station,  the  Tower 
Building,  50  Broadway,  the  celebrated  Holland  House, 
Hotel  Cambridge,  Warwick  Apartment  House,  Graham 

Hotel,  First  Baptist 
Church  on  the  Grand 
Boulevard,  and  a  large 
number  of  residence  and 
apartment  houses  uptown. 
They  are  now  building 
the  New  Criminal  Court 
House  in  Centre  Street, 
and  considerable  other 
work  of  lesser  import- 
ance. They  are  both 
esteemed  citizens  of 
Mount  Vernon  and  they 
have  .built  in  that  partly 
suburban  city  the  Presby- 
t  e  r  i  a  n  and  Methodist 
Churches,  the  New 
School,  the  New  Bank 
building  and  other  struc- 
tures. 


wiLi.iA.M  c.\;.;riii.i.i.  \  co.s  blu.dini.. 


development, 
(."ampbell,  the 
of  this  work. 


chasteness  of  design 
a  parallel  in  this  or 
may  be  said  of  the 
is  much  admired  for 
The  history  of  the  house  is  the  history  of 
this   city  and  marks  its   various  stages  of 


For  a  personal  sketch  of  Mr.  William 
reader  is  referred  to  Page  192,  Part  II., 


WILLIAM  TRENHOLM. 
TEELE  &  COMPANY. 

William  Trenholm, 
Teele  &  Company,  Public 
-Vccountants  and  Audi- 
tors, of  No.  II  Wall 
Street,  is  one  of  the  lead- 
ng  firms  of  the  city,  in 
he  profession  of  Accoun- 
tancy, enjoying  the  con- 
fidence and  esteem  of 
the  Banks,  1-egal  and 
Commercial  Firms.  Mr. 
\\'illiam  Trenholm,  the 
seniormember  of  the  firm, 
'  omes  from  Charleston 
South  Carolina.  Mr.  A 
W.  Teele  comes  from 
Boston,  Mass.  This  firm 
employs  a  large  number 
of  Experts  and  Assistants,  and  examine  and  report  on  all 
matters  pertaining  to  accounts.  Among  the  authorized 
references  are  the  following:  National  Park  Bank,  Broad- 
way, New  York  ;  Commercial  National  liank,  Broadway, 
New  York  ;  Mechanics'  National  Bank,  Wall  Street,  New 
York;  Central  National  Bank,  Hroaihvay,  New  York; 
Hanover  National  Bank.  Nassau  Street,  New  York;  Ninth 
National  Bank,  Broadway.  New  York;  Western  National 
Bank,  Broadway,  New  York  ;  Southern  National  Bank, 
Wall  Street,  New  York  ;  .American  Surety  Company,  160 
Broadway,  New  York  ;  'I  he  State  Trust  Company,  50 
Wall  Street,  New  York.  Their  services  are  not  confined  to 
New  York,  but  extend  to  all  of  the  principal  cities  of  the 
country. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


23 


THE  MUTUAL  RESERVE  FUND  LIFE  ASSOCIATION 
BUILDING. 

The  Mutual  Reserve  Fund  Life  Association  liuilding, 
one  of  the  most  striking  buildings  on  Broadway,  and  at  the 
same  time  most  attractive,  is  the  magnificent  structure  now  in 
process  of  erection  at  the  corner  of  Duane  Street.  All  New 
York  knows  that  when  completed  it  is  to  be  the  permanent 
home  of  the  Mutual  Reserve  Fund  Life  Association.  As 
will  be  seen  by  the  accompanying  illustration,  the  structure 
is  singularly  imposing.  In  the  construction  of  this  great 
edifice  foreign  climes  have  been  ransacked  for 
material.  Africa  and  Italy  have  supplied  its 
marble,  England  its  enameled  brick  and  skilled 
carvers.  Artists  of  renown  have  been  employed 
with  mallet  and  chisel,  hewing  out  of  the  solid 
Indiana  limestone,  figures  and  patterns  of  elegant 
-design.  The  building,  which  will  be  about  200 
feet  high  when  completed,  has  an  exterior  of  sur- 
passing beauty.  The  outside  portico  is  richly 
carved  and  the  two  main  entrances,  both  on 
Broadway,  as  will  be  seen  by  a  glance  at  the 
illustration,  are  marvels  of  the  stonecarver's  art. 
The  building  has  fourteen  stories  above  the  side- 
walk. It  has  a  frontage  of  75  feet  on  Broadway, 
and  122  feet  on  Duane  Street.  There  is  a 
separate  entrance  on  Broadway  to  the  first  story. 
The  second,  third,  and  fourth  stories  will  be 
occupied  in  their  entirety  by  the  Mutual  Reserve 
Fund  Life  Association.  The  second  floor  is  118 
feet  deep  and  70  feet  wide.  It  will  have  four 
public  elevators,  running  to  the  top  of  the  building, 
and  one  private  elevator  running  from  the  cellar 
to  the  fourth  story  floor,  for  the  exclusive  use  of 
the  Mutual  Reserve  P\ind  Life  Association.  On 
this  floor  there  will  be  steel  safes  built  into  the 
wall,  toilet  rooms,  lavatories,  lockers,  and  in  fact 
all  the  conveniences  and  comforts  appertaining 
to  a  first  class  modern  business  building.  The 
fourth  story  will  also  be  used  for  the  accommodation 
of  the  immense  staff  of  the  Mutual  Reserve  Fund 
Life  Association.  On  this  floor  will  be  the  rooms 
of  President  E.  B.  Harper,  the  offices  of  the 
vice-presidents,  the  clerks,  the  counsel,  and  the 
agents.  Here,  also,  will  be  the  library.  Near 
the  centre  will  be  a  private  bathroom  and 
lavatory.  On  the  seventh,  ninth  and  eleventh 
floors  fireproof  steel  safes  measuring  ^even  feet 
by  fourteen  feet  will  be  built.  All  of  the  floors 
above  will  be  laid  out  in  offices,  to  let.  The 
courtyard,  which  extends  from  the  fourth  story 
to  the  roof,  is  a  light  shaft,  30  feet  by  15  feet.  It 
is  faced  with  white  enamelled  bricks,  practically 
indestructible,  that  came  all  the  way  from  York- 
shire, England.  They  are  as  white  as  the  tiles 
of  a  Fifth  avenue  bathroom,  and  for  reflecting 
light  are  unsurpassed.  The  building  will  be  as 
near  fireproof  as  human  skill  can  make  it. 


Calcutta,  also  a  fortnightly  service  from  New  York  to 
Jamaica  ports.  It  began  a  fortnightly  service  from  this 
city  to  Hayti  last  year,  the  first  steamer  running  on 
December  5,  1891.  It  was  the  Anchor  Line  introduced  the 
system  of  issuing  letters  of  credit  in  small  amounts,  payable 
free  of  all  charge  in  all  banks  in  the  British  Isles,  and  good 
all  over  the  civilized  world.  It  is  the  only  line  building  its 
own  steamers  and  equipping  them  as  well.  Their  plant  is 
the  largest  in  Scotland  and  it  was  from  their  yards  was 
turned  out  the  famous  slooj)  "  Thistle,"  which  ran  the 


bininJtltniSli 


MUTUAL  RESERVE  FUND  LIFE  ASSOCIATION  BUILDING. 


ANCHOR  LINE. 

One  of  the  indications  of  New  York's  commercial 
expansion  is  the  number  of  steamship  lines  that  con- 
nect it  with  the  whole  world,  and  the  greatest  of  those  is 
undoubtedly  the  Anchor  Line,  which  contains  forty-five 
splendid  vessels,  divided  up  into  fleets.  Six  of  these  big 
steamers  run  between  New  York  and  Glasgow.  It  has  a  ten 
days'  service  between  New  York  and  the  Mediterranean 
ports,  a  fortnightly  service  connecting  from  New  York  with 
steamers   from  Glasgow  and  Liverpool  to  Bombay  and 


American  yacht  "  Volunteer  "  so  hard  for  the  International 
Yacht  Cup,  four  or  five  years  ago.  William  Coverly  has 
been  identified  with  the  line  as  agent  since  1864,  when  it 
was  established  in  New  York,  and  has  been  its  manager  for 
the  past  eighteen  years.  The  first  manager  was  Francis 
Macdonald,  who  after  ten  years  of  faithful  service  died  of 
consumption  and  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Coverly.  This  line 
has  a  larger  number  of  steamships  than  any  other  in  the 
world.  It  owns  a  great  shipbuilding  yard  in  Glasgow  and 
has  close  business  relations  with  another  at  Barrow-on- 
Furness. 


24 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


l-KI/r  MILLS  AND  SOl'NDINC.  IIOAKI)  KACTORV,  ALI'RKI)  DOLCIK,  nciLC.KVILLK,  N.  Y. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


25 


ALFRED  DOLGE. 

The  industrial  village  of  Dolgeville,  in  the  State  of 
New  York,  has  of  late  years  aroused  much  attention,  both 
in  this  country  and  abroad,  by  reason  of  the  successful 
efforts  made  by  its  founder,  Alfred  Dolge,  a  Cierman- 
American,  to  solve  the  labor  problem,  in  an  entirely 
original  manner.  The  fact  that  Mr.  Dolge  had  come  to 
this  country  a  young  man  of  eighteen,  without  means 
and  without  even  a  knowledge  of  our  languag'e,  had 
before  he  was  forty  established  the  largest  manufactories 
in  the  world  for  felt,  felt  shoes,  sounding  boards  and 
other  piano  material,  had  surpassed  the  oldest  establish- 
ments in  Europe  by  the  superior  quality  of  his  products, 
for  which  he  had  gained  the  highest  awards  at  the  ex- 
hibitions of  Vienna,  Paris,  and  Philadelphia,  had  been 
honored  with  many  positions  of  public  trust,  and  gained 
a  commanding  position  among  the  great  leaders  of  the 
Republican  party,  and  a  reputation  more  than  local,  as  a 
public  speaker  of  power  and  eloquence,  created  an  interest 
for  his  work  as  a  social  reformer,  and  gave  it  a  force 
which  it  otherwise  could  never  have  attained.  And  if 
anything  could  possibly  heighten  this  interest  it  was  Mr. 
Dolge's  repeated  declaration  that  what  he  did  for  his 
work  people  was  not  done  from  the  point  of  any  new 
socialistic  propaganda  of  humanitarianism  or  Christian 
philosophy,  but  from  the  calm,  cool  calculation  of  the 
level  headed  manufacturer  and  merchant,  who  did  what 
he  did  as  a  pure  matter  of  business,  because  it  paid  in 
dollars  and  cents.  His  system  has  been  a  matter  of  slow 
and  gradual  growth  and  may  be  said  to  be  the  evolution 
of  the  ideal  socialism  of  his  father,  an  old  revolutionist  of 
'48  in  Europe,  as  well  as  of  the  great  German  social 
democrat  Liebknecht,  tempered  and  reduced  and  made 
practical  by  the  common  sense  of  a  man  who  knew  human- 
ity well  enough  to  realize  that  where  money  was  involved, 
no  great,  no  radical  reform  could  ever  be  accomplished  in 
a  universal  sense  except  it  appealed  directly  to  human  self 
interest,  to  human  selfishness.  He  saw  that  "to  give  some- 
thing" to  the  wage  earner  might  temporarily  placate  him,  but 
would  still  leave  a  sense  of  unjust  treatment,  and  perhaps 
what  was  even  worse,  a  feeling  on  the  part  of  both  employer 
and  employes  that  what  had  been  obtained  was  the  un- 
willing concession  of  fear  to  force.  He  also  saw  that  the 
wage  earner  had  no  right  to  any  share  in  the  legitimate 
"  profit  "  made  by  the  capital,  the  skill,  the  labor,  the  direct- 
ing power,  the  business  sense  of  the  employer.  What,  then, 
could  possibly  be  the  issue  out  of  the  clilemma?  Surely  it 
could  only  be  on  the  basis  of  justice.  And  what  would 
justice  indicate  ?  An  investigation  into  the  "Actual  Earn- 
ings "  of  each  man  and  a  determination  to  give  them  to 
him.  This  is  just  what  Alfred  Uolge  did.  He  set  to  work 
to  organize  a  simple  system  of  bookkeeping,  by  which  "the 
actual  earnings"  of  each  of  his  employes  could  be  deter- 
mined, and  then  gave  them  to  him.  It  is  not  necessary  to 
go  into  the  details  of  this  system.  It  must  suffice  to  say 
that  his  business  is  divided  up  into  departments.  The  one 
buys  from  the  other  and  sells  to  the  next.  What  the  firm 
invests  in  capital,  labor,  and  skill  is  properly  remunerated; 
the  proper  charges  are  made  for  all  debts,  expense  of  run- 
ning the  business.  The  balance  belongs  to  the  wage  earners. 
Now,  Mr.  Dolge  has  found  that  this  balance  is  always  in  ex- 
cess of  the  actual  wages  paid,  which  wages  in  his  factories, 
by  the  bye,  are  higher  than  those  paid  in  any  other  felt  and 
lumber  mill  in  the  country.  The  difference  between  the 
actual  wages  and  the  amount  actually  earned  by  the  wage 
earners  was  clearly  theirs.  There  was  no  possible  getting 
away  from  the  situation,  and  the  evident  just  thing  to  do 
was  to  give  the  people  this  difference.  At  this  point  Alfred 
Dolge's  knowledge  of  the  working  classes  (he  had  been  one 
of  them  himself)  came  to  his  aid,  and  he  determined  upon 


an  entirely  original  course  of  procedure.  He  took  the 
difference  between  the  actual  wages  the  workman  received 
in  cash  and  what  belonged  to  him  under  this  plan  of 
"earning  sharing,"  and  invested  it  for  his  benefit  in  life 
insurance,  pension  fund,  endowment  fund,  sick  fund,  etc. 
Under  the  Dolge  system  a  workman  who  has  been  with  him 
for  five  years  gets  ^r,ooo  insurance,  for  ten  years  another 
$1,000,  for  fifteen  years  another  $1,000.  The  firm  of  course 
pays  the  premiums.  The  amount  of  such  insurance  now 
amounts  to  over  $150,000.  After  ten  years'  continuous  ser- 
vice the  workman  can  retire  on  25  ])er  cent,  of  his  wages, 
and  so  on  in  graduated  amounts  till  after  twenty-five  years 
he  can  retire  on  full  pay.  Thus  with  Alfred  Dolge  the 
workman  who  has  served  him  faithfully  for  a  quarter  of  a 
century,  instead  of  being  thrust  into  the  street,  is  sent  home 
with  an  assurance  of  comfort  for  the  rest  of  his  life.  Then 
there  is  the  sick  fund  and  the  endowment  fund.  Dolgeville 
is  an  old  settlement  and  was  originally  known  as  Brockete's 
Bridge.  Alfred  Dolge  came  there  in  1875  i'^  search 
of  spruce  for  his  piano  business.  He  found  an  old  tannery 
and  a  few  tumble  down  old  homes.  Seeing  the  immense 
natural  advantages  of  the  place,  its  fine  water-power,  he 
bought  the  tannery,  and  in  these  seventeen  years  built  up 
the  most  enterprising  and  celebrated  industrial  town  in  the 
centre  of  New  York  State,  the  name  of  which  some  years 
ago  by  unanimous  request  of  the  inhabitants  was  changed 
to  Dolgeville.  A  railroad  now  connects  the  town  with 
Little  Falls.  Personally  Alfred  Dolge  may  best  be  described 
as  "a  man  among  men."  He  looks  what  he  is,  an  indomi- 
table worker,  a  natural  born  leader.  Sturdy,  of  great 
physical  strength,  he  differs  from  many  self-made  men  in 
an  innate  courtesy  and  gentleness  of  manner.  He  does 
a  business  of  two  millions  a  year,  has  a  very  multitude 
of  projects  to  attend  to,  but  has  always  spare  time  for 
anything  and  everything,  and  for  everybody.  Alfred 
Dolge  is  a  remarkable  illustration  of  what  can  be  ac- 
complished in  this  country  by  a  man  without  any  other 
advantages  than  great  natural  ability,  and  force  of 
character,  and  unmistakable  will,  all  joined  to  that  pe- 
culiar union  of  the  practical  and  ideal  so  characteristic  of 
our  German-American  citizen. 


LAMB  &  RICH. 

Among  the  many  eminent  architects  of  New  York  are 
Lamb  &  Rich.  Hugh  Lamb,  the  senior  partner,  was  born 
in  Scotland  on  October  11,  1847  '^"d  is  a  man  self  taught 
and  self  made.  He  began  his  career  as  a  carpenter,  but 
after  his  ap])renticeship  studied  architecture.  He  first  went 
into  practice  in  Newark,  N.  J.,  and  in  1877  came  to 
New  York  and  spent  four  years  with  P.  M.  Wheeler. 
He  is  married  and  lives  in  East  Orange.  Charles  A. 
Rich  was  born  in  Boston  on  October  22,  1855,  and  was 
educated  there.  He  graduated  from  Dartmouth  College 
in  the  class  of  1875.  He  studied  architecture  under 
William  Ralph  Emerson  of  Boston,  five  years  after  which 
he  travelled  in  Europe  two  years,  studying  and  observing. 
On  his  return  he  wrote  a  series  of  articles  on  Old-World 
architecture  which  obtained  wide  comment.  Mr.  Rich  is 
member  of  the  Atlantic  and  Columbian  Yacht  Clubs,  and 
is  owner  of  a  fine  yacht  himself.  The  firm  of  Lamb  &  Rich 
was  established  in  1881,  the  partners  at  first  devoting  them- 
selves to  the  building  of  private  residences,  but  after  a  while 
branching  out  to  public  buildings,  constructed  many  fine 
edifices,  among  them  the  house  occupied  by  Mr.  Forrest, 
Theodore  Roosevelt.  H.  O.  Armour,  Jeremiah  Millbank,  and 
S.  B.  Hinckley.  They  have  also  built  the  Harlem  Club 
House,  the  Strathmore,  San  Carlos,  Astral,  and  other  first 
class  apartment  houses,  the  Pratt  Institute,  Brooklyn,  the 
Germania  Insurance  Company  structure,  the  Commonwealth 
Opera  House,  and  Mount  Morris  Bank. 


26 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


H.  MAURER  &  SON. 

The  extensive  brick  works  of  this  firm  are  situated-  in 
the  town  of  Maurer,  on  the  Central  R.  R.  of  New  Jersey, 
2  2  miles  from  New  York  City,  and,  being  located  on  Staten 
Island  Sound  and  the  Kill  von  KuU,  have  unequalled 
advantages  for  transportation.  The  works  and  yards  em- 
brace in  all  some  ten  acres,  and  in  every  respect  are 
equipped  with  the  latest  devices  and  improvements  in 
machinery  and  methods  for  manufacturing  purposes.  The 
clay  lands  operated  by  the  works  contain  several  hundred 
acres.  At  the  entrance  of  the  works  stands  ihe  handsome 
three-story  office  building  of  the  firm,  26  ft.  by  26  ft.  in 
dimensions,  alongside  of  which  are  the  ])latform  scales.  In 
rear  of  the  office  building  is  the  machine  and  blacksmith's 
shof),  three  stories  high  and  60  by  30  ft.  in  dimensions. 


stories  high.  In  this  building  are  different  machines  for 
manufacturing  hollow  and  red  bricks,  the  upper  floor  being 
used  for  drying.  Attached  to  this  building  is  the  steam 
drying  room,  100  ft.  by  42  ft.,  fitted  with  14,000  feet  of 
steam  pipes.  The  bricks  are  transferred  by  machinery  to 
the  drying  room,  where  they  remain  48  hours  ;  from  thence 
they  are  taken  to  the  different  kilns,  of  which  there  are  six, 
40  ft.  long  and  24  ft.  wide,  with  a  capacity  of  250,000  bricks 
each.  The  fire  brick  and  tile  department  building  is  350  ft. 
'long  and  240  ft.  wide,  three  stories  high.  'I  his  building  is 
used  exclusively  for  the  manufacture  of  fire  brick,  blocks 
and  tiles  used  in  glass  and  gas  works,  blast  furnaces,  rolling 
mills,  etc.  The  building  contains  a  Hoffman  kiln  and  six 
square  down  draft  kilns,  with  a  capacity  each  of  40,000  to 
60,000  fire  bricks.    In  this  building  is  all  the  machinery 


HENRY  MAL  RLR  &  SON.  FIRE  BRICK  WORKS. 


The  blacksmith's  sho])  has  two  fires,  and  the  machine  sho]) 
one  lathe  and  two  planers,  with  all  necessary  tools  ;  in  the 
latter  shop  is  the  electric  dynamo  room,  furnished  with  a 
dynamo  of  the  Thomson-Houston  pattern  with  a  capacity 
of  500  incandescent  lights  of  16  candle  power.  The  hol- 
low-brick building  is  175  ft.  long  and  87  ft.  wide,  five  stories 
high,  and  contains  a  Hoffman  continuous  kiln  of  140  ft.  in 
length  and  40  ft.  in  width  on  the  lower  floor.  The  upjier 
floors  are  used  for  drying  fire])roofing  material  ;  four  ele- 
vators transfer  the  material  uj)  and  down.  Attached  to 
this  building  is  a  shed  205  ft.  long  and  40  ft.  wide,  for 
storage  of  fire  clay,  with  a  storage  (■ai)acity  of  5,000  tons. 
The  brickmaking  machine  building  adjoins  this,  also  three 
stories  high  and  27  by  30  ft.  in  dimensions.  'i"he  red  brick 
department  building  is  142  ft.  long  by  42  ft.  wide,  and  three 


used  in  manufacturing  of  the  fire  clay  jircducts.  The  gas 
retort  building  is  150  t't.  by  40  ft.  in  dimensions.  Here  gas 
retorts  of  all  sizes  are  made,  to  supjjly  the  demand  in  the 
United  States  and  South  America.  The  steam  powerhouse 
is  situated  in  the  centre  of  the  works,  in  which  are  two 
Corliss  engines  of  200  horse  ])0wer  each.  The  boiler  house 
contains  three  large  steam  boilers  of  1 25  horse  power  capacity 
each.  In  the  engine  room  is  a  ])owerful  fire-service  pumj) 
capable  of  throwing  500  gallons  of  water  per  minute.  The 
water  siq'ply  is  drawn  from  Woodbridge  Creek,  which 
adjoins  the  works.  Distributed  about  the  works  are  ten 
fire  hydrants,  with  six-inch  mains,  and  supi)ly  hose  1,000 
feet  long.  There  are  four  storage  sheds  for  storing  mate- 
rial, each  36  ft.  by  300  ft.  The  Central  R.  R.  of  New  Jer- 
sey runs  into  tlie  works,  connected  by  several  side  tracks. 


NEIV  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


27 


The  water  frontage  on  the  Kill  von  Kull  is  2,200  feet,  and 
on  Woodbridge  Creek  600  feet.  The  works  are  surrounded 
by  dwelling  houses  containing  about  seventy  f.imilies. 
There  are  a  schoolhouse,  hotel,  stores,  church,  post  office, 
and  railroad  depot  ;  in  all,  Maurer  contains  about  four 
hundred  inhabitants.  In  the  works  some  300  men  and  boys 
are  employed  all  the  year  round  ;  55,000  tons  of  raw  mate- 
rial are  used  and  7,500  tons  of  coal  are  consumed  yearly. 
The  clay  and  other  material  are  brought  to  the  works  by 
railroad,  boats,  tramways  and  wagons.  Such  is  a  brief 
description  of  the  Maurer  brick  works,  founded  by  Henry 
Maurer,  who  many  years  ago  came  to  this  country  a  poor 
lad,  and  achieved  this  result  by  his  industry  and  enterprise 


case  leads  to  the  second  floor,  upon  which  the  120  horse 
l)ower  brewery  engines,  dynamo  and  dynamo  engine,  two  400 
barrel  hop-jacks  and  a  spent  grain  tank  are  located.  On 
the  next  floor  are  two  400  barrel  steam  jacketed  kettles, 
gauge  stands,  and  the  driving  devices  for  the  nineteen  foot 
diameter  mash-tubs,  which  are  placed  upon  stagings 
above  the  floor.  Over  these  mash  tubs  on  the  third  floor 
of  the  brew  house  are  two  steam  jacketed  Conversion  or 
"  thick  mash"  tubs  and  two  hot  water  tubs,  commanding  the 
mash-tubs  below.  The  brew-master's  office,  and  to  the 
rear  of  the  building,  the  first  mill  floor,  is  separated  from  the 
brew  house  throughout  by  fire  walls.  Here  are  also  located 
two  ground  malt  bins,  each  of  sufficient  C3j)acity  for  a  brew- 


THE  RINGLER  BREWERY. 

The  buildings  of  the  George  Ringler  Brewing  Company 
comprise  the  new  brew  house  on  92d  Street,  and  the  refriger- 
ated store  house  adjoining  the  old  brew  house  in  the  rear 
of  the  new  structure,  the  refrigerating  machine  house  and 
condenser  house  on  91st  Street,  the  covered  yard,  the  stable 
building  next  to  the  refrigerated  storage  house,  extending 
from  92d  through  to  91  t  Streets,  a  second  stable  on  the 
south  side  of  91st  Street,  extending  through  to  90th  Street 
and  accommodating  150  horses,  as  well  as  the  office  on  the 
corner  of  Third  Avenue  and  92d  Street,  and  the  pumping 
station  on  91st  Street  between  First  and  Second  Avenues. 
As  shown  in  the  accompanying  illustration,  there  are  two 
twelve  foot  wide  entrances  under  the  brew  house  to  the  drive- 
way connecting  the  rear  buildings  of  the  Company.    A  stair- 


ing;  located  over  the  mash  tubs  is  also  a  malt  storage  room 
for  30,000  bushels.  On  the  upper  floor  are  a  hot  and  cold 
water  tub,  two  conversion  tub  bins,  and  a  second  mill  floor 
upon  which  the  scouring,  grinding  and  weighing  machinery 
are  located.  Above  this  machinery  is  another  staging  upon 
which  the  hopper  is  placed.  The  house  and  the  apparatus 
are  absolutely  fireproof  and  the  plant  so  arranged  that  the 
brewing  operation  is  automatic  and  in  every  way  a  gravity 
plant,  only  a  single  pumping,  that  from  the  hop-jacks  to  the 
surface  cooler,  being  required.  All  the  buildings  of  the 
Company  are  thoroughly  lighted  by  arc  and  incandescent 
lamps,  for  which  a  double  lighting  plant  is  provided.  After 
this  meagre  outline  of  one  of  New  York's  largest  industrial 
institutions,  and  when  it  is  stated  that  it  has  a  brewing 
capacity  of  more  than  500,000  barrels,  some  idea  of  the 


28  NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


great  Ringler  15re\very  may  be  formed.  George  Ringler, 
the  founder  and  senior  member  of  the  company,  brother  of 
F.  A.  Ringler,  and  a  universally  esteemed  citizen,  died  in 
the  month  of  June,  1889.  He  was  born  in  1842  at  Frieden- 
wald,  and  learned  the  brewer's  trade  in  Bremerhaven.  He 
came  to  New  York  at  the  age  of  21,  and  was  at  once 
employed  as  foreman  in  the  old  Winkens  Brewery  on  58th 
Street.  July  ist,  1872,  he  started  the  brewery  on  92d 
Street.  Mr.  Ringler  was  a  member  of  all  the  Brewers' 
Associations,  of  the  Produce  Exchange,  and  Arion  and 
Liederkranz  Societies,  and  was  a  Freemason  and  an  Odd 
Fellow.  He  leaves  two  children;  and  William  G.,  who  is  a 
practical  brewer,  is  the  Vice-President  of  the  Brewery. 
His  executor  is  his  brother,  F.  A.  Ringler,  who  has  since 
his  death  been  the  President  of  the  Brewery  and  is  one 
of  the  most  active  business  men  of  our  city.  The  erection 
of  the  new  brew  house  is  due  to  his  energy. 


$50,000.  The  jjresident  of  this  great  industry  is  the  vener- 
able founder  Florian  Grosjean,  who  came  here  a  poor  Swiss 
boy.  Mr.  Grosjean  loves  his  employes  and  it  is  his  con- 
tinual delight  to  look  after  their  well  being.  Strikes  are 
unknown  in  his  factory,  and  many  of  the  men  have  been  in* 
the  employment  of  the  firm  for  25  years.  A  large  park  has 
been  laid  out  adjoining  the  factory  at  Woodhaven  for  the 
comfort  and  refreshment  of  the  workers  and  their  families. 
Besides  the  home  trade  the  Company  has  connections  all 
over  the  world. 


THE  LALANCE    &   GROSJEAN  MANUFACTURING 
COMPANY. 

The  Lalance  &  Grosjean  Manufacturing  Company  has 
perha])s  one  of  the  most  interesting  histor.es  of  any  of  the 
great  industrial  corporations  in  or  around  New  York.  It 
is  now  nearly  half  a  century  since  Florian-  Grosjean,  a 
native  of  Switzerland,  with  his  compatriot.  Chas.  Lalance, 


-  MSI 


THE  LALANXE  &  GROSJE.\N  MANUFACTURING  COMPANY'S  FACTORY. 


landed  in  New  York,  and,  in  1850,  started  in  a  very  humble 
way,  as  importers  of  sheet  metal  culinary  utensils.  Then 
they  began  to  manufacture  for  themselves,  and  in  1863 
the  business  had  increased  to  such  an  extent  that  for 
economy's  sake  the  merchant  emigrants  had  to  seek  outside 
the  city  for  ground  whereon  to  build  a  factory,  and  they 
selected  Woodhaven,  Long  Island.  At  that  time  they 
employed  from  75  to  100  hands  In  1869  the  business  was 
incorj)orated  under  the  title  of  the  Lalance  &  (irosjean 
Manufacturing  Company.  Prosperity  continued  to  smile 
until  February,  1876,  when  a  fire  destroyed  the  whole  works. 
In  five  months,  however,  they  were  again  in  full  operation, 
and  seventeen  years  of  unbroken  progress  and  prosjjerity 
leaves  the  corporation  to-day  the  largest  manufacturing  con- 
cern of  its  class  in  the  world.  The  company  has  its  main 
factory,  covering  sixteen  acres,  at  Woodhaven,  a  large  sheet 
iron  and  sheet  rolling  mill  at  Harrisburg,  Pa.,  an  imi)ortant 
agency  in  New  York  ;  with  stores  in  Boston  and  Chicago. 
An  idea  of  the  magnitude  of  this  concern  may  be  formed 
when  it  is  stated  that  at  the  ])resent  time  the  company 
employs  1,700  hands.  Four  carloads  of  goods  are  sent 
away  from  the  factory  daily,  and  50c  cases  for  the  New 
York  trade  alone.  I'he  amount  of  tinplate  used  averages 
1,000  boxes  weekly,  and  2,000,000  feet  of  lumber  is  yearly 
cut  u])  for  packing  alone,  at  a  cost  for  material  and  labor  of 


DEXTER,  LAMBERT  &  CO. 

This  house  stands  among  the  pioneers  of  the  silk  indus- 
try in  America.    Originally  founded  in  Boston  in  the  year 
1847,  under  the  firm  name  of  Tilt  &  Dexter,  it  was  reor- 
ganized in  the  year  1853  as  the  firm  of  I )exter,  Lambert  & 
Co.    It  is  now  nearly  forty  years  since  Mr.  .Anson  Dexter 
dissolved  the  firm  of  Tilt  &  Dexter,  and.  in  forming  the 
concern  of  Dexter,  Lambert  &  Co.,  admitted  as  partners 
Catholina  Lambert  and  Charles  Barton.    Both  were  young 
men,  employes  of  the  old  firm.    Mr.  Lambert,  at  the  time, 
was  still  in  his  teens.    The  class  of  goods  manufactured  by 
the  house  at  that  time  was  known  on  the  market  as  "dress 
trimmings."    In  the  year  1856  the  concern  added  a  new 
branch  to  the  business  :  the  manufacture  of  silk  ribbons. 
In  this  undertaking  they  were  eminently  successful,  and  the 
increasing  business  of  the  firm  now  obliging 
them  to  add  largely  to  the  plant,  they  erected 
a  three-story  brick  mill,  160  x  50  feet,  on  Lenox 
Street,  Boston.    Dexter,  Lambert  &  Co.  pur- 
chased their  silk  in  Paterson,  N.  J.,  from  the 
"Throwsters,"  thus  making  that  city  the  base 
of  supply.    In  the  year  i860  Mr.  Anson  Dexter 
retired  from  the  firm,  disposing  of  his  interest 
to  Mr.  Catholina  Lambert.    The  retirement  of 
Mr.  Dexter  led  to  the  admission  as  partners  of 
Messrs.  Geo.  R.  Dexter  and  W.  N.  Lambert ; 
the  former  a  son  of  Mr.  Anson  Dexter,  the 
latter  a  brother  of  Mr.  Lambert.    During  the 
year  1865  Messrs.  Dexter,  Lambert  &  Co.  moved 
the  entire  business  from  Boston  to  Paterson, 
N.  J.,  where  they  had  just  completed  an  elegant 
new  mill.    In  the  year  1867  Mr.  W.  N.  Lambert 
visited  South  America,  with  the  hopes  of  restor- 
ing his   declining  health.    These  hopes  were 
never  realized  ;   he  died  there  in    1869.     Mr.  Geo.  R. 
Dexter  retired  from  the  concern  in  the  year  1874.  and  died 
in  1876.    Mr.  Henry  B.  Wilson,  of  New  York,  was  admitted 
as  partner  in  1878.    Mr.  Wilson  had  full  management  of 
the  New  York  end  of  the  business  for  three  years  previous 
to  his  becoming  a  partner.    In  the  year  1869  the  firm 
erected  another  mill  in  Paterson,  N.  J.    This  mill  stands  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  street  from  the  old  mill,  and  is  con- 
nected with  it  by  a  bridge  at  one  end  of  the  building  and  a 
tunnel  at  the  other,  thus  virtually  making  both  mills  one  for 
all  practical  uses.    The  retirement  of  Mr.  Barton  followed 
in  the  year  1880,  after  nearly  thirty  years'  connection  with 
the  firm.    In  1882  they  erected  a  beautiful  mill  in  Hawley, 
Pa.,  the  dimensions  of  this  fine  structure  being  380  x  44  feet, 
and  five  stories  in  height.    Messrs.  C.  N.  Sterrett,  W.  F. 
Suydain  and  W.  S.  Lambert  were  admitted  as  partners  in 
the  year  1885.    .Another  mill  was  built  at  Honesdale,  Pa., 
in  the  year  1886.    The  firm  employs  more  than  2,000  hands. 
The  firm  of  Dexter,  Lambert  iS:  Co.  has  during  all  these 
years,  and  during  all  the  changes  in  business,  retained  its 
original  name.    Mr.  Catholina  Lambert,  who  is  the  sole 
surviving  member  of  the  old  house,  can  now,  after  nearly 
forty  years  of  untiring  work,  take  a  retros])ective  glance  at 
his  labors  and  say,  with  jjardonable  pride,  "  My  work  will 
stand." 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


29 


BLOOMINGDALE  BROTHERS. 

The  history  of  the  Bloomingdale  Brothers,  who,  from  a 
very  modest  beginning  and  after  overcoming  great  obstacles, 
have  taken  rank  among  the  greatest  retail  drygoods 
merchants  in  the  world,  is  of  much  interest  and  is  sugges- 
tive of  a  high  order  of  talent  on  their  part.  In  1868  the  two 
brothers,  Lyman  G.  and  Joseph  B,  Bloomingdale,  purchased 
their  father's  interest  in  a  wholesale  hoopskirt  manufactur- 
ing business.  And  here  a  few  words  about  the  elder  Mr. 
Bloomingdale,  an  estimable  gentleman,  may  be  in  order.  He 
left  his  native  village  at  Bavaria.  Germany,  in  1837,  to  come 
to  America, and  as  he  was  the  first  emigrant  from  that  parti- 
cular village  the  inhabitants  came  out  en  masse  to  see  him 
off  This  was  a  combination  of  curiosity  and  sympathy. 
Mr.  Bloomingdale  tried  his  fortune  first  in  New  Jersey  and 
next  in  North  Carolina,  but  not  succeeding  he  came  to  New 
York  and  got  married.  It  was  here  his  two  sons,  Lyman 
G.  and  Joseph  Benjamin,  were  born.  The  development  of 
the  Bloomingdale  Brothers'  business  from  very  little  to  its 


the  Bloomingdalcs  to  be  large  hearted  and  generous,  even 
had  they  both  not  seen  the  world,  and  therefore  realized  the 
advantage  of  a  helping  hand. 


THE  WILLIAM  STRANGE  COMPANY. 

The  now  venerable  house  of  William  Strange  &  Co., 
and  Strange  &  Brother,  was  started  in  1838,  at  the  corner 
of  William  and  Beaver  Streets,  this  city.  After  thirty  years  of 
mercantile  experience  as  silk  importers  and  dealers,  the 
Stranges  become  manufacturers,  convinced  that  with 
American  skilled  labor  they  can  produce  the  class  of  goods 
they  had  been  importing  and  paying  duty  upon.  Their 
first  manufacturing  establishment  was  opened  in  Williams- 
burg, in  1863.  Five  years  later  the  works  were  transferred  to 
Paterson,  N.  J.,  and  there  conducted  under  the  firm  name 
of  William  Strange  &  Co.  E.  B.  Strange  having  decided 
to  retire  fiom  the  manufacturing  line,  left  the  Paterson 
mills  under  the  sole  management  of  William  Strange  &  Co. 


Si 

BLOOMINGDALE  BROTHERS'  BUILDING 


present  proportions  has  been  phenomenal.  They  employ 
1,300  hands,  their  establishment  covers  fifteen  city  lots,  and 
when  their  present  extension  taking  them  to  Lexington  Ave- 
nue has  been  completed  the  business  will  cover  twenty-three 
city  lots.  The  inside  of  their  establishment  during  working 
hours  is  really  one  of  the  sights  of  the  Metropolis.  It  may 
be  stated  here  that  the  Messrs.  Bloomingdale  failed  in  1871 
and  compounded  with  their  creditors.  Seven  years  later, 
they,  without  being  asked  and  of  their  own  volition,  paid 
their  creditors  the  difference  between  the  legal  compromise 
and  the  100  cents  on  the  dollar  which  they  owed  originally. 
They  surely  deserve  their  well  won  reputation  for  integrity. 
The  finer  traits  of  the  character  of  the  two  brothers  are 
manifested  in  their  treatment  of  their  employes,  in  whose 
welfare  they  display  a  fraternal  interest,  to  whom,  in  fact, 
they  are  more  like  personal  friends  than  employers.  Many 
of  their  present  rivals  in  trade  served  formerly  in  their 
establishment  in  various  capacities,  and  it  was  the  brothers 
gave  them  their  first  start  in  business.    It  seems  natural  in 


The  partners  after  this  change  were  Albert  B.  Strange  and 
William  Strange,  father  and  son.  Albert  B.  Strange  died  in 
February,  1886;  and  since  then  the  management  and 
direction  of  the  now  colossal  establishment  have  devolved 
upon  Mr.  William  Strange,  who  is  the  head  and  front  of  both 
establishments,  which  produce  and  distribute  goods  from 
Maine  to  California.  In  1887,  the  firm  of  William  Strange 
&  Co.,  under  the  style  of  the  William  Strange  Company,  was 
incorporated,  with  Mr.  W.  Strange  as  President,  W.  C. 
Kimball  treasurer,  and  Strange  &:  Brother  of  New  York  the 
selling  agents.  The  establishments  are  well  known  as 
among  the  most  aggressive  and  enterprising  in  the  silk 
manufacture  and  trade,  and  notwithstanding  the  many 
financial  crises  and  commercial  convulsions  witnessed  in 
this  country,  from  1838  until  the  present  day,  they  have 
promptly  met  every  obligation  and  have  never  had  occasion 
to  call  upon  the  insurance  companies  for  one  dollar 
in  consequence  of  fire.  Mr.  Strange  and  his  associates 
have  played  an  important  part  in  determining  tariff  and 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


other  legislation  affecting  tiieir  industry  on  occasions  when 
there  was  need  of  technical  information  and  longexperience 
combined  with  broad  and  patriotic  views  of  American 
industrial  develoi)inent.  Mr.  ^\'illiam  Strange  is  a  native 
New  Yorker,  and  takes  pride  in  contributing  to  the  pros- 
perity of  the  Metropolis,  as  well  as  to  the  beautiful  New- 
Jersey  city.  Notwithstanding  criticism  and  adverse  com- 
ment when  this  business  of  silk  manufacturing  was  started, 
Mr.  Strange  has  shown,  and  takes  a  natural  pride  in  the  fact, 
that  by  the  aid  of  American  skilled  labor  he  has  managed  to 
comi)ete  successfully  with  Lyons  and  other  centres  of  the 
silk  industry.  These  fruitful  industiial  transplantations 
were  not  the  result  of  chance  or  managed  by  adventurous 
tyros  in  the  realm  of  mercantile  endeavor.  They  were 
designed  and  carried  on  by  men  of  great  experience  and 
success  in  American  and  international  commerce,  who  saw 
opportunity  for  saving  for  American  account  the  profit 
that  had  been  made  by  foreign  manufacturers  who  sold  their 
goods  to  us.  The  career  of  the  strong  firm  whose  name 
heads  this  sketch  strikingly  illustrates  the  motives  and 
methods  of  these  Pioneers  of  American  Industry. 


SWEETSER,  PEMBROOK  &  CO. 

'l"he  principal  part  of  the  jobbing  drygopds  trade  of 
New  York  City  is  done  by  six  houses,  one  of  which  is 
Sweetser,  Pembrook  &  Co.,  365  Broadway.  Hence  this 
firm  is  often  referred  to  as  "  One  of  the  Big  Six."  It  is  in 
existence  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century  and  was  founded  in 
1868  by  J.  Howard  Sweetser,  George  D.  Sweetser,  William 

A.  Pembrook  and  B.  J.  Hathaway,  who  entered  into  partner- 
ship and  began  business  at  No.  71  Leonard  Street.  In  187  i 
owing  to  the  exigencies  of  an  increasing  business  they 
removed  to  76-78  Broadway,  later  on  to  356  Broadway, 
again  in  1878  to  Broadway  and  Franklin  Street,  and  in 
1885  to  their  present  location,  Broadway  and  White  Street, 
always  moving  in  order  to  suit  their  growing  trade.  The 
firm  is  now  composed  of  seven  members,  which  include  all 
the  founders  (excepting  B.  J.  Hathaway,  who  retired  ten 
years  ago)  and  Joseph  H.  Bumsted,  George  L.  Putnam, 
Howard  B.  Sweetser,  Theodore  K.  Pembrook  and  Frederick 

B.  Dale.  The  new  partners  are  all  young  men  w  ho  have 
grown  up  with  the  house  and  aided  in  bringing  it  to  its 
present  proud  position  in  Metropolitan  trade.  In  1863 
George  D.  and  J.  Howard  Sweetser  started  a  cash  drygoods 
jobbing  store  in  a  modest  way  on  Church  Street,  w  hich  turned 
out  a  success.  Previous  to  this  the  former  gentleman  had 
been  in  business  in  Brooklyn  and  so  came  to  this  city  with 
ripe  exi)erience.  Mr.  Pembrook  came  from  New  Jersey  in 
1858  and  was  engaged  with  Terbell,  Jennings  i\:  Co.,  and 
afterwards  with  Wick,  Smith  &  Co.,  wath  whom  he  remained 
until  the  present  ])artnership  was  formed.  The  Sweetstrs 
were  born  in  Amherst,  Mass.,  and  J.  Howard  graduated 
from  Amherst  College.  He  came  to  New  York  in  1855  and 
was  employed  by  J.  A.  Sweetser  &  Co.,  until  the  firm  was 
dissolved  and  part  of  it  merged  in  the  present  great  establish- 
ment. Mr.  Hathaway  is  with  the  house  also,  though  not  as  a 
partner. 

FAIRCHILD  BROTHERS  &  FOSTER. 

Fairchild  Brothers  &  Foster,  manufacturing  chemists 
and  manufacturers  of  digestive  ferments,  were  established 
in  1878  by  Benjamin  T.  and  Samuel  W.  Fairchild,  and 
continued  three  years  under  the  name  of  Fairchild  Brothers, 
after  which  Mr.  Foster  became  connected  w  ith  the  business, 
which  then  consisted  of  wholesale  and  retail  drugs  and 
chemicals.  Before  uniting  in  the  present  enterprise  the 
Messrs.  Fairchild  underwent  years  of  experience  as  a])othe- 
caries  anil  chemists,  with  leading  houses  in  Philadelphia 
and  New  York  City.    In  1884  Fairchild  Brothers  &  Foster 


dis])osed  of  their  wholesale  and  retail  drug  business,  and 
removed  to  their  present  extensive  offices  and  warehouses, 
82  and  84  Fulton  Street.  Since  then  the  production  of 
"Digestive  I^erments "  has  become  their  manufacturing 
specialty.  The  study  of  "Pancreatine  and  "  Pejjsin  "  as* 
agents  in  digestion  awakened  the  firm's  attention  to  the 
important  role  these  remedies  are  destined  to  perform,  and 
made  apparent  the  necessity  of  finer  grades  of  nearly  all 
these  preparations  than  were  in  the  market,  for  both  ex- 
perimental and  practical  purposes.  And  as  a  result  this 
house  now  leads  the  world  in  the  production,  in  both  quality 
and  cpiantity,  of  digestive  ferments.  In  what  is  known 
among  apothecaries  and  chemists  as  the  "  Pepsin  War," 
Fairchild  Brothers  &  Foster  have  been  unconcerned,  so  far 
as  regards  the  originality  of  their  "  Pepsin  in  Scales." 
Their  Pepsin  not  being  a  Peptone,  they  have  sought  to 
protect  the  individuality  of  their  product,  and  in  furtherance 
of  this  have  formally  adopted  the  title  "  Fairchild  "  to 
characterize  their  article.  Among  the  valuable  and  original 
products  the  firm  has  successfully  introduced  are  :  "  Pepsin 
Scales,"  and  the  permanent  '"powder"  of  the  Pepsin. 
"  Extractum  Pancreatis,"  "  Essence  of  Pepsin,"  "  Pepton- 
izing Tubes,"  "Trypsin,"  "  Diastasic  Essence  of  Pancreas," 
"  Peptogenic  Milk-Powder,"  also  the  "  Modified  Warbug 
Tincture,"  that  has  ])roved  useful  in  the  treatment  of  mala- 
rial fevers.  A  detailed  account  of  the  life  of  Mr.  Samuel 
W.  Fairchild  is  printed  in  Part  II.  of  this  work. 


TRAVERS  BROTHERS. 

The  great  twine,  thread  and  yarn  establishment  of  the 
Travers  Brothers,  on  Duane  Street,  which  from  small 
beginnings  has  grown  to  very  large  i)roportions  within  a 
comparatively  limited  period  under  a  protective  tariff,  is 
one  of  the  strongest  illustrations  of  the  benefit  of  that 
economic  policy,  though,  of  course,  the  business  ability  and 
character  of  the  founder  and  his  successors  must  be  taken 
into  consideration.  This  industry  was  founded  by  Augus- 
tine Travers  about  half  a  century  ago,  and  was  then  limited 
to  the  sale  and  jobbing  in  twines  and  the  manufacture  of 
rope  on  a  small  scale  in  the  old  ropewalk  style,  where  the 
spinner  walked  backward,  with  the  flax  or  hemp  raw  mate- 
rial round  his  waist.  Mr.  Travers  had  a  warehouse  at  84 
Maiden  Lane,  and  a  ropewalk  in  the  neighborhood  of  Cen- 
tral Park,  a  region  then  well  in  the  country.  The  fine 
twines  he  handled  were  chiefly  imported.  Augustine 
Travers  died  in  i85r,  leaving  three  sons,  and  was  succ  eded 
by  his  brother.  Those  sons  were  Francis  C,  Yincent  P. 
and  Ambrose  F.,  all  three  of  whom  entered  the  business  left 
by  their  father  and  continued  by  their  uncle,  as  clerks, 
when  (piite  young  men.  There  they  mastered  the  details 
of  the  trade  thoroughly,  and  in  1871  established  themselves 
in  the  same  line  at  104  Duane  Street,  opposite  No.  107  their 
present  location,  in  the  wholesaling  and  jobbing  of  twines. 
From  that  day  to  this  their  career  has  been  one  of  uninter- 
rupted success,  for,  though  beginning  in  a  modest  way,  they 
have  gradually  built  u])  the  largest  house  in  their  line  in 
their  country.  In  1S79  they  commenced  manufacturing 
hammocks  from  Mexican  grass  fibre.  These  hammocks, 
formerly  imported,  had  been  made  by  hand  in  Yucatan  by 
the  natives,  but  it  was  a  slow  process,  and  the  growing 
demand  for  the  article  caused  the  Travers  Brothers  to 
almost  do  away  with  importing  the  manufactured  goods, 
and  to  turn  them  out  themselves  by  new  and  improved 
machinery  introduced  by  them  especially  for  the  purpose. 
Since  then  their  trade  in  hammocks  has  increased  wonder- 
fully, and  they  export  large  numbers  of  them  to  the  liritish 
Islands  and  other  parts  of  Europe.  They  have,  in  fact,  at 
this  writing,  made  a  shipment  of  hammocks  to  Scotland. 
The  first  factory  of  the  firm  was  started  at  Syracuse,  N.  Y., 


NEl'V  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


31 


in  a  small  way,  but,  as  their  affairs  progressed,  they  estab- 
lished a  soinewhat  larger  one  in  this  city,  on  Tenth  Avenue. 
A  few  years  later  they  purchased  ground  on  West  Fifty- 
second  Street,  near  the  North  River,  upon  which  they  built 
a  factory  with  a  frontage  of  fifty  and  a  depth  of  eighty-five 
feet,  containing  five  stories  and  a  basement.  Even  this 
was  found  too  small  for  their  ever-growing  trade,  and  in 
1888  they  enlarged  the  premises  on  the  same  block  by  the 
addition  of  another  mill.  The  factory  herein  shown  is  the 
first  prominent  building  that  strikes  the  eye  of  one  coming 
down  the  Hudson.  It  is  seven  stories,  or  to  the  top  of  the 
tower  nine  stories.  At  the  same  time,  they  both  enlarged 
the  volume  of  their  trade  and  added  a  few  new  branches 
in  their  line  until  they  came  to  manufacture  all  sorts  of 


rine  Butler,  mothei  of  the  Travers  Brothers,  who  was  also 
from  New  York  State,  and  on  a  visit.  A  rather  interesting 
fact  connected  with  the  otherwise  rather  uneventful  life  of 
Mr.  Travers  was  his  friendship  with  Horace  Greeley.  When 
the  great  editor  first  came  to  New  York  he  lived  in  the  same 
house  with  Mr.  Travers  for  quite  a  number  of  years.  The 
three  brothers  are  married  and  reside  in  New  York.  They 
are  members  of  the  Board  of  Trade,  and  also  of  the  Catholic 
Club,  and  it  is  known  of  them,  what  is  not  always  the  case 
with  brothers,  that  since  they  entered  into  business  relations, 
more  than  twenty  years  ago,  they  have  moved  together  in 
the  most  perfect  harmony  and  acted  in  true  fraternal  regard, 
to  which  as  well  as  their  high  character  and  undoubted 
business  capacity  much  of  their  success  must  be  ascribed. 


TR.A.VERS  likOTHERS'  l-ACTOKV. 


twines,  threads,  yarns,  ropes  and  cords,  including  fancy 
twines  for  druggists,  binding  twine  for  grain  and  twine  for 
baling  the  cotton  crop,  carpet  yarn,  in  fact  every  variety  of 
twine  used  in  the  various  industries  of  the  country,  for  the 
production  of  which  they  possess  the  most  complete  and 
best  equipped  establishment  in  the  United  States.  They 
employ  600  hands  and  trade  with  every  State  in  the  Union. 
They  also  export  to  the  South  and  Central  American 
republics,  Japan,  China,  and,  in  fact,  to  all  parts  of  the 
world.  Augustine  Travers,  founder  of  the  business,  was 
born  in  this  city  in  1820,  and  received  an  ordinary  school 
education.  While  a  young  man  he  went  West  and  engaged 
in  the  real  estate  business.  It  was  while  on  a  visit  to  a 
friend  in  Michigan  that  he  met  his  future  wife,  Miss  Cathe- 


HENDRICKS  BROTHERS. 

Any  one  taking  the  trouble  to  go  downtown  into  Cliff 
Street,  between  Fulton  and  Beekman  Streets,  will  see  the 
sign  Hendricks  Brothers,  copper  manufacturers,  and  in 
doing  so  will  gaze  upon  the  name  of  a  firm  a  generation 
older  than  the  United  States.  It  was  in  existence,  and  had 
more  than  a  local  reputation,  before  the  Rothschilds  were 
heard  of  outside  a  small  German  principality.  Since  its 
establishment  great  commercial  houses  have  risen  and 
fallen,  been  shattered  by  wars,  destroyed  by  fire  or  have 
succumbed  to  the  stress  of  financial  circumstances.  It  was 
a  well  known  New  York  house  even  before  the  Boston  tea 
party  was  held,  and  Uriah  Hendricks,  sturdy  son  of  a  sturdy 
son  of  a  sturdy  Dutch  sire  was  its  founder.    Since  then 


32 


NEW  YOBK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


mighty  changes  have  passed  over  the  world.  George  the 
Third  gave  way  before  George  Washington,  steam  and 
electricity  have  become  potent  factors  in  our  civilization,  a 
tremendous  civil  war  has  been  fought,  New  York  has  risen 
from  a  colonial  town  to  be  the  Metropolis  of  the  New  World, 
but  through  all  the  changing  scenes  the  old  House  of  the 
Hendricks  has  stood  serene,  and  descended  from  father  to 
son  in  direct  line  of  succession  through  five  generations. 
It  is  really  a  proud  record.  The  grave  of  the  first  Uriah 
Hendricks  is  to  this  day  to  be  seen  in  the  ancient  little 
cemetery  on  Olive  Street,  and  his  name  in  the  first  directory 
ever  published  in  this  city,  while  his  portrait,  strangely  re- 
sembling the  Hendricks  family  likeness  of  our  time  e.xcept 
in  dress,  is  suspended  beside  those  of  his  descendants  in 
the  family  mansion.  The  various  portraits  mark  epochs  in 
the  industrial  history  of  the  United  States.  When  after 
experiencing  the  usual  vicissitudes  of  trade  Uriah  Hendricks 
died  he  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Harmon.  The  Hendricks 
had  been  unswervingly  loyal  to  their  country  during  the 
stormy  years  of  the  Revolutionary  war,  and  when  it  was 
over  they  obtained  important  contracts  from  the  govern- 
ment.   They  dealt  in  copper,  chiefly,  and  as  most  of  the 


the  times  through  all  mutations  when  it  has  not  gone  ahead 
of  them  in  enterprise,  also  that  the  Hendricks  are  among 
the  most  extensive  metal  dealers  and  workers  in  the  country 
at  this  present  time.  When  Harmon  died  he  was  succeeded 
by  his  sons  Uriah,  Washington,  Henry  and  Montague.  The^ 
business  is  now  carried  on  by  Joshua,  Edmund,  Francis, 
Harmon  W.  and  Edgar  Hendricks.  Edgar  is  son  of  Joshua, 
senior  member  of  the  firm  and  fifth  in  descent  from  the 
founder.  The  others  are  sons  of  Uriah  and  grandson  of 
Harmon.  Who,  then,  shall  say  that  peace  hath  not  its  vic- 
tories as  well  as  war,  and  that  a  long  line  of  American 
manufacturers  is  not  as  illustrious,  and  a  thousand  times  as 
useful,  as  the  idle  and  boastful  nobility  of  Europe  ? 


WILLIAM  H.  LEE. 

Among  the  great  mercantile  houses  which  have  con- 
tributed so  largely  to  the  prosperity  ot  New  York  the  firm 
of  Lee,  Tweedy  &  Company  is  notable  for  long  duration  of 
successful  business,  and  for  the  fact  that  since  its  foundation 
in  1845  it  has  never  failed  to  meet  its  obligations,  and  has 
passed  unscathed  through  the  i)eriods  of  business  depression 


HENDRICKS  BROTHERS'  BELLEVILLE  COPPER  ROLLING  MILLS 


war  ships  of  the  time  were  copper  bottomed  and  copper 
fastened  the  house  did  a  good  trade.  In  181 1  Harmon 
Hendricks  erected  the  first  regular  rolling  coi)j)er  mill  in 
the  United  States.  It  was  located  in  Belleville,  N.  J.,  and 
was  known  as  the  Soho  Copper  Works.  Naturally  enough, 
as  we  learn  from  the  news])apers  of  the  time,  the  event 
made  soinething  of  a  sensation  in  manufacturing  circles, 
though,  compared  with  mills  the  Hendricks  have  constructed 
since,  it  was  an  infant  in  swaddling  clothes.  Then,  and  for 
many  years  after,  the  copper  used  by  the  firm  was  neces- 
sarily imported,  the  bulk  of  it  coming  from  South  America, 
but  when  the  metal  was  discovered  in  native  mines  they 
hastened  to  take  advantage  of  it.  It  could  hardly  be  ex- 
pected that  in  the  course  of  a  century  and  a  quarter  this 
house  would  not  have  its  troubles.  The  place  suffered 
from  fires  in  common  with  other  industrial  centres  of  New 
York  from  time  to  time,  and  in  1S74  the  Belleville  Rolling 
Mills  were  entirely  destroyed.  They  were  rebuilt  and  run- 
ning once  more  with  their  old  power  within  eight  weeks, 
and  the  energy  then  dis])layed  by  the  Hendricks  has  been 
characteristic  of  the  house  from  the  start.  It  goes  without 
saying  that  this  ancient  establishment  has  kept  abreast  of 


and  disaster  during  which  tew  of  the  drygoods  concerns  of 
the  city  have  remained  unshaken.  The  original  firm  name 
was  Lee  &  Case,  which  was  afterwards  changed  to  Lee, 
Case  &:  Co.,  to  William  H.  Lee  ^:  Co.,  to  Lee,  Bliss  &  Co., 
and  finally  to  the  present  style.  Lee,  Tweedy  ilv  Co.  is  com- 
])osed  of  William  H.  Lee  John  A.  Tweedy,  Charles  N.  Lee, 
Henry  ]).  Sanger,  1-rederick  H.  Lee,  and  James  Halliday. 
During  this  long  career  of  forty-seven  years  there  has  been 
no  change  in  the  head  of  this  great  commercial  establish- 
ment. William  H.  Lee  is  a  member  of  an  historic  family 
of  Connecticut,  by  whom  there  was  constructed  the  "  Old 
Lee  House  "  in  New  Britain,  in  that  State.  The  founder 
of  the  American  family  came  to  this  country  in  the  person 
of  John  Lee,  who  was  born  in  Essex  County  in  England  in 
1620,  who  in  1641  settled  in  F.irmington,  where  in  1658  he 
married  Miss  Mary  Hart,  and  wiiere  he  lived  until  i860. 
Mr.  ^\'illiam  H.  Lee  has  erected  in  the  Farmington  Cemetery 
an  imjjosing  and  beautifid  monument,  with  which  is  incor- 
porated the  original  tombstone  of  John  Lee.  The  year  of 
John  Lee's  birth  being  that  of  the  landing  of  the  Pilgrims, 
the  family  ancestry  in  this  country  is  one  of  the  oldest  as 
well  as  one  of  the  most  honorable  of  those  of  New  England. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


33 


Coming  to  New  York  in  his  youth,  Mr.  William  H.  Lee  was 
for  some  time  a  clerk  with  Robert  Jaffray,  his  relations  with 
whom  were  severed  on  his  formation  of  the  partnership  with 
Mr.  Case.  Mr.  Watson  E.  Case  and  Mr.  Justin  A.  Bliss, 
who  were  associated  successively  with  Mr.  Lee,  retired  with 
ample  foriunes,  as  did  others  who  were  Mr.  Lee's  junior 
partners,  and  whose  names  continued  to  hold  high  position 
in  the  Metropolitan  commercial  world.  Mr.  John  H. 
Tweedy,  the  second  partner  in  the  present  firm,  is,  like  his 
senior,  a  Connecticut  man,  having  lived  in  Norwich  prior 
to  his  moving  to  New  York.  The  direction  of  the  details 
of  the  very  extensive  business  of  Lee,  Tweedy  &  Co  de- 
volves largely  upon  Mr.  Tweedy.  The  house  of  Lee, 
Tweedy  &  Co.,  located  for  some  time  prior  to  1876  at  No. 
476  Broadway,  was  removed  in  1880  to  the  spacious  premises 
No.  261  and  267  Canal  Street,  and  21  and  23  Howard  Street. 

The  business  of  the  concern  is  a  general  jobbing 
trade  in  drygoods,  and  its  stock  usually  consists  of  Domestic 
and  Foreign  Dress  Goods,  silks,  linens,  hosiery.  Large  and 
liberal  buyers,  great  resources,  and  expert  knowledge  en- 
able Lee,  Tweedy  &  Co.  to  enter  into  very  extensive  trans- 
actions. Previous  to  the  formation  of  his  present  partner- 
ship Mr.  Lee  did  business  at  different  premises,  and  the 
changes  in  the  location  of  the  establishment  illustrate  the 
currents  of  the  drygoods  trade.  Lee  &  Case  were  first  at 
No.  177  Pearl  Street,  and  from  1847  to  1850  they  occupied 
the  premises  129  Pearl  Street  and  82  Beaver  Street.  When 
the  drygoods  trade  began  to  desert  Pearl  Street  in  1850, 
they  went  to  the  store  at  No.  68  Broadway,  with  a  rear 
entrance  on  New  Street.  Four  years  later,  following  the 
current  of  business  northward,  they  moved  to  33  Chambers 
Street  and  9  Reade  Street,  about  the  time  of  the  formation 
of  the  firm  of  Lee,  Case  &  Co  ,  with  Justin  A.  Bliss,  George 
D.  Pitkin  and  O.  P.  Dorman  as  new  partners.  The  concern 
was  among  the  first  of  the  jobbing  houses  to  import  goods 
for  their  own  trade,  a  branch  of  business  in  which  Mr.  Lee 
and  his  associates  met  with  great  success.  Fiom  1857  the 
concern  was  for  several  years  located  at  314  and  316  Broad- 
way. During  war  times  the  firm's  style  was  Lee,  Bliss  &  Co., 
the  partners  being  William  H.  Lee,  Justin  A.  Bliss,  and 
John  A.  Tweedy.  The  years  of  the  war  added  largely  to 
the  capital  which  the  house  had  already  accumulated,  and 
the  accretion  was  due  to  the  excellent  judgment  and  fore- 
sight with  which  advantage  was  taken  of  the  opportunities 
of  excited  and  varying  markets.  In  1869,  shortly  before  the 
retirement  of  Mr.  Bliss,  the  firm  removed  to  Nos.  30  and  32 
Howard  Street,  and,  on  Mr.  Bliss's  withdrawal  in  1870, 
there  was  formed  the  present  co-partnership  which  has 
never  since  been  changed.  During  his  Metropolitan  resi- 
dence of  over  half  a  century  Mr.  Lee  has  always  been  noted 
for  his  public  spirited  participation  in  patriotic  movements 
and  in  projects  for  local  improvement,  while  distinguished 
among  the  city's  "  merchant  princes  "  for  devotion  to 
historical  studies,  especially  in  connection  with  the  revolu- 
tionary and  colonial  history  of  his  native  State.  The  paper 
contributed  by  him  to  the  Connecticut  Historical  Society  on 
the  career  of  General  Paterson  of  revolutionary  fame  is  one 
of  the  most  highly  prized  historical  documents  of  the  Society. 

Mr.  Lee's  views  on  municipal  questions  have  fre- 
quently been  expressed  through  the  city  press,  sometimes 
over  his  own  signature.  Not  long  ago  he  advocated  with 
terseness  and  ability  the  plan  of  municipal  consolidation 
recommended  by  Green  &:  Stranahan,  on  the  ground  among 
others  that  it  would  remove  the  jealousy  that  is  a  formidable 
obstacle  to  the  advancement  of  Metropolitan  interests.  In 
the  same  communication  Mr.  Lee  favored  the  effective 
opening  of  the  Harlem  and  consequent  increase  of  wharf 
and  dock  privileges,  the  location  of  the  terminus  of  rapid 
transit  lines  near  the  City  Hall,  the  removal  of  the  Post 
Office  and  Courts  to  points  north  of  Fourteenth  Street  so 


as  to  prevent  downtown  congestion,  multiplied  connections 
between  New  York  and  New  Jersey  by  bridge  and  tunnel 
and  Brooklyn,  and  other  important  changes  calculated  "  to 
make  New  York  become  the  city  of  the  future  on  this  con- 
tinent." There  is  not  among  the  businessmen  in  New  York 
any  one  who  has  better  right  than  Mr.  William  H.  Lee  to 
regard  with  satisfaction  his  career  as  a  Metropolitan  mer- 
chant ;  nor  is  there  any  to  whose  record  as  business  man, 
patriotic  citizen  and  promoter  of  charitable  and  literary 
enterprise  his  fellow  citizens  have  a  right  to  refer  with 
greater  pride. 


PELGRAM    &  MEYER. 

The  silk  manufacturing  establishment  of  Pelgram  & 
Meyer,  which  takes  rank  among  the  first  in  the  country, 
was  organized  in  1873  by  Charles  R.  Pelgram,  a  man  of 
marked  ability  and  great  force  of  character.  Mr.  Pelgram 
was  born  in  Germany,  where  he  was  educated  and 
received  his  business  training.  He  from  the  start  assumed 
the  direction  and  personal  supervision  of  the  manufacturing 
branch  of  business.  Mr.  Oscar  R.  Meyer  was  Mr. 
Pelgram's  partner  from  the  start,  and  his  father,  Mr.  Isaiah 
Meyer,  was  also  interested  in  the  business,  Oscar,  with 
remarkable  ability  for  so  young  a  man,  taking  charge  of  the 
finance  department  in  New  York.  He  retired  in  1881.  Mr. 
John  H.  Johnson  was  also  associated  with  them  from  the 
beginning,  and  had  direction  of  the  ribbon  department, 
which  he  managed  with  signal  success.  He  left  at  the  same 
time  as  Mr.  Oscar  Meyer  to  go  into  business  for  himself. 
In  1879,  Mr.  Pelgram  bought  the  plant  of  Homer  & 
Soleliac,  and  began  the  manufacture  of  dress  silks,  associat- 
ing with  him  at  the  same  time  Charles  F.  Homer,  of  that 
firm.  After  the  retirement  of  O.  R.  Meyer,  his  father, 
Isaiah,  became  general  partner,  and  upon  the  death  of  Mr. 
Pelgram.  he  purchased  his  interest  and  took  as  partners 
Messrs.  Hermann  and  Alfred  Schiffer,  but  died  shortly  after, 
leaving  behind  him  a  flourishing  and  continually  expanding 
business.  That  they  have  directed  the  affairs  of  this  great 
silk  concern  with  consummate  ability  ever  since  is  a  fact 
well  known  in  t  ommercial  and  financial  circles  throughout 
the  country.  Pelgram  &  Meyer  began  the  manufacture  of 
ribbons  in  the  old  Industry  Mill,"  on  Ward  Street, 
Paterson,  N.  J.,  but  the  business  growing  they  purchased 
the  Heathcote  Mill,"  two  years  later.  The  volume  of 
trade  still  continuing  to  expand,  they  made  additions  to  this 
mill  on  seven  different  occasions,  until  1880  they  were 
compelled  to  purchase  a  large  frame  mill  in  Boonton,  N.  J., 
sixteen  miles  from  Paterson,  which  they  had  fitted  up  and 
fully  equipped  with  throwing  machinery.  The  year 
following  they  built  a  new  brick  mill  in  that  place.  But  the 
time  came  (1885)  or  when  the  business  had  assumed  such 
proportions  that  Pelgram  &  Meyer  had  to  go  to  Harrisburg, 
Pa.,  where  they  purchased  a  large  brick  structure  used 
originally  as  a  cotton  mill.  This  establishment  is  now  in 
charge  of  Charles  Soleliac.  The  firm  import  all  their  raw 
material  from  European  and  Asiatic  markets;  it  is  turned 
into  the  fabric  for  which  they  are  celebrated,  in  their  various 
mills,  and  sold  direct  to  the  trade  from  their  warehouse  on 
Greene  Street,,  this  city.  Their  production  covers  almost 
every- variety  of  silk  goods,  from  the  plain  lining  silk  to  the 
richest  brocade  and  satin  for  dresses,  and  all  varieties  of 
I)lain  and  fancy  trimming  and  hat  ribbons.  Their  designs 
are  considered  very  beautiful,  and  they  certainly  spare  no 
expense  in  procuring  them.  In  fine,  the  house  is  what  is 
claimed  for  it,  one  of  the  leading  houses  in  the  country. 
Their  record  illustrates  as  forcibly  as  that  of  any  other 
firm,  what  may  be  accomplished  by  diligent  attention  to 
business,  a  uniform  course  of  fair  and  equitable  dealing, 
and  the  production  of  a  class  of  goods  superior  to  most  that 
are  found  in  the  market,  and  inferior  to  none. 


34 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


ELIE  MONEUSE. 
IMKKRE  Hl'OT. 


L.  V.  Dl' PARQUET. 
E.  J.  MONEVSE. 


JV/iiy    YORK,  UIE  METKOPOLJS. 


35 


DUPARQUET,  HUOT  &  MONEUSE 

The  founding  of  a  great  branch  of  industry  and  bringing 
it  to  a  flourishing  condition  is  really  part  of  a  cit)'s  history, 
for  what  is  a  city  like  New  York  but  an  aggregatic  n  of 
commercial  and  manufacturing  interests?  Hence  it  is  not 
necessary  in  this  historical  work  to  offer  an  excuse  for  in- 
troducing a  sketch  of  such  a  leading  concern  as  that  of 
Duparquet,  Huot  &  Moneuse,  manufacturers  of  French 
Ranges  and  cooking  apparatus  of  every  description,  which 
was  founded  forty  years  ago  by  Mr.  Elie  Moneuse.  It 
was  originally  established  in  a  basement  on  West  Broad- 
way, but  was  compelled  by  an  ever  increasing  trade  to  move 
successively  to  No.  60  Greene  Street,  28  Greene  Street, 
30  and  32  Greene  Street,  and  finally  to  their  present  com- 
modious establishment  on  43  &  45  Wooster  Street,  with 
large  manufactory  at  21,  23  &  25  Bethune  Street.  When  Mr. 
Moneuse  first  began  business  he  was  glad  when  he  got  an 
opportunity  to  work  off  a  few  bundles  of  iron  a  month,  while 
his  successors  of  to-day  employ  upward  of  200  hands.  ]n 
1853  Mr.  Duparquet,  who  had  been  his  school  and  class 
mate  in  France,  arrived  in  this  country  and  went  into 
partnership  with  Mr.  Moneuse.  Their  business  at  the 
start  was  small,  not  one-fiftieth  part,  in  fact,  of  what  the  firm 
does  to-day,  but  through  economy,  perseverance  and,  need- 
less to  state,  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  trade,  they  so 
progressed  that  in  1873  they  were  the  largest  suppliers  of 
Hotel  kitchen  ranges  and  furnishings  in  the  United  States. 
They  imagined  at  this  period  that  their  plant  would  be 
sufficient  to  last  them  all  their  lives,  but  they  did  not  dream 
at  the  time  of  the  vast  proportions  which  the  business 
was  destined  to  attain.  The  partnership  was  dissolved  in 
this  year,  Mr.  Moneuse  opening  new  warerooms  and 
factory,  and  Mr.  Duparquet  keeping  the  old  stand  and 
taking  Mr.  Pierre  Huot  into  the  concern.  Then  a  rivalry 
ensued  for  supremacy  in  the  markets:  both  firms  advertised 
very  extensively  and  both  did  an  excellent  business.  In 
order  to  attain  to  such  supremacy  each  house  introduced 
the  most  improved  machinery  that  could  be  had  for  money. 
In  the  midst  of  their  competition,  and  it  may  be  added  of 
their  success,  Mr.  Duparquet  died  and  was  followed  in  a  few 
months  by  his  old  schoolmate,  who  notwithstanding  the 
apparent  clashing  of  interest  never  ceased  to  love  each 
other.  After  ihe  death  of  the  founders  their  successors, 
realizing  that  "in  union  there  is  strength,"  amalgamated 
the  firms,  the  result  being  the  present  great  corporation  of 
Duparquet,  Huot  &  Moneuse  Co..  now  the  largest  house 
in  its  line  in  the  United  States,  perfect  in  equipment,  con- 
trolling the  market  and  defying  competition,  and  thus  from 
a  business  beginning  with  the  consumption  of  a  few  bundles 
or  iron,  as  above  stated,  it  has  gone  on  upward  and  onward 
until  to-day  it  buys  its  metal  by  the  carloads  and  increased 
its  sales  from  $5,000  to  $500,000  per  annum.  The  ware- 
rooms  of  the  firm  are  located  at  43  &  45  Wooster  Street, 
and  its  workshops  at  21,  23  &  25  Bethune  Street.  It  has 
branches  at  46  to  50  Michigan  Avenue,  Chicago,  and  at  6 
Union  Street,  Boston,  and  a  stranger  can  always  learn  its 
home  address  by  inquiring  at  any  caravansary  in  the  United 
States  or  Canada.  Two  years  ago  while  in  competition 
with  the  foremost  manufacturers  in  their  line  in  the  world 
the  firm  of  Duparquet,  Huot  &  Moneuse  succeeded  in 
obtaining  the  outfit  for  the  American  Hotel  in  Sydney, 
Australia,  from  which  it  will  be  seen  that  the  rivalry  which 
contributed  so  much  to  advertising  its  goods  and  introducing 
such  perfect  machinery  was  productive  of  ultimate  benefit 
and  redounds  equally  to  the  two  firms  now  so  happily  con- 
solidated. The  cor])oration  conti  oiling  this  industry  is 
composed  of  Elie  J.  Moneuse,  President  ;  Pierre  Huot, 
Vice-President;  and  Mr.  Moneuse's  younger  brothers.  The 
elder  Mr.  Moneuse  it  was  who  introduced  into  New  York 
the  French  cooking  ajjparatus  now  to  be  found  in  every 


American  hotel  worth  mentioning  Until  a  cpiarter  of  a 
century  ago  the  firm  of  Moneuse  &  Duparquet  was  the  only 
one  in  this  country  engaged  in  that  particular  branch  ;  it  is 
now  the  largest  of  its  kind,  and  is  capable  of  furnishing  an 
outfit  at  a  week's  notice  to  any  hotel,  no  matter  how  pre- 
tentious. He,  Mr.  Moneuse,  came  to  this  country  penni- 
less, but  if  his  pocket  was  light  so  was  his  heart.  The  first 
French  range  he  ever  turned  out  was  for  no  less  a  person 
than  the  famous  chef  Lorenzo  Delmonico.  This  was  in 
1852,  and  it  was  in  the  year  following  he  entered  into 
partnership  with  Louis  F.  Duparquet,  who  is  entitled  to 
equal  credit  in  creating  the  business.  Elie  J.  Moneuse,  his 
son.  President  of  the  ])resent  corporation,  was  born  in  this 
city  on  October  23,  i860,  and  was  educated  in  the  public 
schools,  but  sent  to  the  College  Chaptel,  Paris,  for  a  finish. 
He  inherits  his  father's  esprit  and  inventive  talents  in  an 
eminent  degree,  and  in  theory  and  practice  is  master  of  the 
details  of  his  business.  Receiving  no  favors,  he  worked  in 
his  father's  shop  as  boy  and  man,  ran  errands,  swept  out  the 
store  and  climbed  to  each  grade  just  as  others  did.  Mr. 
Moneuse's  brothers,  also  born  in  New  York,  have  an  interest 
in  the  business,  and  contribute  to  its  prosperity;  also  Vice- 
President  Huot  is  a  gentleman  of  executive  ability,  who  has 
done  his  share  toward  the  prosperity  of  the  business.  In 
order  to  inform  the  public  of  the  nature  of  their  products 
the  firm  has  in  recent  years  issued  a  catalogue  of  articles, 
which  contains  upwards  of  1,000  illustrations  of  articles 
they  keep  in  stock,  which  include  everything  appertaining 
to  hotels,  restaurants,  public  institutions,  steamships  or 
private  families,  from  a  range  down  to  a  nutmeg  grater, 
such  as  is  used  in  the  Palace  Hotel  in  San  Francisco,  whose 
range  alone  supplied  by  this  house  cost  $2,000.  Among 
other  establishments  of  national  reputation  using  their 
ranges  are  the  Hotel  Netherlands,  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel, 
New  York  Cafe  Savarin,  the  Vanderbilts,  Goelets,  and  all  the 
Clubs  of  this  city,  the  Grand  Pacific,  Palmer's,  and  the 
Sherman  House,  Chicago,  and  in  fact  in  every  house  in  the 
country  rei)resenting  taste  and  opulence.  The  branches 
of  the  firm  in  Boston  and  Chicago  are  very  prosperous. 
This,  in  fine,  is  a  brief  sketch  of  what  is  essentially  a  great 
American  industry. 


ALVAH    HALL  &  CO. 

The  history  of  a  great  New  York  house  is  simply  the 
history  in  miniature  of  the  manufacturing  industries  of  the 
United  States.  If  a  concern  in  any  particular  line  is 
prospering,  it  may  be  taken  as  a  rule,  with  very  few 
exceptions,  that  the  country  is  also  prosyjerous.  And  the 
converse  holds  equally  good.  The  rise  of  the  house  of 
Alvah  Hall  &:  Co.,  one  of  the  greatest  umbrella  and  parasol 
manufacturers  in  America,  is  a  case  in  point.  It  was 
founded  in  1840  by  George  J.  Byrd  and  Alvah  Hall,  under 
the  firm  name  of  Byrd  tS:  Hall,  and  so  continued  until  the 
close  of  1868  with  unvarying  success.  At  the  end  of  that 
year  the  firm  dissolved,  Mr.  Black  was  taken  into  partner- 
ship, the  new  firm  assumed  the  title  of  Hall,  Black  &  Co., 
and  so  did  business  until  1873,  when  Mr.  Biack  retired  and 
the  name  was  changed  to  Alvah  Hall  &  Co.,  which  it 
retains  to  this  day.  Mr.  Albert  C.  Hall,  nephew  of  Alvah, 
represented  one  of  the  "  Co.,"  as  in  fact  he  did  when  the 
name  had  been  Hall,  Black  &  Co.,  and  though  he  is  now  its 
head  he  thinks  it  good  policy  to  retain  a  title  that  has  won 
high  reputation,  and  is  widely  known  all  over  the  American 
continent.  When  the  house  was  founded  in  1840,  it  was 
established  on  Cedar  Street,  was  then  moved  to  Broadway, 
near  Cedar,  next  to  12  and  14  'Warren,  in  1869  to  No. 
85  Walker  Street,  1875  to  359  Broadw-ay,  where  in  1882 
it  was  burned  out,  then  to  10  and  12  Thomas  Street, 
where  it  remained  until  1889,  when  it  removed  into  its 
present  commodious  cpiarters  at  the  corner  of  Franklin  and 


36  NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


Church  Streets.  Upon  Mr.  E.  D.  Bradford's  retirement  in 
1887,  Mr.  Hall  took  in  as  partner  Mr.  W.  N.  Stevenson,  and 
in  1890  Mr.  Edmund  J.  (Iodine,  who  comprise  the  present 
company.  Recijjrocity  if  developed  and  carried  out  on  the 
principle  laid  down  by  Mr.  Blaine  and  adoi)ted  by  the 
Republican  party  will  no  doubt  aid  the  operations  of  the 
firm,  while  as  matters  stand  protection  has  done  a  good  deal 
for  them.  Under  the  policy  of  Mr.  Albert  C.  Hall,  the  firm 
sells  to  large  jobbers  almost  exclusively.  They  manufacture, 
principally,  a  medium  class  of  goods  and  hence  their  sales 
are  very  large.  .A.s  regards  the  personnel  of  this  flourishing 
house  Mr.  Byrd  was  born  in  Ireland,  and  came  to  this 
country  when  a  very  young  man.  Albert  C  Hall,  present 
head  of  the  house,  was  born  in  Vermont,  in  1848,  and 
received  more  than  the  ordinary  school  education.  His  first 
start  in  business  was  in  the  woollen  trade  with  an  uncle  in 
Stamford,  Conn.,  with  whom  he  remained  from  the  age  of 
seventeen  to  nineteen,  when  he  came  to  New  York  and 
found  employment  with  his  Uncle  Alvah,  and  displayed  so 
much  business  sagacity  and  executive  ability  that  he  was 
taken  into  partnership  before  he  had  attained  his  majority. 
Mr.  Hall  resided  in  New  York  until  two  years  ago  (1890). 
He  purchased  the  country  seat  of  his  late  uncle,  "  VVoodburn 
Grange,"  Stamford,  in  18S5,  and  now  makes  it  his  home. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Union  League  and  Merchants'  Clubs, 
of  the  New  England  Society,  and  belongs  to  many  other 
institutions  of  a  similar  nature.  He  succeeded  his  uncle  as 
director  of  the  Ninth  National  Bank,  and  he  is  Vice- 
President  of  the  American  Steel  Frame  Company,  and 
President  of  the  great  consolidated  Umbrella  Company. 


MERCK  &  CO. 

This  House  is  best  characterized  by  describing  it  as  a 
central  point  of  collection  and  distribution  of  all  the  sub- 
stances embraced  by  the  Materia  Medica  ;  that  is,  they 
either  make,  or  import,  exjjort,  or  handle  nearly  every 
known  medicinal  substance  on  the  face  of  the  globe — no 
matter  how  far  from  us  its  place  of  growth,  production,  or 
destination  may  be  situated.  Their  published  list  (though 
incomplete),  comprising  over  4,000  drugs  and  preparations, 
covers  about  every  chemical  or  ])harmaceutical  substance 
employed  in  the  composition  of  medicines,  in  analytical 
chemistry,  in  bacteriological  and  physiological  researches, 
and  in  all  the  thousands  of  various  scientific  and  industrial 
processes.  As  very  many — in  fact,  the  large  majority  —  of 
all  the  potent  drugs  and  finer  chemicals  used  in  the 
medical  art,  are  the  products  of  distant  climes  and  other 
lands,  the  universal  character  of  the  house,  as  above  indi- 
cated, naturally  necessitates  their  connection  with  all  the 


ilKRC  K  lU  ILIiIXc;    WORLD'S  FAIR.  CHICAGO. 

centres  of  drug  and  chemical  jiroduttion  the  world  over. 
This  is  evident,  among  other  things,  by  their  having  the 
sole  right  of  sale,  in  the  United  States,  for  the  pharmaceu- 
tical products  of  many  of  the  leading  chemical  manufac- 
tories and  drug-depots  of  Europe:  E.  Merck,  Darmstadt; 
Kalle  Co.,  and  Lembach  &  Schleicher,  Biebrich  on  the 
Rhine  ;  The  Actien-Gesellschaft  fuer  Chemische  Industrie, 
Mannheim  ;  Cordes,  Hermanni  &  Co.,  and  Wm.  Pearson  & 
Co.,  Hamburg  ;  Knoll  &  Co.,  Ludwigshafen  on  the  Rhine  ; 
E.  Loeflund  &  Co.,  Stuttgart,  and  many  others.  Of  these 
above-named  firms,  assuredly  the  most  characteristic  is 
that  of  E.  Merck  in  Darmstadt.  This  Chemical  Manufac- 
tory is  remarkable  at  once  for  possessing  the  oldest,  the 
largest,  and  the  best-known  Chemical  Laboratory  in  exist- 
ence anywhere.  It  was  founded  in  1668 — two  and  a 
quarter  centuries  ago.  The  reader  may  feel  interested  to 
see  a  reproduction  of  a  bird's  eye  view  of  the  Merck  chem- 
ical works  at  Darmstadt — as  herewith  presented.  Merck 
•S:  Co.  have  long  ago  placed  the  famous  instructive 
Materia-Medica  compendium  known  as  "Merck's  Index"  in 
the  hands  of  every  druggist  in  the  United  States  and 
Canada.  They  also  publish,  once  every  month,  "  Merck's 
Market  Report  and  Pharmaceutical  Journal"  a  magazine 
giving  the  latest  actual  market  prices  of  every  substance  the 
druggist  feels  interested  in.  The  above  cut  rejiresents  the 
Merck  Building  specially  granted  by  the  World's  Fair  au- 
thorities to  Merck  &  Co.,  New  York,  for  the  purpose  of  a 
representative  and  com])rehensive  exhibit  of  Chemicals  and 
Drugs  for  medicinal  and  other  uses — Headtpiarters  for  the 
Medical  and  Pharmaceutical  Professions,  and  those  interested 
in  Chemical  Manufactures  and  the  Drug  trade. 


E.  MERCK. 

UAKMSTADT. 


MKRCK'S  LAHORA  1  OKll-S  ^  WdKK.s. 

I  OINUEI)  IN  THK  VKAR  l668 


MERCK  &  CO. 

NEW  VOKK. 


MANUFACTURING. 


38 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


HUGO  JAECKEL. 

Mr.  Hugo  Jaeckel,  the  well  known  New  York  furrier,  is 
one  of  the  gentlemen  whose  testimony  on  the  I5ehring 
Sea  difficulty  is  now  in  the  hands  of  Commissioner  Williams, 
and  will  in  due  time  be  submitted  to  the  International 
Board  of  Arbitration  by  the  American  Government  as  part 
of  their  case.  Being  a  merchant  who  deals  more  extensively 
in  Alaska  seals  than,  i)erhaps,  any  other  American,  his 
opinion  will  have  weight  with  the  distinguished  arbitrators, 
and  in  the  meantime  a  brief  sketch  of  Mr.  Jaeckel  himself 
may  be  of  interest.  He  was  born  in  Germany,  in  the  stormy 
year  of  1848,  of  Lutheran  Protestant  parents,  educated  in 
the  schools  of  his  native  city,  and  subsequently  spent  a  year 
at  College.  His  grandfather  was  a  distinguished  officer  in  the 
Saxon  Army,  who  fought  under  Napoleon  I.  in  the  Franco- 
Russian  war  of  1812.  Hugo  with  two  brothers,  one  elder 
and  one  younger  than  he,  and  two  sisters,  were  brought  to 
this  country  by  his  ])arents  in  1864.  Immediately  after 
their  arrival,  his  father,  Frederick  William  Jaeckel,  joined 
the  regular  army  of  the  United  States,  in  which  he  served 
three  years,  and  on  the  expiration  of  his  term  found  him- 
self broken  in  health  and  unable  to  support  his  family. 
Meanwhile,  Mr.  Hugo  Jaeckel's  elder  brother  died,  and 
thus  at  an  age  when  he  should  be  in  college,  the  respon- 
sibility of  supi)orting  the  family  was  thrown  "upon  his 
shoulders.  This  responsibility  he  assumed  without  flinching. 
He  learned  the  trade  of  furrier,  thoroughly,  practically  and 
intelligently,  and  in  1878,  determined  to  start  for  himself, 
he  associated  himself  with  William  Duncan  and  J.  Asch, 
and  with  them  laid  the  foundation  of  one  of  the  largest  fur 
houses  in  America.  Messrs.  Duncan  and  Asch  were  both 
excellent  business  men,  while  Mr.  Jaeckel  was  the  practical 
man.  Their  success  from  the  start  was  marvellous,  and  is 
fully  explained  by  the  fact  that  the  combination  was 
perfect;  one  was  the  com]jIcment  of  the  others.  Messrs. 
Duncan  and  Asch  died  subseciuently,  and  Mr.  Jaeckel,  who 
was  left  sole  proprietor,  conducted  the  business  with  such 
tact,  energy  and  splendid  management  that  it  has  grown 
steadily  under  his  hands  until  it  assumed  its  present  pro- 
portions. He  has  agents  in  London  and  Leipsic,  which  cities 
are  the  fur  centres  of  the  world,  and  visits  them  every  year  as 
well  as  Berlin  and  other  great  cities  with  the  view  of  seeing 
what  is  to  be  seen  and  extending  his  trade.  Apart  from  the 
wealth  his  trade  brings  him,  Mr.  Jaeckel  loves  it  for  its  own 
sake,  and  when  lately  asked  what  it  was  he  had  accom- 
plished he  took  most  i)ride  in,  he  replied  without  hesita- 
tion :  "My  present  business  standing."  Last  spring,  when 
certain  difficulties  arose  between  the  fur  manufacturers  and 
their  employes,  and  the  former  found  it  absolutely  necessary 
to  unite  for  their  own  protection,  Mr.  Jaeckel  was 
unanimously  chosen  as  their  leader  on  account  of  his  own 
well-known  energy  and  straightforward  mode  of  action. 
The  successful  result  proved  that  the  furriers'  confidence 
was  not  mis]ilaced,  and  the  trouble  led  u])  to  the  formation 
of  the  .\Linufacturing  Furriers'  Exchange  of  New  York,  with 
Mr.  Jaeckel  as  President.  This  cor|)oration  is  a  very  strong 
one,  and  has  for  its  object  not  only  the  protection  of 
employer  and  employed  against  unfair  demands,  extortion 
or  intimidation,  Init  also  the  settlement  of  disputes  among 
them  l)y  arbitration.  Mr.  Jaeckel  is  a  director  of  tlie 
Empire  State  Bank,  and  member  of  the  Liederkranz  Musical 
Society  and  of  the  West  Side  Association.  He  was  married 
in  1873  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Bernices,  of  this  city,  and  is  now 
the  father  of  five  Hne  looking,  sturdy  boys.  He  is  at  ])resent 
engaged  in  building  a  fine  residence  near  Manhattan  Bark. 
On  the  whole  he  has  obtained  a  i)roud  position  in  life  and 
high  character  as  the  result  of  integrity  in  I)usiness  and  un- 
remitting hard  work.  AVIiilc  Mr.  Jaeckel  does  not  feel 
himself  at  liberty  to  state  wliat  the  nature  of  the  evidence 
.he  has  sul)mittf(l  to  our  goxernment  is,  lie  will  converse 


freely  enough  in  a  general  way  on  a  subject  of  so  much 
interest  to  him  in  a  business  point  of  view.  Speaking  very 
cautiously  on  the  matter,  this  is  what  he  said  in  substance  : 
"  No  matter  how  the  final  negotiations  are  closed  or  who 
wins  in  the  game  of  arbitration,  one  thing  certain  is  that  *• 
under  the  jjresent  system  by  which  seals  may  be  slaughtered 
indiscriminately  the  industry  must  come  to  an  end,  and  it  is 
merely  a  question  of  a  few  years  when  there  shall  be  no 
more  rookeries  in  the  Pribylov  Islands,  if  poaching  is 
allowed  to  continue.  The  American  Government  is 
naturally  against  this  greedy  and  indiscriminate  killing  of 
seals.  The  company  which  holds  the  contract  for  legitimate 
catching  and  killing  of  seals  is  very  closely  restricted  as 
regards  the  number  of  animals  to  be  killed,  and  the  manner 
in  which  it  is  to  be  done.  They  never  kill  females,  and  of 
males  only  those  from  three  to  four  years  old.  No  such 
discrimination  is  made  by  the  poachers  who  shoot  or  spear 
the  seals  from  a  distance  in  the  open  sea,  and  it  has  been 
observed  by  Mr.  Jaeckel  ever  since  those  poached  seals 
were  brought  into  the  market  that  about  85  per  cent,  of 
them  were  females;  besides,  that  the  value  of  those  skins  is 
reduced  at  least  40  ])er  cent,  on  account  of  the  spear  and 
shot  holes.  A  very  striking  illustration  of  the  above  state- 
ment was  given  not  long  since  to  Commissioner  Williams  by 
Mr.  Jaeckel,  when  out  of  a  catch  of  ninety  seals  only  nine 
were  males.  The  Canadians  are  the  chief  sinners  in  this 
wholesale  slaughter,  while  Englishmen  are,  or  should  be,  as 
much  interested  in  the  preservation  of  the  seal  tribe  as  we 
are." 


F.  KROEBER  CO. 

Florence  Kroeber,  the  founder  of  the  F.  Kroeber  Clock 
Company,  was  born  in  Cologne,  Germany,  in  1840,  and  came 
to  New  York  when  6  years  of  age.  He  passed  through  the 
Tenth  Ward  Grammar  School,  and  at  the  age  of  15  started 
as  errand  boy  in  a  down-town  shipping  office,  at  a  salary  of 
$2.00  per  week.  At  about  that  time  his  parents  lived  on  a 
farm  (which  is  now  56th  Street  and  Second  Ave.).  No 
streets  then  had  been  opened  in  that  section  of  the  city — no 
Third  Avenue  Horse  Car  was  thought  of — the  only  rapid 
transit  then  in  existence  was  the  Bullshead  Stage  running 
down  to  the  "  Haymarket,"  which  was  an  open  space  south 
of  Peter  Cooper's  Institute.  Mr.  Kroeber  is  an  ardent  New 
Yorker  and  this  little  reminiscence  is  noted  here  to  i)rove 
that  our  city  also  has  grown  some.  When  he  entered  the 
clock  business  in  1858  the  number  of  designs  was  very 
limited — in  all  about  30.  and  when  a  traveller  went  on  the 
road  there  were  no  photos  for  him  ;  he  carried  Daguerreo- 
types instead.  No  catalogues  were  then  heard  of,  and  it 
was  in  1864  that  he  printed  the  first  Clock  Catalogue  ever 
published,  a  copy  of  which  he  still  holds  in  his  possession. 
With  the  growth  of  the  city,  so  grew  his  business.  Larger 
outlets  demanded  more  varied  assortment  and  improve- 
ment in  quality,  and  in  the  search  of  this,  numerous  jjatents 
(38)  were  taken  out,  some  of  which  having  since  expired  by 
limitation  are  now  being  universally  used  on  all  eight  day 
liendulum  clocks.  Some  ten  years  ago  his  business  was 
incorporated  under  the  laws  of  the  State  of  New  York,  and 
his  concern  pays  taxes  on  §100,000  paid  up  capital.  He  is 
assisted  in  his  arduous  labors  by  the  able  Si-cretary,  Mr. 
O.  Bartel,  and  by  his  lieutenant,  Mr.  H.  Stanf,  who  has 
charge  of  their  uptown  branch  at  Union  Scpiare.  Their 
business  extends  throughout  all  the  States  and  South 
America,  and  Mr.  Kroeber  believes  his  export  would  grow- 
considerably  if  raw  material  were  not  taxed  by  our  tariff 
laws  and  if  we  had  a  merchant  marine,  that  we  are  naturally 
entitled  to  by  our  position,  our  wealth  and  rank  among  the 
nations.  The  F.  Kroeber  Clock  Company  have  beautified 
more  homes  with  their  clocks  than  any  other  company  in 
America  and  tluy  have  the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


39 


ASCH  &  JAECKEL'S  FUR  ESTABLISHMENT. 


40 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


their  products  are  appreciated  by  all  the  jewellers  throvigh- 
out  the  country.  Mr.  Kroeber  is  in  the  prime  of  life,  and 
perhaps  many  in  the  next  generation  will  have  clocks  on 
their  mantels  labelled  "  Manufactured  by  the  Kroeber  Clock 
Co.''  Mr.  Kroeber  is  one  of  the  directors  of  the  German 
Legal  Aid  Society,  a  director  of  the  Jewellers'  Security 
Alliance  and  a  member  of  the  Arion  Society  since  1861. 


BOERICKE  &  TAFEL. 

There  is  nothing  more  surprising  than  the  spread  of  the 
homoeopathic  school  of  medicine  within  the  last  half  cen- 
tury. There  was  a  time,  and  that  within  the  memory  of 
many  now  living,  when  there  were  not  in  this  country  more 
than  fifty  followers  of  Dr.  Hahnemann,  while  at  this  jjresent 
time  they  are  to  be  numbered  by  the  thousand  in  this  State 
of  New  York  alone.  In  this  volume  of  "  New  York,  The 
Metropolis"  will  be  found  sketches  of  many  of  the 
leading  practitioners  of  this  city,  while  their  colleges, 
hospitals  and  dispensaries  are  to  be  found  all  over 
the  United  States.  The  spread  of  homoeopathy,  of 
course,  implies  the  manufacture  of  homoeopathic  drugs 
and  medicines,  and  at  once  suggests  the  name  of  the 
great  firm  of  Boericke  &:  Tafel,  the  oldest  homoeopathic 
pharmacy  in  the  United  States.  It  was  established 
in  1835,  developed  slowly  at  first,  but,  as  that  school  of 
medicine  began  to  triumph,  grew  with  extraordinary  rapidity, 
and  now  has  its  pharmacies  in  this  city,  its  laboratories  in 
Philadelphia,  and  branches  at  36  Madison  Street,  Chicago  ; 
627  Smithfield  Street,  Pittsburg  ;  170  West  Fourth  Street, 
Cincinnati,  and  228  North  Howard  Street,  Baltimore.  Their 
New  York  pharmacies  are  at  145  Grand  Street  and  No.  7 
West  42d  Street,  and  in  Philadelphia  at  loii  Arch  Street 
and  1409  Chestnut  Street.  Their  medicines  are  sold  in 
every  city,  town  and  village  of  this  country,  also  in  Europe 
and  European  colonies;  all  over  the  world,  in  fact.  The 
laboratories  in  Philadelphia  supply  all  their  branch  stores 
with  uniformly  made  preparations,  while  private  families 
are  indebted  to  them  for  the  publication  of  most  of  the 
homfEOi)athic  literature  which  has  done  so  much  for  the 
advancement  of  that  school  of  medicine.  In  1854  their 
publication  office  in  Philadelphia  was  burned  to  the  ground, 
but,  fortunately,  all  their  valuable  papers  were  saved  by  the 
energy  of  a  friend.  For  an  elaborate  display  of  homoeo- 
pathic preparations  in  Philadelphia,  in  1876,  they  received 
a  medal  and  dii)lonia.  In  1878  they  received  honorable 
mention  at  the  Paris  Exposition,  also  in  Chili,  and  they 
received  three  gold  medals  at  New  Orleans.  In  the  Quar- 
terly Jiulletin  for  November,  1885.  a  list  is  given  of  238 
druggists  in  different  parts  of  the  country  who  handle 
Boericke  &  Tafel's  physicians'  supjjlies  in  the  original 
])ackages  supplied  by  that  firm.  The  firm  of  Boeiicke  & 
Tafel,  first  founded  by  F.  Y,.  Boericke,  M.D.,and  Rudolph 
Tafel,  is  still  in  possession  of  their  descendants,  the  present 
representatives  of  which  are  A.  J.  Tafel,  F.  A.  Boericke  and 
A.  L.  Tafel. 


THE  ANGLO-SWISS  CONDENSED  MILK  COMPANY. 

Those  interested  in  learning  how  a  new  industry  maybe 
called  into  existence,  the  necessity  that  introduced  it,  how- 
it  has  developed  and  from  obscure  beginnings  grown  to 
large  proportions,  cannot  do  better  than  turn  for  illustration 
to  the  Anglo-Swiss  Condensed  Milk  Company,  founded  a 
quarter  of  a  century  ago,  in  a  very  modest  way,  but  which 
has  develoi>ed  to  such  an  extent  that  its  operations  to-day 
include  paid  up  capital  of  $3,000,000,  with  eight  factories 
and  sales  offices  in  London  and  New  York,  embracing  ten 
places  of  business  in  this  country  and  Euroj)e,  1,100 
workingmcn  in  its  eni|)l()y,  and  a  daily  ex])enditure  for 
labor  and  material  of  $20,000.    It  is  one  of  those  great 


industries,  too,  of  which  Americans  may  well  be  proud,  for 
though,  singularly  enough,  the  name  is  "  Anglo-Swiss,"  the 
original  idea  was  conceived  by  Americans  and  worked  out 
by  Americans.  Americans  are  to-day  in  control  of  an 
industry  which  is  one  of  the  chief  distributers  of  the  world's  *• 
food  supply,  and  the  managers  are  of  the  energetic,  enter- 
I)rising  Yankee  race,  which  successfully  competes  in  trade 
and  commerce  with  the  combined  and  trained  intellect  of 
Europe.  The  Company  was  organized  in  1866  by  the 
three  brothers,  George  H.,  Charles  A.  and  David  S.  Page, 
and  George  H.  is  its  largest  stockholder.  Charles  A.  Page 
was  at  the  time  of  its  inception  United  States  Consul  at 
Zurich,  Switzerland,  and  it  was  by  him  that  the  original 
idea  was  conceived.  All  three  were  bright  young  men  with 
observant  eyes,  and  they  saw  a  future  in  the  condensed  milk 
industry,  if  sufficient  capital  could  be  obtained.  This  now 
universally  popular  article  of  food  was  then  all  but  unknown 
in  Europe,  and  the  little  of  it  handled  came  through 
London  Ship-Chandlers.  The  Page  Brothers  soon  obtained 
the  necessary  capital  for  a  small  beginning,  a  large  part  of 
the  first  money  employed  being  supplied  by  P.  E.  Lock- 
wood,  of  New  York  City.  The  introduction  of  this  new 
product  into  Europe  was  found  full  of  difficulty,  as  may 
easily  be  supposed  when  it  is  remembered  that  it  was  an 
untried  article,  with  American  strangers  who  had  yet  to 
accpiire  the  confidence  of  Europeans.  It  was  first  su])plied 
to  Ship-chandlers  in  large  cities,  then  introduced  as  infant 
food,  and  ultimately  as  an  article  of  general  consumption. 
The  business  moved  slowly  at  first,  but  it  moved  surely,  and 
once  having  gained  ground  marched  steadily  forward.  It 
was  soon  found  necessary  to  build  a  second  factory.  It 
was  the  duty  on  condensed  milk  entering  the  German 
Zollverein  which  induced  the  Company  to  start  another  fac- 
tory at  Lindau,  Bavaria,  and  the  "  Wild  American  "  having 
arisen  in  European  favor  the  capital  was  increased  from 
time  to  time.  For  the  same  reason,  to  avoid  the  heavy 
English  duty,  a  factory  was  also  established  in  that  country, 
whereupon  active  comjjetition  arose.  Two  factories  started 
by  competitors,  one  in  Aylesbury  and  another  at  Middle- 
wich,  were  absorbed  and  enlarged  by  the  Company.  It 
was  on  account  of  the  American  duty  on  condensed  milk 
that  a  factory  was  established  in  1882  at  Middletown,  New 
York,  which  has  since  been  extended,  and  another  and  still 
larger  one  was  started  in  Dixon,  Illinois,  in  1888.  The 
Dixon  factory  has  three  acres  of  floor  room  and  is  by  far 
the  largest,  best  ecpiipped  and  most  expensive  establish- 
ment of  its  kind  in  the  world.  The  plant  at  Dixon  cost 
$450,000  and  the  combined  jilant  of  the  two  American  fac- 
tories cost  $750,000.  .\t  the  time  of  the  passage  of  the  last 
American  tariff  bill  Mr.  Page  pleaded  with  the  Committee 
on  Ways  and  Means  in  Congress  to  raise  the  duty  on  con- 
densed milk  to  three  cents  i)er  i)ound,  with  the  view  of  pre- 
serving to  Americans  the  American  market  for  this  product. 
And,  again,  while  the  Company  was  annually  importing 
from  20,000  to  25,000  boxes  of  tinplate  he  advocated  the 
doubling  of  the  duty  on  tinplate,  and  he  is  pointed  out  as 
the  only  importer  who  has  advocated  an  advance  of  duty  on 
an  article  he  was  himself  importing.  The  Company  oper- 
ates factories  in  the  United  States.  Switzerland,  Germany 
and  England,  and  has  offices  in  New  York  City  and 
London.  It  may  be  added  here  that  David  S.  Page  and 
William  H.  Page  have  been  closely  identified  with  the 
UKinagement  and  are  still  so  in  connection  with  their 
brother. 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


41 


42 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


THE  CENTURY  COMPANY. 

The  Century  Company  was  organized  in  1870  by 
Roswell  Smith,  Dr.  J.  G.  Holland  and  the  firm  of  Charles 
Scribner  &  Company,  under  the  name  of  "Scribner  &  Com- 
pany," which  Avas  changed  in  1881  to  the  Century  Company, 
at  the  time  that  the  name  of  the  magazine  "  Scribner's 
Monthly  "  was  changed  to  The  Century.  Dr.  J.  G.  Holland, 
who  was  the  first  editor  of  that  magazine,  was  a  j)hysician 
by  profession  and  a  literary  man  from  choice.  He  received 
his  newspaper  training  in  the  office  of  the  Springfield 
Republican,  so  ably  conducted  for  many  years  by  Samuel 
Bowles.  He  brought  his  newspaper  hal)its  and  method  to 
his  magazine  work,  and  made  a  live  publication.  It  was 
while  travelling  in  Europe  with  Mr.  Roswell  Smith  that  the 
enterprise  of  publishing  "  Scribner's  Monthly  "  had  its  birth. 
'I'he  influence  of  Roswell  Smith  was  the  dominant  one  in 
shaping  the  business  policy  of  the  company,  and  to  this 
policy  must  be  attributed  very  much  of  its  success. 
Possessed  of  undoubted  faith,  extraordinary  energy  'and 


New  York  Tribune  says  of  this  :  "  No  other  publication 
was  ever  undertaken  in  this  country  in  which  so  much 
capital  was  invested  before  any  profits  could  be  realized,  or 
even  future  success  could  be  assured.  Yet  the  publishers 
were  so  confident  of  the  result  that  they  were  willing  to 
e.\i)end  $500,000  before  offering  any  part  of  the  work  to  the 
public."  The  result  has  justified  the  publisher's  faith,  and 
"  The  Century  Dictionary  "  to-day  stands  at  the  head  of  all 
similar  works  on  two  continents.  Another  of  the  great 
successes  of  the  Century  Company  was  the  series  of  articles 
on  the  Civil  War  written  by  Union  and  Confederate  generals, 
first  printed  in  The  Century  Magazine  and  afterwards  in  a 
subscription  book  called  ''  Battles  and  Leaders  of  the  Civil 
War."  The  company  also  publishes  the  authorized  "  Life  of 
Abraham  T-incoln"  by  his  private  secretaries,  Messrs.  Nicolay 
and  Hay.  Upon  the  death  of  Dr.  Holland  in  1881,  he  was 
succeeded  in  the  editorial  chair  by  Mr.  Richard  Watson 
Gilder,  who'had  been  from  the  first  his  associate  editor,  and, 
before  that, "the  editor  of  Hours  at  Home,  and  a  newspaper 


liUSINESS  OFKICE  OF  T 

great  fertility  of  resource,  he  threw  himself  enthusiastically 
into  what  was  recognized  to  be  a  difficult  venture.  The 
magazine  was  a  success  from  the  first.  In  1883,  the  Com- 
pany began  the  publication  of  St.  Nicholas,  for  twenty  years 
past  the  leading  children's  magazine  of  the  world,  with 
Mrs.  Mary  Mapes  Dodge  as  editor.  In  quick  succession  Our 
Young  Folks  and  other  leading  juvenile  magazines  were 
merged  in  their  younger  rival.  In  1881,  Dr.  Holland, 
warned  by  failing  health,  sold  his  interest  to  Mr.  Smith  and 
to  some  of  the  younger  men  who  had  become  identified  with 
the  enterprise  in  both  the  editorial  and  business  dejjartments, 
and  at  the  same  time  Mr.  Smith  purchased  the  Scribner 
interest.  The  name,  "  Sc  ribner's  Monthly,"  wms  changed  to 
7 he  Century,  and  the  business  of  the  comjjany  gradually 
extended  in  the  line  of  special  book  jjublication,  which 
included  a  number  of  hymn  and  tune  books  (of  which  a 
million  copies  have  been  sold).  The  work  which  for  many 
years  mukt  be  the  crowning  achievement  of  the  Century 
Comjjany  is  "The  Century  Dictionary."     A  writer  of  the 


!•:  CKNITRV  tOMI'.-\NV. 

man  from  his  earliest  years.  Mr.  Gilder's  present  asso- 
ciates in  the  editorial  rooms  of  The  Century  are  Mr.  Robert 
l^nderwood  Johnson,  associate  editor,  who  as  well  as  Mr. 
Gilder  is  a  ])oet  of  considerable  rej)utation,  and  Mr. 
Clarence  C  Buel,  assistant  editor.  Messrs.  Johnson  and 
Buel,  in  addition  to  their  ordinary  duties  in  connection  with 
the  magazine,  were  the  special  editors  of  the  War  series  and 
the  War  Book.  Mrs.  Mary  Mapes  Dodge  is  supreme  over 
St.  Nicholas,  with  Mr.  W.  F.  Clarke  as  assistant  editor.  Mr. 
A.  W.  Drake,  who  has  been  connected  with  the  company 
from  its  inception,  is  superintendent  of  the  art  dei)artment, 
and  Mr.  W.  L.  Fraser  is  the  manager  of  that  department. 
Ui)on  the  death  of  Roswell  Smith,  in  Ai)ril,  1S92,  Mr.  Frank 
H.  Scott,  who  had  been  associated  with  Mr.  Smith  from  the 
organization  of  tlie  company  in  1870,  became  its  president. 
Mr.  Charles  F.  Chichester,  the  treasurer  of  the  company, 
and  Mr.  William  W.  Ellsworth,  the  secretary,  have  been 
associated  with  the  company  for  many  years,  and  active  in 
its  business  management. 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


43 


JAMES  C.  HOE'S  SONS. 

"James  C.  Hoe's  Sons"  is  the  present  style  of  the 
oldest  Carpenter  and  Building  firm  in  New  York.  Mr. 
William  Hoe  began  business  in  a  modest  way  at  No.  lo 
Liberty  Place  in  1822,  occupying  the  lower  part  of  the 
house  as  a  shop  and  residing  up-stairs.  In  1835  he  ad- 
mitted his  sons  William  and  James  C.  into  partnership, 
and  the  firm  became  William  Hoe  &  Sons.  His  third 
son  Alfred  C,  who  by  the  way  was  born  in  the  building, 
was  admitted  later  on,  and  in  1845  the  style  changed 
again  to  R.  and  J.  Hoe.  In  1849  the  name  changed  to 
James  C.  Hoe  tSz:  Co.,  in  1880  to  Alfred  C.  Hoe  &  Co., 
and  in  1887  to  "  James  C.  Hoe's  Sons."  During  all  those 
changes  the  upright  and  honorable  principles  which  dis- 
tinguished the  founder  in  his  transactions  were  strictly 
adhered  to  and  the  name  of  Hoe  has  become  proverbial 
for  reliable  work.  The  demands  made  upon  them  by 
architects,  owners  and  contractors  have  been  steadily 
increasing  every  year  and  they  have  erected  large  shops 
and  steam  factory  in  Gansevoort  Street,  and  established 
extensive  lumber  yards  in  Greenwich  Street,  but  have  held 
fast  to  the  original  location  in  Liberty  Place,  and  main- 
tained it  until  the  present  day  as  their  office  and  head- 
quarters. Mr.  William  A.  Hoe,  the  present  senior  of  the 
firm,  attends  to  the  building  interest,  and  Mr.  George  E, 
Hoe  manages  the  financial  affairs.  They  are  both  grand- 
sons of  the  founder  of  the  house,  were  both  brought  up 
at  the  carpenter's  bench  and  are  therefore  practical  super- 
visors of  their  immense  business.  Among  the  many 
buildings  completed  by  this  firm  maybe  mentioned  the  great 
Stewart  structure,  W.  and  J.  Sloan's  new  building,  Tiffany 
&  Go's,  houses,  the  "  Burlington  "  and  "  Grosvenor  "  flats, 
Niblo's  Garden,  Park  Avenue  Hotel,  "  Westminster"  flats, 
Manhattan  and  Merchants'  IJank  building  in  Wall  Street, 
May  Building,  Le  Boutillier's  store. 


PETER  TOSTEVIN'S  SONS. 

One  of  the  oldest  building  concerns  in  the  city  is  that  of 
Peter  Tostevin's  Sons  of  the -Bowery.  It  was  originallv 
founded  by  Gall  &:  Raybold  and  was  in  operation  when 
New  York  was  merely  an  infant  in  swaddling  clothes  but  of 
gigantic  promise.  In  1850  Mr.  Gall  retired,  and  Mr.  Tos- 
tevin  took  his  place,  the  new  firm  assuming  the  title  of  Ray- 
bold  &:  Tostevin.  Mr.  Tostevin  was  born  in  the  Island  of 
Guernsey  and  when  he  came  to  this  country  he  enjoyed  the 
distinction,  such  as  it  was,  of  being  the  only  Tostevin  in  the 
United  States.  The  few  Tostevins  in  the  country  at  pre- 
sent are  his  sons  or  their  relatives.  He  was  Inspector  of 
buildings  under  the  old  civic  regime  and  was  trustee  of 
the  Dry  Dock  Savings  Bank  in  his  time,  was  also  mem- 
ber of  the  volunteer  firemen  and  a  citizen  well  known  and 
esteemed  generally.  He  erected  a  great  many  buildings. 
In  1878  Henry  M.  Tostevin,  his  son,  was  admitted  to  partner- 
ship. Henry  M.  was  born  on  December  19,  1851,  was 
educated  in  the  public  schools  and  served  an  apprentice- 
ship to  the  trade  under  his  father.  Upon  the  death  of  the 
elder  Mr.  Tostevin  in  1880,  Mr.  Raybold  having  died  many 
years  before,  his  other  son,  Peter  L.  P.  Tostevin,  was  ad- 
mitted to  partnership  and  the  new  firm  became  favorably 
known  as  that  of  Peter  Tostevin's  Sons.  Their  business 
does  not  limit  them  to  any  particular  style  of  building 
and  they  erect  churches,  stores,  private  houses  and,  in  fact, 
everything  in  their  line.  Among  other  structures  they 
have  put  up  are  the  Third  Avenue  Railroad  Company's 
depot  on  129th  Street  and  Lexington  Avenue,  and  a  very 
solid,  commodious  and  creditable  work  it  is  ;  Henry  Ivins' 
building  on  L^niversity  Place,  Wm.  F.  Chrystie's,  (irand  and 
Elm  Streets,  southeast  corner;  Emanuel  Baptist  Church  on 
Suffolk  Street,  Olivet  Chapel  on  Second  Street,  S.  Golden- 


berg's  building  on  Waverley  Place,  The  Young  Men's  In- 
stitute on  the  Bowery  and  Haywood  Brothers'  on  Canal 
Street.  Peter  L.  P.  Tostevin,  the  younger  member  of  the 
firm,  was  born  in  this  city  on  November  27,  1855,  and  both 
are  members  of  the  Mechanics'  and  Traders'  Exchange. 


UNITED  SILK  MANUFACTURING  COMPANY. 

Among  the  many  important  industries  that  have  grown 
up  with  the  country,  and  have  thrived  and  increased  through 
the  advantages  offered  for  sale  in  the  great  markets  of  New 
York,  there  is  none  more  prosperous  than  that  of  siik 
manufacture.  The  silk  industries  of  the  country  have 
prospered  exceedingly  during  the  last  decade,  and,  thanks 
to  the  protecting  laws  passed  for  the  benefit  of  all  home 
productions,  the  silk  manufacturing  business  has  sprung 
into  active  life  and  grown  to  pro])ortions  of  commercial 
importance,  giving  employment  to  many  thousands  of  wage 
earners  and  substituting  home  productions  for  foreign 
manufactures.  The  manufacture  of  silk  originated  in  China, 
and,  according  to  native  records,  the  rearing  of  silkvvorms 
and  the  invention  of  the  loom  are  more  than  forty-five  cen- 
turies old.  An  empress  (2640  B.  C.)  is  credited  with  this 
invention. 

Voluminous  ancient  literature  testifies  not  only  to  the 
antiquity  but  also  to  the  importance  of  Chinese  silkworm 
culture,  and  to  the  care  and  attention  bestowed  on  it  by 
royal  and  noble  families.  The  Chinese  guarded  the  secrets 
of  their  valuable  art  with  vigilant  jealousy;  and  there  is  no 
doubt  that  many  centuries  passed  before  the  culture  spread 
beyond  the  country  of  its  origin. 

When  China  was  opened  to  foreign  trade,  the  manu- 
facture of  silk  was  established  in  France  and  other  parts 
of  Europe.  It  is  only  within  recent  years,  however, 
that  this  industry  has  made  any  notable  advance  in  the 
United  States.  Among  the  prominent  concerns  for  silk 
manufacture  is  the  United  Silk  Manufacturing  Company, 
of  Hagerstown,  Maryland,  which  has  salesrooms  and  offices 
in  New  York  under  the  able  management  of  John  B. 
Taylor.  Only  about  five  years  ago  this  enterprising  com- 
pany ventured  to  bear  the  standard  of  the  silk  industry  into 
the  New  South,  and  the  result  has  been  beyond  all  expecta- 
tion. Thanks  to  the  inestimable  benefit  of  a  ready  channel 
for  sale  in  the  Metropolis,  the  company  has  grown  and 
prospered  until  there  is  no  more  important  corporation  of 
its  class  in  the  South  and  no  better  managed  agency  than 
that  of  the  United  Silk  Manufacturing  Company.  Mr.  S. 
Milford  Schindel  is  President  and  manager,  and  Philip  A. 
Burgh -Secretary  and  Treasurer  of  the  comixmy. 


THE  ATLAS  LINE  OF  STEAMSHIPS. 

The  Atlas  line  of  steamships,  which  is  divided  into  three 
branches,  each  having  a  different  route,  is  keeping  well 
abreast  of  the  times,  and  as  a  feeder  to  New  York,  the  New 
World  Commercial  Metropolis,  is  fulfilling  al!  its  obligations, 
so  to  speak.  It  was  established  in  1870  to  run  between  this 
city  and  Jamaica  and  since  then  has  been  developed  into  its 
present  splendid  proportions  by  its  energetic  agents  Pirn, 
Forwood  &  Company.  The  entire  fleet  is  composed  of 
twelve  yjassenger  and  freight  steamers,  equipped  in  the  most 
thorough  manner  with  all  the  modern  improvements.  The 
largest  vessel  of  the  line,  the  "  .Adarendoe,"  is  a  new  boat 
with  a  tonnage  of  2,500  tons.  The  system  is  really  divided 
into  three  lines  or  branches,  one  plying  between  New  York 
and  Jamaica,  another  between  New  York  and  Hayti,  and  a 
third  between  New  York  and  the  Spanish  Main,  embracing 
the  United  States  of  Colombia,  Costa  Rica  and  Nicaragua, 
the  whole  involving  very  great  commercial  interests  of  which 
Pim,  f^orwood  &  Co.  are  in  charge.  The  Atlas  line  will  be 
enlarged  as  the  exegencies  of  commerce  recjuire. 


44 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


THE  NEW  YORK  HOMCEOPATHIC  MEDICAL  COLLEGE 
AND  HOSPITAL. 

The  New  York  Homoeopathic  Medical  College  was 
chartered  in  i860,  for  the  purpose  of  educating  medical 
students  in  homoeopathy,  and  also  in  all  branches  of  the 
■medical  and  surgical  art.  At  first,  it  leased  rooms  on  the 
corner  of  Twentieth  Street  and  Third  Avenue  ;  afterward 
when  the  New  York  Ojjhthalmic  Hospital  appointed  a  staff 
of  surgeons  practising  houKfopathy,  it  occupied  the  upper 
floors  of  their  new  building  erected  on  the  corner  of  Third 
Avenue  and  Twenty-third  Street  ;  later,  feeling  the  need  of 
more  space,  especially  for  hosjjital  facilities,  its  friends 
generously  came  to  its  assistance,  and  a  property  sufficiently 
large  was  purchased  on  Avenue  A,  extending  from  Sixty- 
third  to  Sixty-fourth  Street,  occupying  eleven  ordinary  city 
lots.  In  the  centre  of  this  property  a  commodious  and 
elegant  college  building  was  erected,  furnished  with  the 
most  approved  laboratories,  dissecting  rooms,  bacterio- 
logical room,  etc.,  etc.,  which  has  since  i)roved  to  be  one  of 
the  best  arranged,  and,  in  every  respect,  desirable  structures 
for  the  purposes  of  medical  education  in  the  city.  The 
Hon.  R.  P.  Flower  generously  donated  a  sufficient  sum  of 
money  to  erect  a  surgical  hospital,  known  as  the  Flower 
Hospital,  which  has  for  some  years  been  in  full  operation, 
and  in  the  amphitheatre  of  which  most  brilliant  surgery  is 
witnessed  by  crowds  of  students  from  all  parts  of  the  city. 
This  surgical  amphitheatre  of  the  Flower  Hospital  is  a 
model  of  its  kind.  Space  is  reserved  on  the  Sixty-fourth 
Street  front  for  the  erection  of  medical  and  lying-in  hospi- 
tals. All  of  these  hospitals  are  intended  to  be  utilized  tor 
the  instruction  of  students  and  practitioners  of  medicine 
and  surgery.  All  beds  are  free,  and,  with  the  exception  of 
some  which  are  endowed,  are  supported  mainly  by  the  able 
assistance  of  the  Women's  Guild,  which  has  proved  a  most 
invaluable  adjunct  to  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  this  Insti- 
tution. The  first  Board  of  Trustees  comprised  some  of  the 
most  prominent  men  of  the  City,  and  was  presided  over  for 
many  years  by  the  late  \Vm.  Cullen  Bryant,  poet,  and  editor 
of  the  Evening  Post.  After  his  death,  the  position  was 
filled  by  the  Hon.  Salem  H.  Wales,  whose  most  valuable 
services  to  the  College  will  ever  be  appreciated  by  its 
friends.  Upon  his  retirement,  a  few  years  since,  on  ac- 
count of  ill  health,  the  Hon.  Rufus  B.  Cowing,  Judge, 
succeeded  to  the  ])csition,  and  still  fills  the  chair  with 
ability  and  grace.  The  first  Faculty  comjjrised  the  fol- 
lowing physicians:  Jacob  Beakley,  surgery;  Isaac  M. 
Ward,  obstetrics;  Wm.  K.  I'ayne,  practice;  F.  W.  Hunt, 
clinical  medicine;  Mathew  Semple,  chemistry;  S.  R.  Kirhy, 
materia  medica  ;  John  de  la  Montagnie,  anatomy  ;  W.  \S . 
Rodman,  physiology.  It  was  largely  through  the  efforts  of 
Dr.  Jacob  Beakley  that  the  charter  was  obtained  and  the 
College  established.  Me  became  the  first  dean  of  the 
College,  and  held  that  jiosition  for  ten  years,  when  he  was 
succeeded  by  the  late  I)r.  Carroll  Dunham,  who  was  suc- 
ceeded in  1873  by  the  late  J.  W.  Dowling,  M.D.,  and  who, 
in  turn,  was  succeeded  in  1882  by  the  i)resent  dean.  This 
institution  has  for  many  years  maintained  the  highest 
standiird  of  medical  education.  It  was  the  first  in  this 
city  to  establish  a  graded  course  of  medical  instruction  on 
the  university  plan,  extending  over  a  period  of  three  years. 
This  was  made  necessary  by  the  fact  that  not  only  did  the 
Faculty  feel  com|)elled  to  educate  its  students  in  every 
branch  of  medical  science  generally  taught  in  medical 
colleges,  but  in  addition  thoroughly  to  inculcate  the  prin- 
ciples and  jjractice  of  homoeopathic  therapeutics,  which  is 
really  supi)lementary  to  a  thorough  medical  education.  As 
a  consecjuence  of  this  advanced  position,  and  of  the 
thorough  training  of  its  students,  the  graduates  of  this 
College,  have  everywhere  attained  an  enviable  reputation, 
and  have  reffected  credit  upon  their  Alma  Mater.    It  was 


formerly  the  opjjrobrium  of  the  homoeopathic  school,  when 
young,  that  it  had  no  surgeons  nor  specialists.  The  intoler- 
ance of  the  allopathic  school  has  had  the  effect  of  coni- 
l)elling  the  homoeopathic  school  to  rely  upon  its  own 
resources,  and  in  consequence  there  is  to-day  no  more  bril-» 
liant  or  original  surgery  to  be  found  than  within  this  school 
of  medicine,  and  the  success  of  its  surgeons,  dei)ending  not 
only  upon  the  skilful  performance  of  the  operation,  but  on 
the  most  appropriate  treatment  subsequently,  has  rendered 
the  statistics  of  cures  in  the  surgical  hospital  unapjjroach- 
able  by  anything  that  has  ever  been  obtained  under  allo- 
pathic surgery.  Every  specialty  is  well  represented  by 
experts,  and  the  homoeo])athic  school  to-day  stands  inde- 
l)endent  of  the  rest  of  the  medical  profession,  with  its  own 
s[)ecialists  in  every  department,  thoroughly  educated  and 
equipped,  with  a  record  of  results  that  has  never  been 
ecjualled,  and  cannot  be  approached  except  under  homoeo- 
pathic treatment.  The  expenditures  and  generous  equip- 
ment of  the  College  and  Hospital  have  entailed  an 
indebtedness  of  a  large  amount,  so  that  the  Institution  is 
not  above  the  need  of  pecuniary  assistance  from  those  who 
believe  in  the  thorough  education  of  homoeopathic  phy- 
sicians and  surgeons.  Quite  recently  the  trustees  of  the 
estate  of  the  late  Wm.  B  Ogden  decided  to  appropriate  to 
this  institution  an  endowment  fund,  to  be  known  as  the 
"  Ogden  fund,"  it  being  a  portion  of  the  moneys  left  by  him 
for  educational  purposes,  the  major  part  of  which  has  been 
allotted  to  the  Chicago  University.  Board  of  Trustees: 
Hon.  Rufus  B.  Cowing,  President;  Giles  E.  Taintor,  Vice- 
President  ;  Hon.  Geo.  W.  Clarke,  Secretary  ;  Hon.  Roswell 
P.  Flower,  Treasurer  ;  Hon.  Rufus  B.  ('owing,  Richard  M. 
Hoe,  Hon.  Roswell  P.  Flower,  Hon.  Geo.  W.  Clarke,  Hon. 
Salem  H.  Wales,  T.  F.  Allen,  M.I).,  LL.D.  {Dain),  Hon. 
H.  N.  Twombly,  Hon.  E.  C.Benedict,  Hon.  Hiram  Calkins, 
Russell  C.  Roof,  Giles  E.  Taintor,  Geo.  W.  Ely,  J.  Frederic 
Kernochan,  W.  F.  Whitehouse,  Charles  B.  Fosdick,  Edmund 
Dwight,  C.  B.  Foote,  P.  de  P.  Ricketts,  E.M.,  Ph.  D.,  Lewis 
Hallock,  M.D.,  N.  A.  Mosman,  M.I).,  Wm.  Tod  Helmuth, 
M.D.,  LL.D ,  Hon.  Andrew  H.  Green,  F.  W.  Devoe. 
Faculty :  Materia  Medica  and  Therapeutics  :  T.  F. 
Allen,  M.A.,  M.D.,  LL.D.,  Professor  of  Materia  Medica 
and  Therapeutics,  and  Director  of  the  Laboratory 
of  Experimental  Pharmacology  ;  G.  G.  Shelton,  M.I)., 
Professor  of  Materia  Medica  and  Pharmaceutics.  Theory 
and  Practice  of  Medicine  :  St.  Clair  Smith,  M.D.,  Professor 
of  Theory  and  Practice  of  Medicine  ;  J.  M.  Schley,  M.D., 
Professor  of  Clinical  Medicine  ;  J.  W.  Dowling,  M.D., 
.Adjunct  Professor  Theory  and  Practice  of  Medicine,  and 
Lecturer  on  the  Princii)les  of  Physical  Diagnosis;  ALartin 
Deshere,  M.D.,  Professor  of  Paediatry  ;  Selden  H.  Talcott, 
M.D.,  Professor  of  Mental  Diseases;  J.  T.  O'Connor,  M.D., 
Professor  of  Nervous  Diseases;  George  M.  Dillow,  M.D., 
Professor  of  Diseases  of  the  Kidney  ;  J.  Oscoe  Chase, 
M.D.,  Clinical  Assistant  to  the  Chair  of  Prediatry.  Surgery: 
Wm.  Tod  Helmuth,  M.D.,  LL.D..  Professor  of  Surgery; 
Francis  E.  Doughty,  M.D,  Professor  of  Genito-Urinary 
Surgery;  Sidney  F.  Wilcox,  M.D.,  Professor  of  the  Prin- 
ciples of  Surgery  and  Lecturer  on  Orthopaedic  and  Rectal 
Surgery  ;  C.  W.  Cornell,  M  D.,  Lecturer  on  Fractures  and 
Dislocations;  Wm.  T.  Helmuth,  Jr.,  M.D.,  Lecturer  on 
Minor  Surgery  and  Clinical  Assistant  to  the  Chair  of  Sur- 
gery ;  E.  G.  Tuttle,  M.D.,  Demonstrator  of  Operative 
Surgery  (upon  the  cadaver);  J.  L.  Beyea.  M.D.,  Clinical 
Assistant  to  the  Chair  of  Genito-Urinary  Diseases.  Ob- 
stetrics: L.  L.  Danforth,  M.D.,  Professor  of  Obstetrics; 
J.  L.  Beyea,  M.D.,  Demonstrator  of  Midwifery;  F.  W. 
Hamlin,  M.D.,  Assistant  to  the  Chair  of  Obstetrics;  J.  T. 
Simonson,  M.D.,  .Assistant  Demonstrator  of  Obstetrics. 
Gvn;e(  ()l<)gy :  W.  O.  McDonald,  M.D.,  Professor  of  Gynje- 
co'logy  ;    C.  S.  Macy,   M.D.,  S.  H.  Smyth.  .M.D.,    E.  G. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


46 


NEiy  YORK,  THE  M E'l ROJ'OLI S. 


Tuttle,  M.D.,  Clinical  Assistants  to  the  Chair  of  Gynae- 
cology. Anatomy:  W.  \V.  Blackman,  M.l).,  Professor  of 
Anatomy;  H.  B.  Minton,  M.D.,  Lecturer  on  Anatomy; 
Wm.  Francis  Honan,  Demonstrator  of  Anatomy.  Physio- 
logy :  Charles  McDowell,  M.D.,  Professor  of  Physiology  ; 
Geo.  W.  Roberts,  M.D.,  Assistant  to  the  Chair  of  Physio- 
logy. Chemistry  :  L.  H.  Friedburg,  Ph.D.,  Professor  of 
Chemistry  and  Toxicology  ;  E.  H.  Porter,  M.D.,  Professor 
of  Medical  Chemistry,  and  Demonstrator  of  Urinary  Sedi- 
ments ;  Wm.  S.  Pearsall,  M.D.,  Laboratory  Instructor. 
Hygiene  and  Sanitary  Science  :  Malcolm  Leal,  M.D., 
Professor  of  Hygiene  and  Sanitary  Science.  Histology  ; 
Henry  S.  Hathaway,  M.D.,  Lecturer  on  Histology  and 
Microscopy.  Pathology;  W.  Storm  White,  M.D.,  Professor 
of  General  Paihology  and  Morbid  Anatomy,  and  Demon- 
strator of  Urinary  Sediments.  Medical  Jurisprudence  :  R. 
H.  Lyon,  Esq.,  Professor  of  Medical  Jurisprudence.  Der- 
matology :  P.  E.  Arcularius,  M.D.,  Professor  of  Dermato- 
logy. Ophthalmology:  Frank  H.  Boynton,  M.D.,  Professor 
of  Ophthalmology  :  George  W.  McDowell,  M.D.,  Clinical 
Assistant  to  the  Chair  of  Ophthalmology.  Otology  :  Henry 
C.  Houghton,  M.  D.,  Professor  of  Otology.  Laryngology 
and  Rhinology:  Clarence  E.  Beebe,  M.A.,  M.D.,  Professor 
of  Laryngology  and  Rhinology.  Bacteriology  ((^])tional): 
iMnanuel  Baruch,  M.I).,  Ph.D  ,  Univ.  of  Wiirtemberg, 
Professor  of  Bacteriology. 


N.  Y.  MEDICAL  COLLEGE  &  HOSPITAL  FOR  WOMEN. 

'i'lie  New  York  Medical  College  and  Hosjjital  for 
Women,  founded  by  Dr.  Clemence  Sophia  Lozier  in  1863, 
was  uni(]ue  of  its  kind.  It  is  the  only  hos])itaI  in  the  world 
founded  by  women  for  women,  and  governed  by  women. 
A  medical  college  in  Geneva,  N.  Y.,  had  before  this 
admitted  two  women  as  students,  but  such  pressure  was 
brought  to  bear  against  the  unpopular  movement  that  the 
College  declined  to  receive  others.  An  Eclectic  College  in 
Syracuse  had  also  admitted  women,  and  from  this  college 
Dr.  Lozier  graduated.  After  graduation,  her  practice  in 
New  York  assumed  large  proportions,  and  in  a  si)irit  of 
pure  philanthropy  she  began  giving  lectures  to  women  in 
her  own  parlors.  From  these  lectures  the  idea  of  a  college 
for  women  was  developed,  and  it  was  mainly  through  Dr. 
Lozier's  exertions  that  the  legislature  granted  a  charter  for 
the  college  in  1863.  It  was  opened  at  724  Broadway,  with 
a  class  of  seven,  and  a  faculty  of  eight  instructors,  four 
women  and  four  men.  Dr.  Lozier  herself  being  President 
of  the  college  and  Professor  of  Diseases  of  Women  and 
Children.  The  names  of  twenty-nine  women  appear  upon  the 
charter  and  they  were  constituted  a  Board  of  Trustees. 
The  second  year,  eighteen  students  were  enrolled  and  one 
was  graduated,  while  the  third  year's  records  show  fourteen 
graduated  with  the  degree  of  M.D.  In  January,  1868,  a 
brownstone  house  on  12th  Street  and  Second  Avenue 
was  purchased,  and  used  as  a  hospital,  its  friends  looking 
ujmn  it  as  a  permanent  institution;  but  as  years  rolled  on 
and  the  idea  of  a  woman's  hospital  with  woman  doctors 
became  more  po])ular,  classes  grew  larger;  so  did  the  number 
of  patients;  it  was  found  that  more  commodious  iiuarters 
would  be  recjuired,  and  a  projjerty  was  ])urchased  at  the 
corner  of  Lexington  Avenue  and  Twenty-seventh  Street. 
The  institution  suffered  considerably  from  the  financial 
depression  in  the  late  seventies,  and  in  1880  the  hospital 
was  removed  to  its  present  location  on  Fifty-fourth  Street, 
between  Broadway  and  Seventh  Avenue.  In  the  same  year 
woman  physicians  were  elected  to  the  chairs  of  Anatomy, 
i'hysiology,  Pa;dology,  Gynaecology,  Materia  Medica  and 
Obstetrics,  and  lately  to  the  chair  of  Chemistry.  Since  then 
the  college  has  progressed  until  to-day  it  is  abreast  with  the 
oldest  and  best  in  the  land,  and  is  a  proof  if  one  were 


necessary  that  women,  as  physicians  at  least,  have  found 
their  proj'cr  sphere.  The  hospital  is  supported  entirely  by 
voluntary  contributions,  and  it  is  satisfactory  to  know  that 
the  prejudices  against  it  are  fading  away.  It  is  hoped  that 
the  time  is  coming  when  it  will  receive  munificent  bequests* 
as  do  other  hospitals  and  colleges  which  accomplish  far  less 
good.  Phoebe  J.  B.  Wait,  M.D.,  is  dean  of  the  faculty  and 
Professor  of  Obstetrics,  and  among  the  other  lady  professors 
are  Loui.se  Gerrard,  M.D.  ;  M.  Belle  Brown,  M.  D.  ;  Juliet 
P.  Van  Evera,  M.D.  ;  Louise  Ziegelmier  Buckholz,  M.D.  ; 
Euphemia  J.  Meyers  Sturtevant,  M.D.  ;  >KTrv  E.  Grady, 
M.D.  ;  Helen  Cox  O'Connor,  M.D.  ;  Rita  Dunlevy,  M.D.  ; 
Marea  H.  Brookhans,  M.D.,  and  Louise  Lannin,  M.D. 


VAN  NORMAN  INSTITUTE. 

One  of  the  jjrincipal  educational  establishments  in  Ntw 
York  City  is  the  Van  Norman  Institute,  on  Seventy  first 
Street  and  West  End  Avenue,  conducted  by  Madame  Van 
Norman,  widow  of  its  foundrr,  the  Reverend  Daniel  C-  Van 
Norman,  D.D.,  LL.D.  Mr.  Van  Norman  was  born  in  Hamil- 
ton, Ontario,  in  181 7,  and  was  educated  in  Hamilton  College, 
and  subsequently  in  the  Wesleyan  University,  from  which  he 
was  graduated  in  1838.  From  1839  to  1845  he  was  ]irofessor 
of  classics  and  physics  in  Victoria  College,  Canada,  and 
subse(|uently  founded  the  Burlington ,  Ladies'  School  in 
Hamilton.  He  took  the  chair  of  Principal  in  Rutgers 
Female  College,  this  city,  in  1851,  but  withdrew  from  that 
institution  in  1857  to  found  the  Van  Norman  Institute 
for  ladies.  In  1862,  his  Alma  Mater,  the  Wesleyan 
University,  conferred  upon  him  the  degree  of  LL.D.  ;  an 
energetic  mend)er  of  fraternity  of  A.  J.  P.  In  con- 
junction with  Louis  Pujal  he  wrote  a  complete  French 
Class  Book,  and  was  for  years  Recording  Secretary  of 
the  American  and  Foreign  Christian  Union.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Society  of  Science  and  Art.  He  preached 
over  4,000  sermons  in  his  time,  although  never  holding  a 
regular  jjastorate.  He  was  also  an  Elder  in  the  Central 
Presbyterian  Church,  one  of  the  founders  of  the  American 
Chajjel  in  Paris,  and  in  politics  was  a  Republican.  He 
died  in  1886,  leaving  a  wife,  Madame  Van  Norman,  a  son 
and  a  daughter.  Mr.  Van  Norman  was  known  throughout 
the  country  in  educational  circles  as  a  successful  organizer, 
and  his  death  was  much  regretted.  The  school  furnishes  a 
perfect  education  for  young  ladies,  and  employs  professors 
who  attend  to  every  branch.  Nor  are  the  moral  and 
physical  training  of  the  students  neglected  under  Madame 
Van  Norman's  administration.  German  and  French  are 
taught  by  professors  who  are  to  the  manor  born,  and,  in  fine, 
it  is  the  model  college  par  txctile/n  e  for  young  ladies  who 
desire  a  good  education  and  the  comforts  of  an  elegant 
home. 


THE  BERKLEY  SCHOOL. 

The  Berkley  School,  founded  in  1880  by  John  S.  White, 
LL.D.,  was  named  in  honor  of  the  famous  (leorge  Berkley, 
Bishop  of  Cologne,  Ireland,  author  of  the  oft  quoted  line, 
"  Westward  the  course  of  Empire  takes  its  way."  It  was 
opened  in  the  autumn  of  1880  at  252  Madison  Avenue. 
The  number  of  pupils  was  sixty,  but  it  has  now  three  hun- 
dred. The  new  building,  which  occupies  Nos.  18,  20, 
22  and  24  West  Foity-fourth  Street,  is  a  model  one  and  was 
intended  by  the  architects,  both  in  the  interior  and  on  the 
exterior,  to  l)e  the  most  complete  and  the  best  equipped 
institution  in  America  It  is  absolutely  fireproof,  of  the 
Ionic  order  of  architecture,  and  is  so  constructed  as  to  be 
Hooded  with  light.  The  furniture,  the  upholstery,  every- 
thing is  perfect,  while  the  corps  of  princi|)als  and  assistants 
under  Mr.  White's  direction  are  all  s(  holars  of  remarkable 
ability.    The  laws  of  hygiene  are  strictly  observed,  the 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


47 


gymnasium  is  a  feature  of  the  establishment,  and  the  pupils 
belong  to  the  best  families  in  New  York.  An  interesting 
feature  of  the  new  school  is  the  decoration  of  the  great  hall 
and  the  adjacent  room  upon  the  first  floor  with  several 
stained  windows,  designed  by  Louis  Tiffany  in  memory  of 
students  who  died  while  members  of  the  school.  On  the 
ground  floor  of  the  building  are  the  armory  and  gymnasium 
on  the  first  floor,  the  library,  large  dining  room,  offices  and 
reception  rooms.  On  the  second  and  third  floor, are  the 
school  and  class  rooms,  and  the  upper  floor  contains  a 
studio  and  laboratory,  also  dormitories  for  twenty  students. 
The  athletic  grounds  of  the  school,  known  as  the 
"  Berkley  Oval,"  cover  ten  acres  with  thirty  tennis 
courts,  a  quarter  mile  running  track,  and  a  boat 
house,  which  has  sixty  boats,  on  the  Harlem  River. 

From  the  foregoing  it  will  be  seen  that  the  Berkley 
School  is  one  of  the  most  thoroughly  equipped  in 
its  line  in  the  world.  John  S.  White,  headmaster 
of  the  Berkley  School,  a  scholar  of  national  reputa 
tion,  was  born  in  Wrentham,  Mass.,  on  3d  of  January, 
1847,  of  Puritan  stock.  His  father,  the  Reverend 
John  S.  White,  a  descendant  on  both  sides  from  the 
earliest  settlers  of  the  colony  of  Massachusetts,  was 
a  well-known  Baptist  clergyman  and  able  preacher 
of  that  denomination,  and  his  mother — Anna 
Richardson  of  Medway,  Mass. — was  a  woman  of 
good  education  and  excellent  judgment.  Young 
White  graduated  from  the  Chapman  Grammar 
School  of  Boston  in  1861,  and  from  the  English 
High  School  of  the  same  city  in  1864.  In  the 
latter  part  of  this  year  he  enlistened  in  the  42d 
Regiment,  Massachusetts  Volunteer  Militia — hun- 
dred days  troops — with  whom  he  served  until 
mustered  out  in  December.  When  he  left  the 
army,  being  then  seventeen  years  of  age,  he  en- 
tered the  Boston  Latin  School,  and  in  June,  1866, 
was  admitted  to  Harvard  College.  His  college 
career  was  brilliant,  and  he  was  selected  by  the 
Faculty  to  deliver  the  Latin  Oration  of  Welcome 
to  Charles  W.  Eliot,  the  newly  elected  president, 
an  honor  awarded  only  to  the  first  classical  scholar 
of  the  college.  In  the  summer  of  1867  Francis 
Parkman,  the  historian,  having  become  nearly 
blind,  applied  to  Professor  Cutler  of  Cambridge 
for  an  assistant  from  among  the  best  classical 
students,  and  Mr.  White  was  selected.  Mr.  White 
was  a  linguist  and  he  rendered  the  historian  very 
great  service  in  correctly  translating  into  English 
three  manuscripts  written  in  the  singular  chiro- 
graphy  of  the  seventeenth  century  Jesuits.  In  this 
way  he  wrote  almost  the  whole  of  the  "Discovery 
of  the  Great  West,"  and  did  it  so  well  that  a  lasting 
friendship  was  cemented  between  him  and  the 
historian.  A  week  after  leaving  Harvard  he  was 
unanimously  elected  to  a  vacant  sub-mastership 
in  the  Boston  Latin  School,  and  after  three  months 
was  promoted  to  full  master.  He  resigned  in  1873 
and  travelled  in  Europe  for  a  rest,  as  well  as  to 
study  its  educational  systems,  and  in  1874  he 
opened  the  ^"  Brooks  Academy,"  a  classical  and 
English  school  for  boys,  in  Cleveland,  Ohio.  After 
six  years  of  successful  work  in  this  school  he  resigned 
in  order  to- found  Berkley  School.  In  1879  he  was 
made  Doctor  of  Laws  by  Trinity  College,  and  before  this, 
and  subsequently,  was  elected  fellow  of  many  foreign  socie- 
ties of  a  scientific  or  educational  character.  The  great 
success  of  his  life  is  the  Berkley  School.  On  February  28, 
187 1,  Mr.  White  married  Miss  H.  Georgie  Read.  His  eldest 
son,  Eliot  White,  was  in  1872  graduated  from  Harvard, 
Magna  cum  laude  honors. 


ECLECTIC  MEDICAL  COLLEGE. 

The  Eclectic  Medical  College  of  the  city  of  New  York 
was  incorporated  by  an  act  of  Legislature,  on  the  2 2d  day 
of  April,  1865.  It  is  authorized  to  hold  real  and  personal 
estate  to  the  amount  of  $300,000,  and  to  dispose  of  the  same, 
the  funds  and  property  to  be  employed  solely  for  the 
purpose  of  promoting  medical  science  and  instruction,  and 
the  establishment  of  a  hospital  and  dis]jensary  in  connection 
with  the  college.  The  Board  of  Trustees  are  empowered 
by  the  charter,  upon  the  recommendation  of  the  P'aculty  and 
Board  of  Censors,  to  grant  and  confer  the  degree  of  Doctor 


THE  BERKLEY  SCHOOL. 

of  Medicine  upon  students  of  the  college,  aged  twenty-one 
years,  having  pursued  the  study  of  medicine  for  four  years 
under  the  supervision  of  a  reputable  physician,  and 
attended  at  least  three  full  terms  of  instruction  in  an  in- 
corporated medical  institution,  the  last  of  which  terms  shall 
have  been  held  at  this  college.  The  degree  of  Doctor  of 
Medicine  conferred  by  this  college,  the  statute  declares, 
shall  entitle  the  person  receiving  it  to  all  the  rights  and 
privileges,  immunities  and  liabilities  of  physicians  as 
declared  by  the  laws  of  this  State.    The  corporation  thus 


48  NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


established  organized  in  the  autumn  of  1865,  making  choice 
of  the  following  officers  :  President,  U'illiam  1"".  Havemeyer; 
Vice-President,  William  C.  Stricklauch,  LL. D.  ;  Treasurer, 
William  Mollcr  ;  Recording  Secretary,  Alexander  Wilder, 
M.l).  ;  Corresponding  Secretary,  Henri  L.  Stuart.  The 
following  professors  were  also  elected  :  Wm.  Byrd  Powell, 
M.D.  Emeritus,  Cerebral  Pathology  ;  Robt.  S.  Newton, 
M.D.,  Operative  Surgery  and  Surgical  Diseases  ;  Edwin 
Freeman,  M.D.,  Descriptive  and  Surgical  Anatomy  ;  Paul 
W.  Allen,  M.D.,  Theory  and  Practice  of  Medicine;  Wm.  W. 
Hadley,  M.D.,  Materia  Medica  and  Therapeutics;  Thos.  D. 
Worrall,  M.D.,  Obstetrics  and  Disea.-^es  of  Women  and 
Children  ;  Ino  M.  Youatt,  M.D.,  Physiology  and  Pathology; 
I.  Milton  Sanders,  M.I).,  Chemistry,  Pharmacy  and  Toxi 
cology.  The  building  No.  223  East  Twenty-sixth  Street 
was  leased  and  a  course  of  lectures  begun  October,  1866, 
which  was  attended  by  a  class  of  forty  students.  The  first 
commencement  was  held  in  the  Cooper  Union  building,  on 
the  evening  of  February  25,  1867,  and  the  degrees  were 
conferred  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Corporation  upon  a  class 


three  women.     Horace  Greeley 


of  eleven,  eight  men  and 
delivered  the  address 
to  the  graduates.  The 
school  was  continued 
at  the  college  build- 
ing in  Twenty-sixth 
Street  until  the  year 
1875,  when  the  pre- 
mises No.  I  Living- 
ston Place  was  pur- 
chased for  college 
purposes  and  used  as 
such  until  1889.  In 
1884,  the  school  was 
reorganized  and  the 
following  officers 
elected  : 

Samuel  Sinclair, 
President;  Chauncey 
Shaffer,  Vice-Presi- 
dent ;  Thomas  N. 
Rooker,  Treasurer  ; 
F.  R.  Lee,  Secretary, 
and  George  W.  Bos- 
kowitz,  Dean.  The 
college  has  continued 
under  this  manage- 
ment until  the  present 
time.     In  1889,  the 

Board  of  Trustees  secured  the  building  No.  239  East  Four- 
teenth Street,  and  the  college  is  now  located  at  this  place. 
Under  this  management  the  school  has  made  steady  progress, 
raising  its  standard  both  as  to  the  admisson  for  students  and 
the  requirements  for  graduation.  Examinations  are  written, 
and  an  average  of  seventy-five  per  centum  is  necessary  to 
obtain  the  degree.  The  facilities  for  instruction  have  also 
been  materially  increased  duringtliis  time:  five  chemical  and 
jiathological  laboratories  have  been  added.  A  dispensary 
in  the  same  building  furnishes  ami)le  material,  and  the 
Woodstock  Hospital,  at  815  Union  Avenue,  is  in  charge 
of  the  faculty  of  tliis  institution.  The  college  building  at 
No.  239  East  Fourteenth  Street  is  of  brownstone,  twenty- 
seven  feet  wide,  eighty  feet  deep,  and  four  stories  in  height. 
In  the  basement  is  the  dispensary,  which  consists  of  waiting 
and  examining  rooms,  also  a  ])harmaceutical  room,  and  a 
room  devoted  to  the  treatment  of  patients  by  electricity. 
The  first  floor  is  devoted  to  the  .college  offices,  and  a 
special  ])ublic  lecture  room,  which  will  seat  two  hundred 
persons.  On  the  second  floor  is  the  library  and  reading 
room  of  the  college,  a  general  lecture  room  with  a  seating 


COLUiMBIA  IN.STITUTE. 


capacity  of  one  hundred  and  fifty,  also  a  coat  and  wash 
room.  On  the  third  floor  is  the  Amphitheatre,  large  and 
roomy,  which  will  accommodate  two  hundred  students. 
The  chemical  laboratory  is  also  on  this  floor.  On  the  top 
floor  are  the  dissecting  rooms,  separated  for  male  and 
female  students,  and  the  pathological  laboratory  and 
museum.  The  following  are  the  present  officers  :  Censors 
and  Faculty :  President,  Samuel  Sinclair,  Esq.  ;  Vice- 
President,  Hon.  Chauncey  Shaffer  ;  Treasurer.  Thomas  N. 
.Rooker,  Esq.  ;  Secretary,  Frederick  R.  Lee,  Esq.  ;  Dean  of 
the  Faculty,  George  W.  Boskowitz,  M.D.  Board  of  Censors: 
A.  W.  Forbush,  M.D.  ;  S.  Jagers  ;  I).  A.  Fox,  M.D.  ;  C. 
Larew,  M.D.  ;  A.  R.  Tiel,  M.D  Since  its  organization  it 
has  conferred  the  degree  of  M.D.  upon  seven  hundred  and 
fifteen  students. 

COLUMBIA  INSTITUTE. 

Among  the  educational  institutions  of  New  York  which 
are  a  mean  between  the  public  schools  and  the  colleges, 
Columbia  Institute,  beautifully  situated  at  the  corner  of 
West  72d  Street  and  West  End  Avenue,  deserves  honorable 

mention.  It  has  a 
field  of  its  own,  and 
utilizes  it  to  advan- 
tage. Its  raison  d  etre 
is  to  train  pujjils  phy- 
sically and  intellec- 
tually, and,  judging 
from  the  manner  in 
which  it  is  patronized, 
it  does  it  well. 

The  institute  is 
eighteen  years  old, 
and  has  thus  so  far 
l)rogressed  financially 
that  in  May  last  (1892) 
it  was  enabled  to  en- 
ter the  very  fine  build- 
ing which  during  the 
two  previous  years 
was  erected  for  the 
purpose  of  affording 
every  possible  conve- 
nience and  accom- 
modation to  the  one 
hundred  and  fifty  stu- 
dents who  now  receive 
their  education  with- 
in its  walls.  The  class- 
rooms are  handsomely  fitted  up  and  furnished,  and  the  laws 
of  hygiene  are  carefully  observed.  In  its  senior  departments 
it  is  a  model  school  of  training  for  the  leading  colleges,  and 
in  its  junior  divisions  is  equally  efficient  with  younger  boys 
in  the  earlier  elements  of  education.  The  Principal  of  this 
establishment  is  Dr.  Edwin  Fowler,  a  name  well  known  in 
educational  circles  in  this  city,  and  the  corps  of  instructors 
acting  under  him  re])resent  all  essential  branches  in  mental 
and  i)hysical  training.  Among  the  ])rofessors  and  teachers 
are  W.  J.  Lloyd,  M.A.,  Frank^  Smith,  M.A.,  N.  M.  Wilson, 
M.A.  (Yale),  E.  Scribner,  S.  Ottinger.  M.  .1.  Spaid,  B.  H. 
W'hitniorc,  Mrs.  E.  Fowler,  and  Misses  C.  \\  atters,  M.  Ehr- 
hari  and  J.  Wood.  Ca])tain  N.  B.  Thurston.  N.  G.  S.  N.  Y., 
is  in  military  command  of  the  students,  who,  under  his 
supervision,  form  a  battalion  of  cadets  in  six  companies, 
drilling  in  the  22d  Regiment  .Armory.  H.  Sargent  has 
charge  of  field  sports  and  athletics,  and  L.  Kline  is  teacher 
of  gymnastics.  Miss  Alice  Crawford  of  elocution,  vocal 
training  and  Delsarte  exercises,  and  C.  B.  Darst  of  wood 
carving.  It  is  needless  to  state  that  a  fine  i)layground  and 
a  well  a])p<)intc(l  gymnasium  are  part  of  such  an  institution. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


49 


The  latter  is  an  adjoining  building,  which  is  also  furnished 
with  an  armory,  a  bicycle  hall,  a  locker-room,  baths,  etc. 
A  limited  number  of  boarding  pupils  are  received,  and  the 
arrangements  for  them  are  on  a  liberal  and  generous  scale. 
Columbia  Institute  is,  in  fine,  the  thorough  educational 
establishment  it  professes  to  be. 


THE  HOTEL  SAVOY. 

The  Hotel  Savoy,  pronounced  by  tourists  to  be  the 
most  magnificent  hotel  in  America,  is  an  absolutely  fire- 
proof, steel  frame  structure  of  Indiana  limestone,  in  the 
Italian  Renaissance  style  of  architec- 
ture. It  is  eleven  stories  in  height, 
75  by  150  feet  in  ground  space,  with  a 
one  hundred  foot  extension  in  the  rear. 
It  is  situated  at  the  main  entrance  to 
Central  Park,  overlooking  the  great  Cen- 
tral Park  Plaza,  at  the  corner  of  Fifth 
Avenue  and  Fifty-ninth  Street,  on  the 
site  which  "Boss"  Tweed  in  his  palmy 
days  selected  for  his  Knickerbocker 
Hotel,  on  the  foundations  of  which  he 
had  expended  the  sum  of  $250,000  be- 
fore his  downfall  came.  The  Savoy  was 
built  by  Judge  P.  H.  Dugro,  and  opened 
to  the  public  June  i,  1892,  since  which 
day  the  patronage  of  the  house  has  been 
so  extensive  that  an  eleven  storied  addi- 
tirn  of  50  by  150  feet  is  now  being 
erected.  The  decorations  throughout 
the  house  are  so  elaborate  and  exten- 
sive as  to  preclude  an  attempt  to  de- 
scribe them  in  detail  here.  It  is  suffi- 
cient to  say  that  in  finish  the  public  and 
private  rooms,  are  of  as  high  and  artistic 
a  standard  as  those  of  any  hotel  in  the 
world.  The  drawing  rooms  are  decor- 
ated according  to  the  epochs  of  Louis 
XIV.,  XV.,  XVI.,  and  the  First  Empire. 

The  breakfast  room  is  early  English, 
and  the  corner  suite  on  the  parlor  floor 
is  an  exact  reproduction  of  Marie  Antoi- 
nette's Boudoir  in  the  Trianon  Palace  at 
Versailles.  In  style,  thebilliard  room  is 
Greek,  and  the  barber  shop  Pompeiian. 
The  lobby,  main  corridor  and  foyer  are 
finished  in  Numidian  marble  and  solid 
bronze,  and  contain  the  finest  scul|)tural 
effects  in  the  ceilings  of  any  hotel  in  the 
world.  The  elevator  enclosure  on  the 
lobby  floor  is  solid  bronze  and  of  elab- 
orate design.  The  table  d'hote  dining 
room  is  Greek  and  Renaissance  in  design, 
the  most  beautiful  room  of  its  kind  in 
America.  The  base  about  the  room  is 
of  Sienna  marble,  and  the  body  of  the 
wainscot  of  satinwood,  inlaid  with  mother 
of  pearl,  metal  and  white  holly.  The 
columns  are  of  Sienna  marble,  inlaid  with 
Killarney  green  and  white  marble,  with 
pilasters  of  rough  jasper.  Sculptural 
modelling  by  Karl  Bitter,  and  paintings 
on  the  ceiling  by  Virgilio,  Tojetti  & 
Maynard,  are  the  crowning  features  of 
the  room.  There  are  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  bathrooms 
in  the  house,  each  having  mosaic  floors  and  tiled  walls.  All 
the  plumbing  is  nickelplated  and  exposed  to  view.  The 
guest  chambers  are  luxuriantly  furnished  in  harmonious 
colors  and  designs,  and  the  entire  house  is  brilliantly  illu- 
minated by  electric  light  through  the  most  elaborate  and 


beautiful  fixtures  yet  produced  anywhere.  The  drinking 
water  is  absolutely  pure  by  reason  of  its  perfect  distillation 
and  refrigeration,  and  every  arrangement  is  made  to  insure 
perfect  ventilation  and  conduce  to  the  welfare  and  enjoy- 
ment of  its  patrons.  The  Princess  Eulalie  was  entertained 
at  this  house  during  her  sojourn  in  New  York,  and  enthu- 
siastically endorsed  the  general  opinion,  that  the  Savoy  was 
the  Model  Hotel  of  the  Columbian  Epoch.  The  bed 
chamber  occupied  by  her  was  elaborately  decorated  at 
exceedingly  great  cost.  All  the  walls  and  ceilings  had 
raised  model  work  upon  tliein,  i)laced  upon  an  enamelled 


HOTEL  SAVOY. 

wooden  base.  The  alcove  had  its  walls  finished  in  white 
satin,  which  cost  $20  a  yard.  The  bed  was  of  inlaid  satin 
wood,  with  a  pink  satin  canopy  and  pink  satin  and  lace 
coverlet.  Oft"  the  private  hall,  leading  to  her  parlor,  was 
the  magnificent  bathroom,  covered  with  enamelled  tile 
with  facing  of  Mexican  onyx. 


5° 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


JAMES  ORVILLE  BLOSS. 

James  Orville  Bloss,  son  of  James  Orville  Bloss  and 
Eliza  A.  Lockwood.  was  born  at  Rochester,  New  York,  Sep- 
tember 30,  1847.  He  obtained  his  education  at  the  i)ublic 
schools  of  Rochester,  entering  the  High  School  when  but 
twelve  years  of  age.  When  barely  eighteen  he  came  to 
New  York  and  secured  a  position  in  the  l)anking  and  com- 
mission house  of  Norton,  Slaughter  iS:  Co.,  at  40  Broad 
Street,  who  in  addition  to  banking  were  commission  mer- 
chants on  a  large  scale  in  cotton  and  tobacco.  After  an 
apprenticeship  of  more  than  si.x  years,  he  accepted  a  i)osition 
with  the  firm  of  Woodward  &  Slillman,  with  whom  he  re- 
mained until  September,  1X75,  when,  in  connection  with 
John  Chester  Inches,  he  embarked  in  business  for  himself, 
under  the  firm  name  of  Bloss  &  Inches.  In  1880  the  firm 
of  Bloss  &  Inches  was  dissolved,  and  in  September, 
1881,  he  became  a  partner  in  the  firm  of  Gwathmey  &  Bloss, 
which  relationship  was  maintained  until  1891,  in  September 
of  which  year  the  present  firm  of  J.  O.  Bloss  &  Co.  was  es- 


and  a  Director  of  the  Third  National  Bank,  besides  l)eing 
interested  in  numerous  manufacturing  enterprises.  His 
paternal  ancestor  was  Edmimd  Bloss,  who  came  to  America 
from  England  prior  to  1634,  and  was  one  of  the  original 
grantees  of  land  atWatertown,  Mass.  His  great-grandfather  ». 
and  grandfather  were  Revolutionary  soldiers,  the  latter  being 
jjresent  at  the  execution  of  Major  Andre. 


NEW  YORK  COTTON  EXCHANGE. 

A  very  important  factor  in  the  commerce  of  New  York 
is  the  Cotton  Exchange,  which  occupies  a  handsome  mod- 
ern edifice  at  the  corner  of  Beaver  and  William  Streets. 
The  Exchange  was  organized  August  15,  1870,  by  one  hun- 
dred charter  members,  and  it  was  incorporated  April  8, 
1871.  The  whole  management  of  the  Exchange  is  under 
the  direction  of  a  president,  vice-president,  treasurer,  and 
fifteen  members  who  constitute  a  Board  of  Management. 
The  ol)jects  of  the  Association  are  to  adjust  any  controver- 


JAMES   ORVILLE  BLOSS. 


tablished.  During  his  entire  business  career  in  New  York 
City  he  has  been  identified  with  the  cotton  interest,  l)eing 
first  elected  as  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the 
Cotton  Exchange  in  1886,  in  which  cai)acity,  with  the  ex- 
cei)tion  of  a  single  year,  he  has  since  continuously  served  ; 
was  elected  June  3,  1890,  Vice-President,  and  on  June  7, 

1892,  President,  to  whi(  h  office  he  was  re-elected  June  5, 

1893.  During  his  connection  with  the  management  of  the 
Cotton  Exchange  he  has  exerted  a  marked  influence,  and 
was  chiefly  instrumental  in  formulating  the  plan  by  which 
deliveries  of  cotton  on  contract  are  made  by  warehouse 
receipt  and  certificate  of  grade.  He  was  also  prominent  in 
the  op[)osition  put  forth  by  the  Exchanges  of  the  country 
to  the  passage  of  the  so-called  Anti-Option  Bill  in  Con- 
gress, which  had  for  its  object  the  su])pression  of  specula- 
tion in  farm  products,  particularly  that  feature  of  speculation 
known  as  "short  selling,"  and  which  resulted  in  the  defeat 
of  the  measure.    He  is  a  member  of  the  Union  League  C'lub 


sies  that  may  arise  between  members,  to  establish  just  and 
etpiitable  principles  in  commerce,  to  maintain  uniformity  in 
rule  and  j)rocedure,  to  adopt  classification  standards,  to  ac- 
tpiire  and  disseminate  useful  ini'ormation  relating  to  the 
cotton  interests,  to  decrease  local  business  risks,  and  to  in- 
crease and  facilitate  the  cotton  trade  generally.  An  .Adju- 
dication Committee  of  five  is  annually  ajjpointed  to  decide 
controversies  between  members  which  might  be  the  subject 
of  actions  at  law  or  in  ecjuity,  save  as  regards  real  estate. 
Judgments  of  the  Supreme  Court  are  rendered  upon  such 
awards  made  ])ursuant  to  such  submission.  The  Committee 
on  Classification  is  com])Osed  of  five  .salaried  expert  members 
of  the  F^xchange,  three  of  whom  are  drawn  by  lot  to  act  upon 
each  case  submitted,  subject  to  ajjpeal  to  the  whole  commit- 
tee. The  C'ominittee  on  (^)uotations  on  spot  cotton  estab- 
lishes the  market  ipiotations  for  the  time  being  of  Middling 
Ul)!and  cotton,  determining  the  i)rices  at  2  r.  m.  daily,  by  a 
majority  vote  of  its  seven  members  present.     The  Revision 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS.  51 


of  Quotations  Committee  determines  the  relative  differences 
of  valuation  between  the  grades  ;  and  the  Committee  on 
Quotations  of  Futures  determines  and  reports  daily  the  tone 
and  price  of  the  contract  market,  for  transmission  by  cable 
to  Europe  The  initiation  fee  is  $10,000,  and  the  annual 
dues  $50.  Certificates  of  membership  may  be  transferred 
by  members  to  members-elect.  Trading  is  done  in  cotton 
"spot,"  "to  arrive,"  'free  on  board,"  ''in  transit,"  and  for 
"  future  dalivery."  A  gratuity  fund  for  the  benefit  of  the 
heirs  on  the  death  of  a  member  is  formed  by  the  assessment 
of  a  sum  not  exceeding  i|i2.5o  upf)n  every  member  at  the 
death  of  any  other  member.  Thus  far  the  assessments  have 
not  exceeded  $10.00.  The  Exchange  has  palatial  quarters 
in  a  splendid  building,  which  was  completed  in  1885,  at  a 
cost  of  over  $1,000,000,  and  the  rent  of  the  offices  in  the 
building  pays  a  handsome  return  on  the  investment.  The 
Exchange  room  is  on  the  second  floor.  The  membership 
in  1893  numbered  454.  Presidents  of  the  New  York  Cot- 
ton Exchange  :  Stephen  D.  Harrison,  Aug.  15,  1870,  to 
June  2,  1873  ;  Arthur  B.  Graves,  June  2,  1873,  to  June  i, 
1874  ;  Henry  Hentz,  June  i,  1874,  to  June  5,  1876  ;  James 
F.  Wenman,  June  5,  1876,  to  June  4,  1878  ;  Dixon  G.  Watts, 
June  4,  1878,  to  June  7,  1880  ;  Robert  Tannahill,  June  7, 
i88o,  to  June  5,  1882  ;  M.  B.  Fielding,  June  5,  1882,  to 
June  2,  1884;  Siegfried  Gruner,  June  2,  1884,  to  June  17, 
1886;  Charles  D.  Miller,  June  7,  1886,  to  June  4,  1888; 
James  H.  Parker,  June  4,  1888,  to  June  3,  1890  ;  Charles 
W.  Ide,  June  3,  1890,  to  June  7,  1892  ;  James  O.  Bloss,  June 
7,  1892. 


THE  CENTRAL  TRUST  COMPANY. 

The  Central  Trust  Company,  of  New  York,  was  organized 
in  1875  under  a  Charter  granted  in  1873.  In  1887  it  erected 
at  a  cost  of  $1,000,000  the  splendid  brick  and  granite  structure 
which  bears  its  name,  at  54  Wall  Street.  Henry  F.  Spaul- 
ding  was  its  first  President,  and  up  to  the  time  it  removed 
to  its  present  building  it  occupied  premises  in  the  basement 
of  14  Nassau  Street,  and  later  the  first  floor  of  the  Clearing 
House  Building  at  15  Nassau  Street,  corner  of  Pine.  The 
organization  is  the  custodian  of  large  trust  funds  and  rep;e- 
sents  many  important  estates.  Its  business  in  connection 
with  railroad  companies  is  one  of  the  most  extensive  in  the 
country  and  it  has  been  the  fiscal  agent  and  depository  of 
securities  in  some  of  the  most  important  railroad  reorganiz- 
ations of  recent  years.  The  President,  Mr.  Frederic  P. 
Olcott,  is  a  recognized  authority  in  transactions  involving 
the  rights  of  investors.  The  capital  and  surplus  of  the 
Company  amount  to  over  $6,000,000.  The  stock  of  the 
Central  Trust  Company  sells  for  the  highest  price  ever  paid 
for  the  stock  of  any  Trust  Company  in  the  world.  George 
Keenan  is  First  Vice-President;  E.  Francis  Hyde,  Second 
Vice-President ;  C.  H.  P.  Babcock,  Secretary,  and  B.  G. 
Mitchell,  Assitant  Secretary. 


THE  KNICKERBOCKER  TRUST  COMPANY, 

Occuping  the  building  at  234  Fifth  Avenue,  at  the  corner 
of  Twenty-seventh  Street,  and  branch  offices  at  3  Nassau 
Street  and  18  Wall  Street,  is  one  of  the  most  prominent 
financial  institutions  of  the  Metropolis.  The  Company  was 
formed  in  1884  and  its  progress  has  been  marked  and  sub- 
stantial. With  a  capital  of  $750,000  it  has  accumulated  a 
surplus  of  over  $350,000,  and  its  deposits  are  over 
$6,000,000.  This  splendid  showing  has  been  largely 
brought  about  by  the  untiring  energy  and  well-known 
ability  of  the  President,  Mr.  John  P.  Townsend,  who  has 
attracted  by  conservative  management  a  clientage  of  the 
most  desirable  character.  The  officers  of  the  Knicker- 
bocker are  :  John  P.  Townsend,  President  ;  Charles  T. 
Barney,  Vice-President  ;  Joseph  T.  Brown,  Second  Vice- 


President  ;  Frederick  L.  Eldridge,  Secretary,  and  J.  Henry 
Townsend,  Assistant  Secretary.  The  lioard  of  Directors 
is  a  body  of  unusually  strong  capitalists,  financiers  and 
business  men,  comprising  :  Joseph  S.  Auerbach,  Harry  B. 
Hollins,  Jacob  Hays,  Charles  T.  Barney,  A.  Foster  Hig- 
gins,  Robert  G.  Remsen,  Henry  W.  T.  Mali,  Andrew  H. 
Sands,  James  H.  Breslin,  General  George  J.  Magee, 
I.  Townsend  Burden,  John  S.  Tilney,  Hon.  E.  V.  Loew, 
Henry  F.  Dimock,  John  P.  Townsend,  Charles  F.  Watson, 
David  H.  King,  Jr.,  Frederick  H.  Bourne,  Robert  Maclay, 
C.  Lawrence  Perkins,  Edward  Wood,  \Vm.  H.  Beadleston, 
and  Alfred  L.  White.  A  biographical  sketch  of  Mr. 
Townsend  will  be  found  elsewhere  in  this  volume. 


THE  BANK  OF  NEW  YORK  NATIONAL  BANKING 
ASSOCIATION. 

The  Bank  of  New  York  National  Banking  Association, 
founded  in  1784,  is  one  of  the  oldest  financial  institutions 
in  the  city,  and  one  of  the  three  oldest  in  the  United 
States,  the  other  two  being  the  Bank  of  North  America,  at 
Philadelphia,  and  the  Massachusetts  Bank,  at  Boston. 
Alexander  Hamilton  took  a  prominent  part  in  found- 
ing the  Bank  of  New  York.  He  drew  the  charter,  and 
was  one  of  the  first  Board  of  Directors.  General  Alex- 
ander McDougan  was  the  first  President,  and  William  Lea- 
ton  the  first  cashier.  The  first  home  of  the  bank  was  in  the 
old  Walton  mansion,  which  stood  on  Pearl  Street,  opposite 
Harper  Brothers'  establishment,  and  was  demolished  in 
1881.  In  1790  it  purchased  the  premises  at  the  corner  of 
Wall  and  William  Streets,  where  was  subsequently  erected 
the  stately  building  it  now  occupies.  The  history  of  the 
Bank  of  New  York  is  an  epitome  of  the  financial  and  com- 
mercial progress  of  the  city.  State,  and  nation  for  more  than 
a  century.  The  Manhattan  Company,  whose  charter  was 
granted  by  the  State  Legislature  in  1799,  for  the  purpose  of 
introducing  pure  water  into  the  city,  is  the  second  oldest 
financial  institution  in  the  city.  Aaron  Burr  drew  the  char- 
ter for  the  above  purpose. and  engrafted  thereon  a  clause  pro- 
viding that  its^^urplus  capital  might  be  employed  in  any  tran- 
sactions not  inconsistent  with  the  laws  of  the  State.  The  bill 
thus  worded  passed  the  opposition  of  Hamilton  and  the 
Federalists,  who,  when  too  late,  found  that  the  power  estab- 
lishing a  bank  had  been  conferred.  A  capital  of  $2,000,000 
was  at  once  subscribed,  and  the  Manhattan  Company's 
Bank  began  its  long  and  successful  career.  Its  place  of 
business  since  the  first  decade  of  the  century  has  been  at  40 
Wall  Street,  the  old  building  having  been  replaced  in  1883, 
by  the  superb  building  now  occupied  jointly  by  the  Manhat- 
tan and  Merchants'  Banks. 


THE   BANK   FOR  SAVINGS. 

In  the  City  of  New  York  is  the  oldest  savings  bank  in 
the  State  of  New  York  and  one  of  the  oldest  in  the  country. 
Founded  in  1819  it  has  the  largest  number  of  depositors 
and  the  largest  number  of  deposits  of  savings  bank  in  the 
country  save  one.  Upon  organizing  the  institution  was 
given  by  the  city  the  use  of  a  room  in  one  of  the  buildings, 
which  then  occupied  the  Broadway  and  Chambers  Street, 
corner  of  the  City  Hall  Park.  In  1856  the  bank  erected 
the  old  fashioned,  but  characteristically  imposing  struc- 
ture in  Grecian  architecture,  which  it  still  occupies  at  67 
Bleecker  Street,  hence  its  popular  designation  "The 
Bleecker  Street  Savings  Bank."  During  its  seventy-three 
years  of  existence  it  has  had  nearly  650,000  depositors  and 
received  altogether  about  $250,000,000  in  deposits,  paying 
thereon  over  $43,000,000  in  interest.  The  President  is 
Merritt  Trimble;  Benjamin  H.  Field  and  James  A.  Roosevelt, 
Vice-Presidents  ;  Robert  T.  Plolt,  Secretary,  and  W.  G. 
White,  Comptroller. 


52 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


THE  N'KW  XETilKkl.ANO  HUTEL. 


THE  NEW  NETHERLAND  HOTEL. 
The  New  Netherland  Hotel,  at  the  corner  of  Fifth 
Avenue  and  Fifty-ninth  Street,  is  the  latest  addition  to 
the  many  magnificent  and  palatial  caravansaries  in  the 
Metropolis.  It  is  also  one  of  the  most  complete  in 
modern  improvements,  in  jjerfection  of  fitting,  and  in 
external  beavity  of  architecture.  It  was  erected  by  William 
Waldorf  Astor,  and  it  occupies  a  site  of  loo  feet  on  Fifth 
Avenue  and  125  feet  on  Fifty-ninth  Street.  The  style  of 
architecture  is  modern  Romanesque,  and  it  is  highly  or- 
nate and  picturesque.  It  has  a  deep  basement  and  cellar 
below  the  street  level,  and  it  towers  seventeen  stories  to 
the  sky,  the  four  top  stories  being  in  the  Mansard  roof. 
The  material  used  is,  for  the  four  lower  stories,  rough 
brownstone,  and  above,  buff  brick,  with  stone  and  terra 
cotta  trimmings.  The  interior  includes  370  guest  rooms, 
also  dining,  reception,  cafe,  and  public  rooms,  with  a 
restaurant,  all  fitted  and  furnished  in  the  most  elaborate 
manner,  quite  regardless  of  expense,  and  with  every  atten- 
tion to  comfort  and  convenience.  The  cost  of  this  great 
jjublic  palace  was  $3,000,000.  The  New  Netherland  is 
conducted  on  the  Kuro])ean  plan,  and  is  replete  with 
every  luxury  that  human  ingenuity  can  possibly  devise. 
It  was  opened  June  1st,  1893,  and  is  fast  growing  into 
popularity  and  prosperity.  Some  idea  of  the  luxury  and 
lavishness  displayed  is  to  be  seen  on  entering  the  Hotel, 
when  the  visitor  sees  a  rotunda  magnificent  almost  beyond 
description.  Six  solid  onyx  columns  support  the  glass 
dome,  the  ca|)S  and  bases  being  of  coi)pL'r  l)ronze  and 
resting  on  massive  blocks  of  Numidian  marble.  Polished 
bron/e  dragons  support  artistic  clusters  of  electric  lights, 
and  guard  the  marble  entrances  to  the  cafe  and  billiard 
room.  At  the  end  is  a  great  fire|)lace  of  marble  and 
onyx,  with  the  carved  Netherland  coat  of  arms,  and  over 
the  clerk's  desk  is  a  fine  painting  by  Fianklin  'i'uttle,  of 
the    punhase  of    Manhattan    Island    from    the  Indians. 


This  is  only  the  gateway  to  the  splendors  to  be  seen  in 
this  veritable  hotel-palace,  which  may  be  epigrammatically 
described  as  combining  "the  privacy  of  a  home,  the 
furnishing  of  a  palace,  and  the  table  of  an  epicure." 


WALDORF  HOTEL. 

Perhaps  the  most  beautiful  and  perfect  of  the  great 
Astor  hotels  is  the  magnificent  Waldorf  palace,  at  the  corner 
of  Fifth  Avenue  and  Thirty-third  Street.  It  was  only 
recently  erected  by  William  Waldorf  Astor,  on  the  site  of 
the  old  Astor  mansion.  It  has  a  frontage  on  the  Avenue 
of  100  feet,  and  250  feet  on  the  street.  It  is  a  regal 
building,  180  feet  high,  in  the  German  Renaissance  style, 
with  loggias,  balconies,  towers  and  tiled  roof.  It  contains 
530  guest  rooms,  350  of  which  have  splendid  marble  bath- 
rooms attached,  six  private  dining  rooms,  an  immense 
public  dining  room,  cafe,  restaurant,  other  public  rooms,  and 
a  handsome  conservatory.  A  great  feature  of  the  arrange- 
ments is  a  spacious  internal  court,  which  can  be  converted 
into  a  summer  or  winter  garden  according  to  the  season.  The 
interior  fittings  are  on  the  most  elaborate  scale,  the  stair- 
cases are  of  marble  with  beautiful  bronze  and  brass 
ornamentations,  and  the  arrangements  of  the  rooms  are 
specially  designed  for  the  accommodation  of  distinguished 
visitors  and  their  suites.  To  describe  all  the  beauties  of 
this  fin  de  siecle  example  of  luxury  and  elegance  would 
take  up  too  much  space,  but  mention  must  be  made  of  the 
magnificent  entrance  hall,  floored  with  rare  mosaic,  with  its 
walls  of  cut  and  polished  Sienna  marble,  scintillating  with 
rainbow  flashes;  its  bronze  base  columns  and  arched  roof, 
opening  upon  a  still  larger  hall  of  tiie  same  costly  material, 
both  of  them  being  furnished  in  the  style  of  the  First 
Empire.  In  the  trend  of  the  arch  leading  to  the  garden  is 
a  beautiful  stained  glass  window,  representing  Waldorf, 
the  village  in  (Germany  from  which  the  original  John  Jacob 
Astor  came,  and  after  which  the  present  William  Waldorf 
Astor  is  named.  Then  there  is  the  big  dining  room  on  the 
Fifth  Avenue  side,  hung  with  tapestry  in  the  richest  tones, 
and  elaborately  panelled  in  solid  red  mahogany.  This 
splendid  saloon  is  a  rejjlica  of  the  reception  room  of  the 
mad  King  Louis  of  Bavaria,  and  the  prevailing  color  has 
been  aptly  described  as  "dis  ohed  ro.ses  in  sunshine." 
The  drawing  room  is  pure  l.ouis  Seize,  with  some  of  the 
actual  furniture  used  by  the  unha])py  Queen  Marie 
Antoinette.  The  jjanellings  are  of  white  and  gold,  hung 
with  rich  pale  tonrd  brocades.  The  smoking  room  is  a 
true  copy  of  the  Alhambra,  bright  with  splendid  mosaics 
and  furnished  luxuriously  with  cushions,  divans  and  rugs. 
The  ballroom  is  m  the  style  of  Louis  XIV.,  with  white  and 
gold  galleries  and  relaborately  painted  ceiling.  On  the 
second  floor  are  some  pretty  music  rooms  after  the  Grand 
Monarque,  and  another  drawing  room  in  the  style  of  Henri 
Deux,  with  a  portrait  of  the  beautiful  but  wicked  Marie  de' 
Medici  over  the  fireplace.  There  is  also  an  Indian  room, 
with  fittings  of  dark  teak  wood  carved  in  the  far  East,  a 
I'onipeiian  ])arlor,  a  Greek  room,  and,  last  not  least,  an 
.\stor  room,  which  is  an  exact  reproduction  of  the  same 
ai)artment  in  the  old  Astor  residence,  and  furniture  from  the 
old  mansion.  In  fact,  every  style  and  era  of  ornamentation 
has  been  attempted  witliin  the  walls  of  this  really  wonderful 
hostlery,  which  maybe  called  an  .Aladdin's  palace  strictly  up 
to  date.  It  was  opened  on  March  15  last,  and  is  already 
celebrated  for  the  perfection  of  its  cuisine,  and  the  comfort 
and  elegance  of  its  service.  The  first  distinguished  guest 
was  a  descendant  of  Columbus,  the  Duke  of  \'eragua.  The 
Committee  of  One  Hundred,  wishing  to  do  all  honor  to  the 
guest  of  the  nation  and  his  suite  on  the  occasion  of  his 
visit  to  the  Columl)ian  Quadricentennial,  selected  the  beau- 
tiful rooms  of  llie  Waldorf  as  an  appro))riate  place  for  his 
reception  and  entertainment  while  in  the  city  of  New  York. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS.  53 


in  September,  1863.  It  has  ever  maintained 
a  prominent  position  among  the  leading  finan- 
cial institutions  of  New  York,  and  has  derived 
its  customers  from  the  leading  business  circles 
of  the  Metropolis,  and  from  the  banks  and 
bankers  of  the  country  at  large.  The  Third 
National  has  now  a  paid  up  cash  capital  of 
$1,000,000,  and  under  the  sound  and  conser- 
vative character  of  its  new  management  is 
making  a  most  substantial  and  rapid  growth, 
both  in  its  volume  of  deposits  and  surplus  and 
undivided  profits.  The  unanimous  election  of 
General  John  B.  Woodward,  on  January  i6th, 
1891,  to  the  Presidency,  was  very  gratifying 
to  shareholders  and  customers  alike,  and  it 
gave  to  the  increase  of  business  an  impetus 
which  is  still  felt.  The  President  is  a  well- 
known  citizen  of  Brooklyn,  thoroughly  conver- 
sant with  banking  and  commercial  usages,  and 
who  as  a  former  director  had  an  intimate 
knowledge  of  its  affairs.  He  has  the  valued 
support  of  Mr.  Henry  Chapin,  Jr.,  as  Cashier. 


HOTEL  WALDORF. 

THE    MERCHANTS'    EXCHANGE    NATIONAL  BANK. 

The  Merchants'  Exchange  National  Bank  is  one  of  the 
oldest  financial  institutions  of  the  Metropolis.  It  was 
chartered  in  1829,  and  organized  and  began  business  in  its 
own  banking  house,  corner  of  Greenwich  and  Dey  streets 
in  1831.  It  started  under  the  most  favorable  auspices, 
Mr.  Peter  Stagg,  a  well-known  shipping  merchant  of  Wall 
street,  being  its  first  President  In  1868  it  moved  into  its 
present  substantial  fireproof  building,  257  Broadway,  the 
site  of  the  late  A.  T.  Stewart's  first  store.  The  location  was 
wisely  chosen,  and  has  continued  to  be  directly  central  for 
business  purposes.  In  1865  it  was  reorganized  under  the 
National  Banking  Act,  and  in  1888  its  capital  was  reduced 
to  l6oo,ooo  by  the  return  of  $400,000  to  the  shareholders. 
The  present  executive  is  the  Hon.  Phineas  C.  Lowndes- 
bury,  ex-Governor  of  Connecticut,  who  became  President 
in  1888,  and  brought  to  the  bank  the  support  of  an  exten- 
sive and  influential  connection.  The  Vice-President  and 
Cashier  is  Mr.  Allen  S.  Apgar,  who  has  been  connected 
with  the  bank  for  twenty-six  years.  He  was  elected 
Cashier  in  1869,  and  Vice-President  in  1890,  both  of  which 
offices  he  still  retains.  He  became  connected  with  the 
bank  after  he  had  been  honorably  discharged  from  the 
United  States  Navy,  in  which  he  had  served  as  paymaster 
for  three  years  during  the  late  war.  He  is  generally  re- 
garded as  one  of  the  ablest  and  most  efficient  bank  officials 
in  the  city.  Under  the  present  management  the  bank  has 
steadily  prospered,  and  has  built  up  an  extensive  business, 
showing  total  resources  of  about  $6,500,000,  an  aggregate 
of  deposits  excec  ding  $5,000,000,  with  surplus  and  undivided 
profits  upwards  of  a  quarter  of  a  million,  its  shares  of  a 
par  value  of  $100  being  quoted  at  $135  or  more.  The 
business  of  the  Merchants'  Exchange  National  Bank  is 
not  merely  local, .but  extends  throughout  the  Union. 


THE  MANHATTAN  TRUST  COMPANY. 

The  Manliattan  Trust  Company  orcuj^ies 
the  white  marble  building  at  the  northwest 
corner  of  Wall  and  Nassau  streets,  immediately 
opposite  the  U.  S.  Sub-Treasury  and  directly 
at  the  head  of  Broad  street,  one  of  the  most 
desirable  and  valuable  properties  in  the  Metro- 
polis. This  successful  and  growing  institu- 
tion was  organized  in  1888  under  a  legislative  charter 
granted  in  187 1.  The  powers  vested  in  the  corpora- 
tion comprise,  among  other  things,  authority  to  receive 
deposits  and  make  loans,  to  act  as  agent  for  the  invest- 
ment of  money  and  management  of  property,  to  act 
as  trustee,  registrar  and  transfer  agent  of  corporations  or 
under  orders  of  the  courts  in  legal  proceedings.  The  capi- 
tal is  $1,000,000,  fully  paid  up,  and  the  earned  surplus  and 
profits  are  $286,163.80.  The  trustees  are  August  Belmont, 
C.  C.  Baldwin,  H.  W.  Cannon  (President  of  the  Chase 
National  Bank),  T.  J.  Coolidge,  Jr.  (President  of  the  Old 
Colony  Trust  Company  of  Boston),  R.  J.  Cross  of  Morton, 
Bliss  &  Co.,  John  R.  Ford,  John  N.  A.  Griswold,  H.  L. 
Higginson  of  Lee,  Higginson  &  Co.,  Boston,  John  Kean, 
Jr.  (President  of  the  National  State  Bank  of  Elizabeth, 
N.  J.),  H.  O.  Northcote  of  London,  E.  U.  Randolph  (Pres- 
ident of  the  Continental  National  Bank),  A.  S.  Rosenbaum, 
James  O.  Sheldon,  Rudol])h  Ellis,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  R.  T. 
Wilson  and  John  I.  Waterbury,  President.  Mr.  Water- 
bury  is  a  Director  of  the  Old  Colony  Trust  Company  of 
Boston,  and  of  the  Lawyers'  Surety  Company  of  New  York. 


THE   THIRD    NATIONAL  BANK. 

The  Third  National  Bank,  of  No.  26  Nassau  Street,  was 
one  of  the  earliest  to  organize  under  the  privileges  of  the 
National  Banking  Act,  the  date  of  its  establishment  being 


THE    GALLATIN    NATIONAL  BANK. 

The  Gallatin  National  Bank,  of  36  Wall  Street,  commem- 
orates by  its  name  the  connection  with  the  institution  of 
the  illustrious  financier  and  statesman,  Albert  Gallatin. 
It  was  orginally  organized  in  1829  as  a  State  Bank  under 
the  name  of  the  "  National  Bank  of  New  York."  John 
Jacob  Astor  was  interested  in  the  matter,  and  as  the 
original  capital  of  $1,000,000  was  not  fully  subscribed  he 
proposed  its  reduction  to  $750,000,  and  offered  to  complete 
that  sum  provided  he  could  name  the  bank's  president. 
The  offer  was  accepted  and  Astor  nominated  Gallatin,  who 
having  served  as  Senator  from  Pennsylvania  as  Secretary  of 
the  Treasury  in  the  Jefferson  and  Madison  administrations, 
as  a  negotiator  of  the  treaty  of  Ghent,  and  as  Minister  to 
France,  had  retired  to  private  life.  Albert  Gallatin  remained 
at  the  head  of  the  bank  until  1838,  when,  being  eighty  years 
of  age,  he  resigned.    He  was  succeeded  by  his  son,  James 


54 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


Gallatin,  whose  presidency  lasted  for  thirty  years,  the  institu- 
tion under  his  management  enjoying  great  prosperity.  The 
change  of  name  to  the  present  title  occurred  in  1865,  when 
the  bank  accepted  a  charter  under  the  National  Banking 
Law.  Mr.  Frederick  D.  Tappen,  who  had  been  17  years 
in  the  service  of  the  institution,  succeeded  to  the  Presiclency 
in  1868,  and  during  the  25  years  that  have  since  elapsed  he 
has  ably  maintained  its  record  for  success  and  conservatism. 
He  has  taken  a  prominent  part  in  the  counsels  of  the  Clear- 
ing House  Association,  being  now  its  Chairman,  and  is  con- 
sidered an  energetic  exponent  of  the  soundest  principles  of 
banking  and  finance.  He  is  actively  identified  with  many 
of  the  most  important  public  interests  in  New  York. 
The  cashier,  Mr.  .Arthur  ^\■.  Sherman,  is  a  bank  officer  of 
practical  and  thorough  experience.  The  hank  begnn  busi- 
ness at  36  Wall  Street,  this  lot  being  purchased  for  $12. coo, 
while  the  building  then  erected  cost  $14,000.  In  1856  a 
new  banking  house  was  built  on  the  same  site.  In  1887  the 
adjoining  lot  was  bought  by  the  Gallatin  for  $400,000.  and 
on  the  site  thus  provided  the  present  stately  nine  story  red 
stone  edifice,  called  by  its  name,  was  erected,  and  here  are 


York.  The  building  is  eight  stories  high,  two  hundred  feet 
deep  and  extends  from  street  to  street.  The  bank  and 
offices  comjjrise  a  1  -rge  suite  of  rooms  on  the  first  floor  of 
the  building  and  cover  a  space  of  about  one  hundred  feet 
scjuare.  The  Reception  Rooms  on  the  main  fioor  as  well 
as  the  offices  of  the  bank  are  fitted  up  with  a  luxury 
remarkable  even  among  the  commercial  palaces  of  the 
Metropolis.  The  whole  building  is  fireproof.  The  loca- 
tion of  the  Lincoln  National  Bank  is  particularly  favorable. 
It  is  the  centre  of  uptown  commercial  activity  and  within  a 
stone's  throw  there  are  eight  large  hotels,  a  dozen  brokers' 
offices,  the  Grand  Central  L)e])Ot.  and  stations  of  the 
Third  and  Sixth  Avenue  Elevated  Railways.  For  ladies 
and  retired  capitalists  the  convenience  of  the  location  will 
be  ajipreciated  when  they  recall  the  long,  disagreeable 
journeys  they  were  formerly  compelled  to  make  downtown. 
There  is  a  parlor  provided  for  the  special  use  of  ladies,  and 
separate  rooms  for  those  who  desire  i)rivacy  in  the  examina- 
tion of  their  stock  and  private  papers.  The  Lincoln  Safe 
Deposit  Co.  of  New  York  was  organized  in  1881,  under  the 
general  Safe  Deposit  law.    The  foundations  of  the  building 


Till':  i.i.\Lwi..\  .\.\iu).\.\L  i;.\.M\  1)1  1  1C1-: 

its  commodious  banking  rooms.  It  is  unsurjiassed  in  ele- 
gance as  well  as  ])ra(  ticabiiit \ .  It  was  built  and  is  owned 
jointly  by  the  Gallatin  B.ank  and  by  Adrian  Iselin.  the  un- 
divided half  interest  of  the  former  being  assessed  as  of  the 
value  of  $500,000.  The  first  dividend  was  ])aid  nine 
months  after  the  bank's  organization,  and  it  has  never  since 
j)asscd  a  dividend.  A  sur])his  of  over  $1  500,000  has  been 
accumulated,  and  its  shares,  of  the  par  value  of  $100,  sell  for 
$320.  The  composition  of  its  Board  of  Directors,  includes 
Frederic  W.  Stevens  and  Alexander  H.  Stevens  (grandsons 
of  Albert  Gallatin),  \Vm.  Waldorf  Astor,  W.  Kmlen  Rocse 
velt,  Adrian  Iselin,  jr.,  Tliomas  Denny  imd  Ilenrv  L.  Barbey. 

THE    LINCOLN    NATIONAL  BANK 

The  I.in(  ()ln  National  Bank  was  organized  January  4th, 
1881,  and  Tliomas  I,.  James  was  elected  I'residenl,  Alfred 
Van  Sanlvoord,  Vice  President,  and  J.  H.  B.  Edgar, 
Cashier.  In  July,  18S3,  the  business  was  removed  to  the 
new  bank  ' building,  Nos.  32  to  38  East  I-"orty-second  Street, 
the  most  complete  structure  of  its  kind  in  the  city  of  New 


I'RESIDKNT   AND  VICE-I'KKSIDKNT. 

rest  on  the  natural  rock  of  Manliatlan  Island.  The  walls 
are  five  feet  thick  at  the  bottom  and  four  feet  thick  at  the 
top,  140  feet  from  the  basement.  They  consist  of 
selected  pressed  brick,  laid  in  Portland  cement,  the  first 
two  stor;es  having  a  brownstone  dressing.  The  architec- 
ture is  Romanescpie.  In  adopting  the  plans  more  attention 
was  ])aid  to  strength  than  to  mere  grace  of  design.  The 
frontage  is  200  feet.  The  upper  stories  are  partitioned  off 
with  fire-brick  into  a  great  variety  of  rooms,  which  will  hold 
from  one  to  thirteen  large  double  truckloads  of  furniture. 
All  iron  girders,  beams  and  jjillars  are  protected  by  asbestos, 
wire  "  furring"  and  several  coats  of  plaster  or  cement.  The 
doors,  frames,  window-casings  and  stair  frames  are  iron  ; 
the  stair-treads  are  slate.  The  material  of  which  the  elev- 
ator shafts  are  constructed  is  brick,  the  elevator  bearings 
are  iron,  and  even  the  elevator  cars  are  iron.  In  addition 
to  this,  the  o])ening  of  each  floor  at  the  elevator  shafts  is 
l)r()te<  ted  by  iron  roller  shutters,  whi;  h  are  closed  at  night. 
///  /</<■/,  no  'lO  wJ  H'hatever  'uhh  usi-d  in  the  consti  it,  tion  of  this 
building,.    So  profound  was  the  confidence  of  the  architect, 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


55 


Mr.  John  B.  Snook,  in  the  strength  and  indestructil)ih'ty  of 
his  handiwork,  that  he  remarked,  on  its  completion,  "  You 
may  pile  it  to  the  roof  with  trunks  of  quicksilver  and  not 
tax  it.  It  is  externally  impervious  to  fire,  and  all  the  com- 
bustibles in  New  York  put  inside  and  set  on  fire  could  not 
destroy  it."  In  the  fall  of  1884,  the  capital  stock  of  the 
Safe  Deposit  Company  was  increased  to  $500,000,  and  a 
fireproof  warehouse  building,  50  by  jco  feet,  was  erected  on 
Forty-first  Street,  directly  in  the  rear  of  the  Forty-second 
Street  i)roperty.  This  most  perfect  development  of  inde- 
structible warehouse  architecture  was  a  material  improve- 
men  in  respect  of  the  economical  use  of  space  and  the 
accommodations  provided  for  the  original  warehouse.  The 
new  building  was  immediately  filled  with  profitable  storage. 
The  trustees  then  became  satisfied  that  arrangements  must 
be  speedily  made  to  aft'ord  much  greater  warehouse  facili- 
ties. Four  additional  lots  were  secured  to  the  east  of  those 
already  occupied  on  Forty-first  Street.  In  1891,  the  erection 
was  begun  on  Forty  first  Street  of  two  more  warehouse 
buildings.  Each  of  these  contained  numerous  improve- 
ments over  those  of  earlier  construction.  The  basement  of 
the  new  building.  No.  49  East  Forty-first  Street,  100  feet 
deep,  is  set  apart  for  an  increase  of  the  coupon-room 
accommodations  of  the  vault  department.  Another  ware- 
house on  Forty-first  Street,  50  by  roo,  will  be  erected  as 
soon  as  the  present  lease  of  the  property  expires.  Taken 
as  a  whole,  the  growth  of  the  Lincoln  Safe  Deposit  Com- 
pany has  been  phenomenal,  and  its  future  promises  to  be 
even  more  successful  than  its  past. 


THE  NATIONAL  BANK  OF  THE  REPUBLIC. 

The  National  Bank  of  the  Republic  of  New  York  is  one 
of  the  great  banking  institutions  of  the  Metropolis.  It  was 
established  in  185 1  as  a  State  Bank,  and  took  a  charter 
under  the  National  Bank  Act  in  1864.  The  bank  purchased 
in  1 85 1  for  $1,100,000  the  lot  at  the  corner  of  Wall  Street  and 
Broadway,  upon  which  was  subsequently  erected  at  a  cost 
of  considerably  over  a  million  dollars  the  magnificent 
nine-storied  structure  known  as  the  United  Bank  Building. 
This  site  is  considered  the  most  valuable  piece  of  real  estate 
on  the  continent.  The  late  Hon.  John  Jay  Knox,  after 
twenty-two  years  of  service  in  the  financial  department  of 
the  Government  and  twelve  years  as  Comptroller  of  the 
Currency,  became  the  President  of  the  Bank  in  1884.  Under 
his  administration  the  deposits  rose  from  $4,800,000  to  over 
$15,500,000,  and  the  total  assists  of  the  bank  from 
$7,000,000  to  $18,000,000.  On  Mr.  Knox's  death,  in  1892, 
Oliver  S.  Carter,  for  four  years  the  Vice-President,  suc- 
ceeded to  the  Presidency.  He  is  the  senior  partner  of  the 
great  tea  importing  house  of  Carter,  Macy  &  Co.,  and  one 
of  the  most  highly  esteemed  of  business  men.  Eugene  H. 
Pullen,  whose  connection  with  the  bank  dates  for  thirty-two 
years,  and  who  was  long  its  Cashier,  became  Vice-President. 


THE  MERCANTILE  NATIONAL  BANK. 

The  Mercantile  National  Bank  was  organized  as  a  State 
institution  in  185 1,  by  a  party  of  Ithaca  capitalists,  whi>, 
being  interested  in  the  Bank  of  Ithaca,  practically  trans- 
ferred that  institution  to  New  York  City.  It  has  occupied 
the  white  marble  building  on  Broadway  at  the  corner  of 
Dey  Street,  since  about  1862.  In  1865  it  became  a  National 
Bank.  Its  importance  as  a  Metropolitan  insntution  dates 
from  1881,  when  George  W.  Perkins  accepted  the  presidency, 
with  William  P.  St.  John  as  Cashier.  They  together  re- 
organized its  directory,  extended  its  business  connections 
with  great  rapidity,  and  laid  the  foundation  of  the  con- 
fidence and  sound  jjrosperity  which  has  been  built  up  under 
the  present  able  administration.  In  1883,  upon  the  death 
of  Mr.  Perkins  Mr.  St.  John,  who  had  displayed  such  signal 
ability  as  a  cashier,  was  chosen  President,  and  Mr.  Fred'k 


]>.  Sclienck,  Assistant  Cashier,  was  made  Cashier.  The 
Mercantile  National  Bank  has  a  capital  of  $1,000,000,  and  a 
surplus  fund  of  $1,000,000  in  addition  to  its  capital. 
Its  deposits  average  from  $7,000,000  to  $10,000,000.  Di- 
vidends of  six  per  cent,  per  annum  are  paid  on  the  stock, 
the  market  price  ior  which  is  $235. 


ROBERT  HOE  &  CO. 

The  fastest  printing  machine  made  by  this  Company  at 
present  is  the  "  Hoc  Sextuple  Perfecting  Machine  with 
Folders,"  which  prints,  and  delivers  folded,  four  or  six  page 
papers  at  the  speed  of  ninety  six  thousand  (96,000)  per 
hour  ;  eight-pages  papers  at  seventy-tv/o  thousand(72,ooo) 
per  hour  ;  ten  or  twelve  page  papers  at  forty-eight  thousand 
(48,000)  per  hour  ;  sixteen-page  pai)ers  at  thirty-six  thousand 
(36,000)  per  hour  ;  and  fourteen,  twenty  or  twenty-four 
page  papers  at  twenty-four  thousand  (24,000)  per  hour. 
These  figures  would  seem  exaggerations  were  it  not  for  the 
fact  that  machines  of  this  capacity  are  in  actual  operation 
and  producing  papers  at  these  rates,  one  of  them  is  used  in 
the  office  of  the  Recorder.  About  1840  an  important 
industry  was  added  to  this  firm's  business  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  cast-steel  saws,  which  were  the  first  ever  made  in  the 
United  States.  At  the  present  time  the  firm  of  R.  Hoe  &  Co. 
employ  in  its  New  York  establishment  some  fifteen  hundred 
(1,500)  workmen  most  of  them  skilled  mechanics.  Their 
machine  shops  in  New  York,  on  Grand,  Sheriff,  Broome 
and  Columbia  Streets,  comprise  a  floor  area  of  about  six 
acres  in  extent.  The  firm  has  done  for  many  years  some 
business  in  England.  About  four  years  ago  new  and  exten- 
sive works  were  undertaken  there  and  a  large  plant  put  in, 
employing  about  four  hundred  (400)  workmen.  Almost  all 
the  great  daily  papers  in  Great  Britian  are  printed  upon 
])resses  made  by  this  finn,  either  in  London  or  New  York. 
A  unique  feature  in  connection  with  the  New  York  Works 
is  the  night  schools  for  the  benefit  of  the  apprentices,  who 
receive  free  instruction  in  English,  drawing  and  mathema- 
t  cs.  They  are  also  treated  to  lectures  pertaining  to  the 
business  in  which  they  are  engaged.  All  of  the  apprentices 
ard  obliged  to  attend  these  schools.  Some  of  the  latest  of 
Hoe  &  Co.'s  inventions  are  embodied  in  new  machines,  just 
completed,  which  print  at  a  rapid  rate  of  speed,  on  the  rotary 
system  and  at  one  operation,  in  multiple  colors.  It  would 
seein  that  these  are  destined  to  inaugurate  new  methods  in 
the  publication  of  illustrated  pei  iodicals  and  books.  The 
Sextuple  Perfecting  Machine,  above  referred  to  print,  fold, 
paste  and  deliver  96,000  six-page  papers  in  an  hour.  Such 
figures,  like  those  of  astronomy,  produce  no  adequate 
impression,  and  we  must  resort  to  more  familar  methods  to 
give  their  effect.  Mere  speed,  of  course,  is  not  in  the  ques- 
tion, but  manifold  capacity.  If  the  press  performs  say 
twenty  operations  at  once,  then  in  one  minute  it  does  the 
work  of  twenty  minutes,  and  this  is  the  secret  of  its  marvel- 
lous power.  Ninety  thousand  copies  of  a  paper  per  hour 
means  1,500  copies  a  minute,  which  also  means  twenty-five 
copies  every  second.  This  presents,  cuts,  pastes,  folds, 
counts  and  delivers  72,000  eight-page  papers,  six  columns 
to  the  page,  each  column  averaging  1,800  words,  in  one 
hour,  which  is  equivalent  to  1,200  a  minute  and  twenty  a 
second.  It  does  the  same  for  48,000  ten  or  twelve  page 
papers,  of  similar  size  page,  also  for  36,000  sixteen-page 
papers  or  24,000  fourteen,  twenty  or  twenty-four  page 
papers.  Before  this  press  was  built  the  fastest  presses  in 
the  world  were  Hoe's  quadruple  presses  which  turned  out 
48,000  four,  six  or  eight  page  papers  an  hour,  24,000  ten, 
twelve,  fourteen  or  sixteen  page  papers  an  hour  and  12,000 
twenty  or  twenty-four  page  papers  an  hour,  all  cut,  pasted 
and  folded.  Those  marvellous  figures,  whose  accuracy  is 
beyond  question,  show  this  concern  to  be  the  greatest  in  the 
world  of  its  kind. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


THE  RECORDER  BUILDING. 


THE  NEW  YORK  RECORDER. 

It  is  said  in  Grecian  Mythology  that  Minerva  sprang 
full  grown — helmet  and  all — from  the  brains  of  Jupiter,  and 
seeing  the  marvellous  career  of  the  Recorder,  one  is  tempted  , 
to  believe  that  there  is  a  grain  of  truth  in  the  old  stor}-. 
When  on  February  i8,  1891,  the  New  York  Recorder  was 
ushered  into  existence,  armed  cap-a-pie  for  great  achieve- 
ments in  Journalism,  Newspaper  Row  shook  its  venerable 
head  and  declared  that  while  the  new  paper  was  undoubtedly 
a  newspaper  it  Avould  only  live  until  the  money  behind  it 
had  been  spent,  for  that  it  had  no  raison  d'etre.  There  was 
no  room  for  it,  there  was  no  necessity  for  it,  and  Newspaper 
Row  was  rather  irritated  at  the  idea  of  an  aspirant  for  public 
favor  appearing  on  the  scene  at  a  time  when  it  supposed 
there  was  nothing  in  the  region  of  journalism  that  was  not 
covered.  And  looking  back  from  this  distance  in  time, 
over  two  years,  it  must  be  admitted  that  the  launching  of 
the  Recorder  had  the  appearance  of  audacity.  The  Herald, 
the  Sun,  the  Tribune,  the  Times  and  the  World  seemed  to 
satisfy  the  public  need,  and  the  advent  of  a  rival  and  com- 
petitor was  looked  upon  askance  even  by  the  laity.  Before 
many  days  had  rolled  over,  however,  men  changed  their 
minds.  Newspaper  Row  confessed  that  the  Recorder  fitted 
into  the  space  it  had  cleared  for  itself  beautifully,  and  it 
obtained  a  status  and  a  circulation  at  once.  The  people, 
took  to  it.  They  even  fancied  they  had  been  expecting  it, 
whereas  the  truth  is  it  was  the  presence  of  the  paper  itself 
that  created  the  impression.  It  came,  it  saw,  it  conquered, 
and  folks  now  realize  that  it  is  an  absolute  necessity,  filling, 
to  use  a  well  worn  phrase,  a  long  felt  want.  Since  then 
the  New  York  Recorder  has  taken  its  place  among  the 
great  newspa])ers,  not  merely  of  New  York,  not  merely  of 
America,  but  of  the  world.  Not  only  that,  but  judging  from 
the  past  its  striving  after  pre-eminence  as  the  great 
Metropolitan  Journal  par  excellence  is  likely  to  succeed,  for 
to  a  newspaper  that  has  obtained  a  circulation  of  100,000 
in  two  years  everything  seems  possible.  Apart  from  the 
audacity  that  started  the  Recorder,  which  now  turns  out  to 
have  been  genius,  there  was  really  hope  for  success  from  a 
business  standpoint.  It  was  no  chance  venture,  no  mere 
speculation  in  which  wealthy  men  invested  large  amounts  of 
money  with  only  a  chance  of  return.  It  was  doubtless 
considered  that  jince  1861,  when  the  World  was  founded, 
no  great  morning  paper  had  been  started  in  the  city  except 
in  tentative  way,  though  its  population  had  doubled,  and 
that  the  five  great  dailies  then  in  existence  still  held  the  field. 
There  was,  then,  surely  room  for  another.  And,  again, 
although  there  was  published  a  three  cent  Republican 
])ai)erand  a  one  cent  Republican  paper,  there  was  no  two  cent 
Republican  l>aper,  a  price  that  aj)pears  to  suit  the  popular 
taste.  Many  two  cent  papers,  it  is  true,  had  been  launched 
through  those  years,  but  they  did  not  live  long,  because,  per- 
haps, they  did  not  deserve  to  live.  At  all  events  the  Recorder 
arrived  and  was  at  once  taken  to  the  bosom  of  the  public. 
That  the  jjublic  were  not  deceived,  the  career  of  this  now 
solidly  established  journal  is  the  ])roof.  It  has  served  the 
l)ublic  well.  It  has  given  them  all  the  news,  and  it  has 
l)een  instrumental  in  effecting  many  reforms  in  their 
interest.  Its  first  achievement  was  the  collection  of  $60,000 
for  a  monument  to  General  Sherman.  Its  second,  a 
memorial  to  the  American  seaman,  Riggin,  killed  in  Val- 
])araiso  by  a  Chilian  mob.  Numerically,  this  is  the  largest 
public  subscrii)tion  ever  raised,  26,407  persons  having  con- 
tributed $26,000.  It  gave  the  people  the  proper  kind  of 
sensation  when,  the  Street  Cleaning  Department  neglecting 
its  duty,  it  organized  a  brigade  of  its  own  to  ])erform  the 
service,  which  brigade  he  sent  over  to  Brooklyn  at  the 
reciuest  of  its  citizens.  When  Tammany  Hall,  through 
Assemblyman  Connelly,  had  an  act  passed  that  would  con- 
fiscate the  property  of  the  Staats  Zeitu/ii^,  the  Recorder  so 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS, 


59 


stirred  vip  proper  indignation  that  the  bill  was  killed.  It 
fought  the  battle  of  telephone  subscribers  against  a  monopoly, 
it  organized  the  movement  culminating  in  the  removal  of 
American  men  and  women  from  the  cholera  ridden  steam- 
ships down  the  bay,  and,  besides,  it  gave,  and  it  still  gives, 
all  the  news.  It  claims,  truthfully,  to  being  the  great  home 
newspaper,  clean,  pure,  bright,  newsy,  and  its  claim  is 
allowed.  To  sum  up,  its  circulation  is  100,000,  in  advertis- 
ing it  stands  already  next  to  the  Herald  and  World,  and  it 
has  erected  a  splendid  home  for  itself  on  Spruce  Street. 
The  Editor  and  Publisher  of  the  Recorder  is  Mr.  George  W. 
Turner,  now  in  his  thirty-fifth  year.  From  the  New  York 
Journalist,  which  keeps  a  sleepless  eye  on  newspaper  men 
who  are  obtaining  celebrity  in  its  own  peculiar  field,  we 
epitomize  an  article,  semi-editorial  in  its  scope,  treating  of 
Geo.  W.Turner,  then  (January  12,  1889)  not  quite  so  famous 
as  he  is  now,  though  he  was  manager  of  the  New  York 
World.  The  Journalist  says  :  "  In  so  far  as  one  man  can 
be  held  responsible  for  a  success  like  this  (the  prosperity  of 
the  World),  Mr.  George  W.  Turner  deserves  the  credit. 
Alert,  untiring,  shrewd,  practical,  he  has  sat  at  his  desk  when 
a  less  energetic  man  would  be  in  his  bed.  Personally  Mr. 
Turner  is  as  modest  as  he  is  able;  slight,  though  wiry,  in 
build,  he  impresses  one  as  a  man  who  never  for  a  moment 
forgets  his  purpose.  His  nervous  energy  is  manifested  in 
every  motion  and  sentence,  a  quality  of  forcefulness  which 
carries  with  it  success.  Had  he  time  he  would  be  the  most 
charming  social  companion,  for  once  in  a  while,  in  the 
intervals  of. work,  he  pauses  long  enough  to  tell  a  good  story 
with  a  skill  so  rare  that  we  realize  what  a  delightful  racon- 
teur has  been  sacrificed  to  the  demands  of  business.  Those 
who  know  him  best  understand  how  broad  and  deep  is  this 
undercurrent  of  geniality,  kindness  and  intellectual  culture. 


They  know,  too,  his  unswerving  honesty,  modest  generosity, 
and  the  manly  and  human  heart  which  beats  under  the 
polished  steel  exterior  of  the  man  of  business,  and  their 
regard  for  the  man  is  as  great  as  respect  for  the  manager." 
It  would  appear,  however,  as  if  the  Boston  Globe  was 
acquainted  with  Mr.  Turner  before  he  became  a  Metropolitan 
character.  "  He  is,"  said  General  Charles  H,  Taylor, 
Editor  of  the  Boston  Globe,  "  a  remarkable  example  of  a  man 
of  executive  ability  of  a  high  order,  making  itself  felt 
through  a  thousand  channels.  His  connection  with  the 
paper  (New  York  World)  has  an  interesting  phase  when  we 
consider  how  that  connection  came  about.  The  proprietor 
of  the  World  got  his  eye  on  this  young  man  when  the  paper 
was  beginning  to  burst  through  its  swaddling  clothes.  Mr. 
Pulitzer  did  not  inquire  what  he  was  celebrated  for  and 
never  asked  what  was  said  about  him.  He  sent  for  Mr. 
Turner  as  that  gentleman  was  about  starting  for  Europe — 
nothing  further  from  his  thoughts  than  becoming  manager 
of  a  great  New  York  daily.  He  was  about  to  sail  ;  his 
ticket  was  bought,  his  trunks  packed  and  his  objective 
point  was  Russia,  when  Mr.  Pulitzer's  request  for  an  inter- 
view reached  him.  The  result  was  that  one  day  a  medium- 
sized,  clear-eyed,  self-possessed  young  man,  not  more  than 
thirty  and  looking  twenty-five,  presented  himself  to  the  pro- 
]jrietorof  the  World.  It  took  Mr.  Pulitzer  about  ten  minutes 
to  make  up  his  mind  on  one  of  the  most  important  steps 
affecting  every  vital  interest  of  the  World,  and  in  that  time 
he  had  offered  Mr.  Turner  the  management  of  the  paper. 
One  morning  this  young  man,  who  had  been  all  over  the 
globe,  who  three  years  before  was  inside  the  Arctic  Circle 
driving  a  reindeer  sledge  and  had  spent  part  of  one  year 
in  the  palace  of  the  Czar  of  all  the  Russias  ;  who  had  come 
down  the  Sierras  on  the  trail  of  a  band  of  hostiles,  who 
spoke  three  languages  and  could  work  his  way  intelligibly 
through  several,  found  himself  chained  to  a  desk,  and  like 
another  Atlas  found  the  weight  of  a  World  on  his  shoulders. 
What  Mr.  Turner  did  for  the  World  is  part  of  the  history 
of  American  journalism.  What  he  is  doing  for  the  Recorder 
is — well — mal  ing  of  the  Recorder  a  greater  paper  than  he 
made  the  World. 


THE  PRESS  CLUB. 

Twenty-one  years  ago  the  journalists  of  New  York  were 
wont  to  meet  in  Schaick's  saloon,  Nassau  Street,  where  the 
question  of  a  journalistic  organization  was  first  discussed. 
Among  those  who  frequented  this  resort  who  will  always  be 
remembered,  and  who  founded  the  "Journalistic  Society," 
were  James  Pooton,  George  F.  Williams,  William  H.  Stover, 
Charles  H.  Bladen,  Howard  Carroll,  William  S.  D.  O'Grady, 
Joseph  A.  Peters  and  Jeremiah  J.  Roche.  Of  these.  Major 
Geo.  F.  Williams  is  now  night  editor  of  the  Morning 
Advertiser,  and  Mr.  Bladen  is  still  in  harness,  Howard  Car- 
roll and  William  Stover  are  engaged  in  other  business, 
James  Pooton  holds  a  Federal  position,  and  as  for  the  others 
they  rest  from  all  labor  here.  The  "  Journalistic  Society  " 
was  organized  in  December,  1873,  and,  two  years  later, 
incorporated  under  that  name  by  the  founders,  excepting 
Howard  Carroll  and  Jeremiah  J.  Roche.  After  this,  many 
well-known  newspaper  men  joined,  and  the  membership 
swelled  to  a  gratifying  extent.  Rooms  at  115  and  117 
Nassau  Street  were  taken  for  club  purposes,  and  in  1874  the 
society  changed  its  name  to  that  of  the  "  New  York  Press 
Club."  In  1884  more  commodious  quarters  were  secured 
by  leasing  the  building  No.  120  Nassau  Street,  which  is  yet 
occupied  by  the  club.  The  initiation  fee  increased  from 
five  to  ten  dollars,  and  the  club  assumed  more  of  a  local 
habitation  and  permanency.  Such  distinguished  men  as 
Cyrus  W.  Field,  P.  S.  Gilmore,  F.  W.  Jones,  Joseph  Pulit- 
zer, Elliott  F.  Shepard  and  George  W.  Childs  enrolled 
themselves  as  members.    Among  other  honorary  and  life 


6o  NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


membets  of  the  club  who  have  come  in  from  time  to  time 
are  Chauncey  M.  Depew,  William  Waldorf  Astor,  Roswell 
P.  Flower,  William  R.  Grace,  Henry  Hilton,  Levi  Morton 
and  Henry  M.  Stanley.  The  membership  of  the  club  has 
steadily  increased,  now  numbering  upwards  of  650  names 
on  Its  rolls,  including  the  brightest  intellects  in  metropolitan 
journalism.  The  great  ambition  of  the  management  from 
the  start  has  been  to  erect  a  home  of  its  own,  a  home  com- 
mensurate with  the  growing  importance  and  reputation  of 
the  club  and  the  dignity  of  the  New  York  jjress.  This 
object  having  been  always  kei)t  in  view,  national  and  cos- 
mopolitan celebrities,  famous  orators,  travellers,  prima  don- 
nas, great  actresses  and  actors,  men  and  women  of  literary 
fame,  came  forward  and  lent  their  services  to  raise  the  funds 
for  such  an  object.  The  moneyed  men  of  the  city  donated 
handsome  sums  and  the  theatres  gave  benefits  in  the  cause, 
until  the  sum  of  $100,000  was  raised,  which  was  necessary 
to  secure  a  lot  of  ground  on  which  the  club  house  is  to  be 
erected.    While  the  plans  are  not  yet  complete,  it  is  the 


JOHN  W.  KKI.LKK. 


intention  to  erect  a  building  which  will  contrast  favorably 
with  the  gigantic  structure  of  the  World,  the  Times  and 
J'ribune  buildings,  fully  equipped  with  all  the  conveniences 
of  a  modern  club  house,  a  i)lace  where  the  journalists  of 
the  world  may  be  received  and  entertained  and  receptions 
held.  The  present  rooms  of  the  club  afford  a  lounging 
place,  a  place  of  social  meeting,  and  with  its  library  and  file 
of  daily  newspapers  of  New  York,  extending  as  far  back  as 
1836,  furnishes  a  workshop  for  industrious  writers  such  as 
cannot  be  given  elsewhere  in  the  city.  The  charitable 
activities  are  conducted  with  mingled  discrimination  and 
liberality,  the  Press  Club  in  the  exercise  of  its  benevolence 
being  in  the  highest  degree  democratic.  When  a  worthy 
a])i)licant  ap])lies  for  assistance,  it  suffices  that  he  is  con- 
nected with  journalism,  and  aid  is  given,  whether  he  is  a 
club  member  or  not.  The  Presidents  of  (he  club  since  its 
organization  have  been  :  James  Pooton,  1873-4  ;  (ieorge  F. 
Williams,  1875  ;  Charles  H.  iUaden.  1876  ;  Charles  II.  I'ul- 


hani,  1877  ;  John  B.  Wood,  1878-9  ;  William  N.  Penny, 
1880  ;  John  C.  Hennessy,  1881  ;  Truman  A.  Merriman, 
1882-3-4;  Amos  J.  Cummings,  1885-6;  John  A.  Greene, 
1887,  and  John  A.  Cockerill,  1888-9-1890-1.  .Since  jour- 
nalism has  become  so  potent  a  factor  in  our  national  life  the  *' 
Presidency  of  the  New  York  Press  Club  is  a  prize  that  is 
keenly  contested.  For  two  successful  competitors  at  least, 
Merriman  and  Cummings,  it  had  led  to  the  halls  of  Congress, 
and  among  its  members  are  quite  a  few  State  Senators  and 
Assemblymen.  The  present  incumbent  of  the  Presidency 
is  John  W.  Keller,  managing  editor  of  the  N.  Y.  Recorder. 
Mr.  Keller  was  born  in  Bourbon  County,  Ky.,  on  July  5, 
1856,  and  traces  his  ancestry  in  the  Blue  Grass  State  back 
to  Revolutionary  times.  He  was  educated  in  Yale  in  the 
class  of  1879.  In  apjiearance  he  is  a  fine  specimen  of  the 
Kentucky  gentleman,  and  is  an  athlete  of  no  mean  order. 
He  pulled  oar  No.  5  in  the  University  boat  race  with  Har- 
vard in  1879,  and  took  a  leading  part,  generally,  in  the  ath- 
letic sports  and  games  of  the  college.  That  he  did  not 
spend  all  his  college  life  in  classics  and  athletics,  however, 
is  evident  from  the  fact  that  in  1879  founded  the  Yule 
College  Daily  News,  the  first  daily  ))aper  ever  started  in  a 
university,  either  European  or  American.  It  is  still  in 
existence  and  flourishes  amain.  Mr.  Keller  came  to  New 
York  in  December,  1879,  and  began  his  newspaper  career  as 
reporter  on  Truth,  then  issued  for  the  first  time.  He  was 
subsequently  made  its  dramatic  editor.  He  became  editor 
of  the  Dramatic  News,  and  incidentally  did  special  work 
for  the  World,  then  joined  the  staff  of  the  Times,  and,  upon 
the  advent  to  life  of  the  Press,  was  appointed  its  dramatic 
editor.  He  returned  to  the  Times  after  six  months,  and 
worked  on  that  paper  until  the  Recorder  ap])eared  in  the 
journalistic  firmament,  when  he  was  made  its  managing 
editor,  retaining  the  position  by  request  of  Mr.  George  W. 
Turner,  when  that  gentleman  assumed  control  of  its  affairs. 
Like  most  newspaper  men,  Mr.  Keller  has  written  a  play, 
but  his,  like  everything  he  takes  in  hand,  has  been  a  suc- 
cess. The  play — "Tangled  Lives" — is  the  one  Robert 
Mantell  started  out  starring  in.  He  has  been  a  contributor 
to  many  publications.  Harper's  Weekly  Among  others,  and  it 
was  for  Harper's  he  wrote  a  sketch  of  the  Life  and  Remi- 
niscences of  George  Jones. 


JOHN   A.  COCKERILL 

Colonel  John  A.  Cockerill,  editor  of  the  Commercial 
Advertiser,  and  chairman  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the 
Press  Club,  has  been  five  times  elected  President  of  the 
Club.  He  was  born  in  Adams  County,  Ohio,  in  1845.  was 
educated  in  the  public  schools.  At  the  age  of  fourteen  he 
entered  a  country  newspaper  office  and  learned  tyi^e  setting. 
Two  years  later  he  enlisted  in  an  Ohio  Regiment  as 
drummer  boy,  and  served  under  Generals  Rosecrans, 
Reynolds  and  Buel.  In  1865  he  become  owner  of  a  weekly 
paper  in  Butler  County,  Ohio,  known  as  the  Hamilton 
True  and  Blue,  in  which  he  gained  a  varied  ex])erience  as 
editor,  reporter,  foreman  and  business  manager,  these 
functions  desolving  upon  him  simultaneously.  In  1868  he 
edited  the  Dayton  Daily  Ledger.  In  1869  he  was 
managing  editor  of  the  Cincinnati  Emjuirer,  resigning  in 
1877  to  visit  Europe  as  correspondent  of  that  newspaper 
during  the  Russo-Turkish  War.  Returning,  he  took  part  in 
the  establishment  of  the  Post,  Washington,!).  C.  From 
1879  to  1883  he  was  managing  editor  of  the  St.  'Lo\\\%  Post 
Z)/i/>(7A/;,  associated  with  Joseph  Pulitzer.  In  the  year  last 
named  he  came  to  New  York  on  the  invitation  of  Mr. 
Pulitzer  to  accept  an  editorial  position  on  the  World, 
remaining  with  that  jjaj^er  for  the  following  eight  years, 
during  the  greater  jjortion  of  which  he  was  editor  in  chief. 
In  May,  1891,  he  took  position  as  editor  of  the  Morning 
Advertiser  and    Commercial   Advertiser,  its  evening  issue. 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS 


1 


index:. 


PART 


HISTORICAL  SUBJECTS. 

PAGE 

Preface  v. 

The  Colonial  Period  vii. 

The  Revolutionary  Period   xiv. 

Civil  War  Period  xx. 

City  Government    xxiv. 

Education  xxix. 

Architecture  xxxvii. 

Ornamental  Structures  and  Sta- 
tuary  xlvii. 

Art,  Literature,  and  the  Drama.  . .  .xlix. 

Amusements,  Libraries  li. 

Clubs  and  Social  Organizations  liii. 

Societies  Iv. 

Churches  and  Hospitals  l\-ii 

Finance  lix. 

Trade  and  Commerce  Ixi. 

Avenues  of  Commerce  Ixv. 

Newspapers  and  Periodicals  Ixviii. 

ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Frontispiece  ii. 

Hudson,  Henry  iv. 

History  vi. 

The  Pilgrim  vii. 

Exchange  Place  and  Broad  Street, 

i6go  viii. 

Ancient  view  of  Chatham  Square  ix. 

Trinity  Church   x. 

View  of  the  Battery,  1656   xi. 

Gov.  Stuyvesant's  House,  1658  xii. 

Old  Stone  Bridge,  Canal  Street  xii. 

Statue  of  Liberty  xiii. 

Washington,  Union  Square  xiv. 

Barge  Office  xv. 

Washington  Statue,  Sub-Treasury 

Building  xvi. 

Broadway  and  Murray  St.,  1S20  xvii. 

Broadway  and    Bowery  Road, 

1828  xviii. 

The  Park  and  Broadway,  1S30  xviii. 

United  States  Custom  House  xix. 

Union  League  Club   xx. 

Statue  Admiral  Farragut  xxi. 

Central  Park,  Fifth  Avenue  and 

Fiftj'-ninth  Street  xxii. 

City  Government  xxiii. 

City  Hall  xxiv. 

Justice  xxvi. 

High  Bridge  xxviii. 

University  City  New  York  xxix. 

Museum  of  National  History  xxx. 

Medical  xxxi. 

Normal  College  for  Women  xxxii. 

Grace  Church  xxxiii. 


PAGE 

Cooper  Union  xxxv. 

Architecture  xxx  vi . 

Academy  of  Design  xxxvii. 

Brooklyn  Bridge  xxxviii. 

St.  Patrick's  Cathedral  xxxix. 

Little  Church  Around  the  Corner.  .  ..xii. 

Criminal  Court  xlii. 

Observatory,  Central  Park   xliii 

Metropolitan  Museum  of  Art,  xliv. 

New  York  Hospital  xiv. 

Washington  Arch  xlvi. 

The  Obelisk,  Central  Park  xlvii. 

Columbus  Column,  Central  Park.  .  .xlviii 

Madison  Square  Garden  1. 

The  Grant  Monument  Hi. 

The  Progress  Club  House  liv. 

The  Manhattan  Club  House  Iv. 

Financial  Iviii. 

New  York  Stock  Exchange  Ix. 

New  York  Produce  Exchange  Ixii. 

New  York  Central  R.  R.  Depot.  . .  .b;iv. 

Cruiser  New  York  Ixvi. 

Horace  Greelev  Ixix. 


PART  II. 


BIOGRAPHY. 

PAGE 

Alexander,  Robert  C   24 

Allen,  T.  F.,  M.D   161 

Amundson,  John  A   204 

Anderson,  E.  Ellery   115 

Andrews,  Constant  A.   30 

Andrews,  George  P   103 

Appleton,  Daniel   242 

Astor,  John  Jacob  (the  Elder)   135 

Astor,  John  Jacob  (II.)   139 

Astor,  John  Jacob  (of  to-day)   145 

Astor,  John  Jacob,  Jr   145 

Astor,  William   143 

Astor,  William  B   137 

Astor,  William  Waldorf   141 

Bain,  John,  Jr   193 

Baker,  Alfred  J   150 

Banks,  David   202 

Baldwin,  Homer  R   245 

Baldwin,  Jared  Grover,  M.D   130 

Barnes,  A.  C   266 

Barratt,  Arthur  J   259 

Barnes,  Oliver  W   22 

Barron,  John  C,  M.D   52 

Barron,  James  S   131 

Beach,  Charles  F.,Jr   207 

Beach,  Miles   3 

Bedford,  Gunning  S   238 


PAGE 

Belding,  M.  M   155 

Belmont,  August   203 

Benjamin,  George  H   160 

Bigelow,  Frank  Alfred,  M.D   174 

Bischoff,  Henry   148 

Bissinger,  Philip   177 

Bixby,  Samuel  M   182 

Blanchard,  James  Armstrong   42 

Blaut,  Joseph  F   73 

Bliss,  Cornelius  N   54 

Bless,  J.  O.,  Part  III   50 

Bloomingdale,  Joseph  B   191 

Bloomingdale,  Lyman  G   igi 

Bogart,  John   94 

Bonnell,  J.  Harper   184 

Bookstaver,  Henry  W   171 

Boskowitz,  George  W. ,  M.D   54 

Boynton,  F.  H.,  M.D   94 

Bramwell,  Geo.  W   67 

Brownell,  George  W   67 

Brown,  M.  Belle,  M.D   221 

Brown,  Martin  B   43 

Brown,  S.  A   48 

Brodsky   John  E   182 

Brookfield,  William   149 

Bruce,  John  M   186 

Bruce,  Sanders  Dewees   172 

Buckingham,  Charles  L   10 

Buckley,  L.  Duncan,  M.D   39 

Bvmzl,  Julius   116 

Burke,  William  H   219 

Cady,  J.  Cleveland   34 

Cameron,  Alexander   215 

Campbell,  Andrew  J   118 

Campbell,  Hudson   49 

Campbell,  T.  C   269 

Campbell,  William   192 

Cannon,  Henry  White   18 

Cantor,  Jacob  A   iii 

Carter,  James  C   278 

Carrere,  John  M.,  Jr   123 

Carleton,  BukkG.,  M.D   226 

Case,  Joseph  S   249 

Choate,  Joseph  Hodges   278 

Clancy,  Charles  M   163 

Clark,  Byron  G.,  M.D   165 

Clark,  Emmons   242 

Clews,  Henry   132 

Clinton,  Charles  William   155 

Coe,  George  S   245 

Colby,  Charles  L   74 

Conover,  Warren  A   165 

Constant,  Samuel  Victor   109 

Cook,  John  C   186 

Cornell,  Clarence  W. ,  M.  D   112 

Cornell,  John  M   164 

Cox,  Charles  Finney   200 

Crouch,  George   164 


2 


NEIV   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


PAGE 


Crouse,  Henry  W   97 

Cruikshank,  Edwin  A   70 

Curtis,  George  M   57 

Curtis,  Henry  Hoi  brook,  M.D   83 

Cutter,  Ephraira,  M.D   152 

De  La  Mare,  James  C   233 

De  La  Vergne,  John  Chester   56 

De  Peyster,  Frederick,  J   85 

De  Witt,  George  G   31 

Danforth,  Loomis  L.,  M.D   237 

Darragh,  Robert  L   loi 

Davol,  John   168 

Dayton,  Charles  W   27 

Deady,  Charles,  M.D   37 

Dearborn,  H.  M.,  M.D   169 

Depew,  Chauncey  M   195 

Dillingham,  Thomas  Manly,  M.D..  224 

Dillow,  George  M.,  M.D   164 

Dimond,  Thomas   121 

Dittenhoefer,  A.  J   202 

Dudley,  Sumner  F   205 

Duffy,  Patrick  Gavin   74 

Dunlevy,  Rita,  M.D   159 

Dodge,  Philip  T   258 

Dorman,  Orlando  P   126 

Doughty,  Frank  E.,  M.D   177 

Dugro,  P.  Henry   243 

Eaton,  Dorman  B   3 

Eaton,  Sherburne  Blake   154 

Edson,  Cyrus,  M.D   48 

Ernst,  Max   190 

Ettlinger,  Louis   23 

Evans,  Thomas  H   280 

Evarts,  W.  M..    276 

Fairchild,  Samuel  W   223 

Fallon,  Joseph  P   225 

Farquhar,  Percival   167 

Fay,  Sigourney  W   253 

Fisher,  John  T   243 

Fisk,  Harvey   63 

Fitzgerald,  Frank  T   36 

Fitzgerald,  James   176 

Fitzsimmons,  James  M   108 

Flagg,  John  Henry   123 

Flannigan,  W.  W   264 

Foot,  James  D   166 

Foster,  William  F   209 

Fowler,  Edward  P.,  M.D   127 

Fox,  John  Jr   244 

Freedman,  John  J   57 

Freeman,  William  B.   245 

Farmer,  W.  W   266 

Friend,  Emanuel  M   163 

Frost,  Calvin   60 

Garrison,  John  Boggs,  M.D   27 

Garrison,  William  Dominick   83 

Gedney,  Frederick  G   216 

Gilbert,  Bradford  Lee   59 

Gilmore,  Patrick  S   76 

Glcitsmann,  J.  W.,  M.D   61 

Goebel,  l  ewis  S   257 

GofTe,  James  Riddle,  M.D   213 

Goldfogle,  Henry  M   219 

Gorman,  John  J   114 

Griffin,  ICugene   169 

Grosjean,  Florian   157 

Gross,  Michael  C   211 

Guernsey,  Egbert,  M.D   216 


PAGE 


Guggenheimer,  Randolph   89 

Gwynne,  David  Eli   275 

Hall,  Alvah   188 

Hallock,  Lewis,  M.D   154 

Hamersley,  J.  Hooker   147 

Hamersley,  John  W   147 

Hammond,  Graeme  Monroe,  M.D. .  51 

Harding,  George  Edward   175 

Harper,  Edward  B. .  . :   19 

Harper,  Orlando  M   262 

Harrison,  Walter  S   20 

Haswell,  Charles  H   45 

Hawes,  Granville  P   207 

Heald,  Daniel  Addison   206 

Hendricks,  Francis   86 

Heinze,  Otto   112 

Heintz,  Louis  J   170 

Helmuth,  Wm.  Todd,  M.D   150 

Hess,  Charles  A   193 

Hicks,  James  M   170 

Hicks,  William  C   170 

Hildreth,  J.  Homer   82 

Hinsdale,  E.  B   149 

Hirsch,  David   151 

Hitchcock,  W.  G   110 

Hoe,  Robert   152 

Hogan,  Edward   31 

Holcomb,  Wright   153 

Holm,  Charies  F   118 

Holls,  Frederick  William   223 

Homans,  Shephard   207 

Hopper,  Isaac  A   232 

Hornblower,  William  Butler   m 

Horton,  J.  M   217 

Horton,  H.  L   240 

Houghton,  Henry  C,  M.D   240 

Howard,  Joseph  Jr   280 

Howell,  T.  P   100 

Hunt,  Oren  G.,  M.D   160 

Hunter,  Robert,  M.D   232 

Huntington,  Collis  P   38 

Hume,  William  H   173 

Ivison,  D.  B   263 

Jacobus,  John  W   218 

James,  Charles  F   201 

Janvrin,  Joseph  E.,  M.D   4 

Johnson,  Jere.,  Jr   218 

Jones,  Meredith  L   160 

Kearney,  James   166 

Keatinge,  Harriette  C,  M.D   238 

Keane,  Thaddeus  J.,  M.D   114 

Kendall,  Edward  H   10 

Kerwin,  Michael   66 

Ketchum,  Alexander  P   61 

Kimball,  Francis  H   43 

King,  Wm.  Harvey,  M.D   171 

Kip,  Isaac  L. ,  M.D   231 

Koch,  Joseph   272 

Krause,  Wm.  H.,  M.D   167 

Kunitzer,  Robert,  M.D   106 

Lc  Barbier,  Charles  E   240 

Le  Brun,  Napoleon   6 

Lachman,  Samson   153 

Laidlaw,  A.  H.,  M.D   92 

Laiidoii,  Francis  (i   243 

Laiigdon,  Woodbury   220 

Lardner,  William  J   14 

Lauritzen,  Peter  J   128 


PAGE 


Lauterbach,  Edward   129 

Lee,  Homer   105 

Leslie,  Mrs.  Frank   235 

Leventritt,  David   221  ^ 

Levy,  Ferdinand   1S3 

Levy,  Jefferson  M   226 

Leviseur,  Frederick  J.,  M.D   88 

Lewis,  Daniel,  M.D   230 

Libbey,  Laura  Jean   235 

Logan,  Walter  S   5 

Lounsberry,  P.  C   274 

Lynn,  Wauhope   32 

Lustgarten,  Sigmund,  M.D   71 

McAdam,  David   35 

McAdam,  Thomas   227 

McAlpin,  Edwin  A   93 

McAnerney,  John   199 

McCall,  John  A   14 

McCarthy,  J.  M   270 

^IcClave,  John   174 

McClellan,  Geo.  B   17 

McDowell,  Charles,  M.D   57 

McElfatrick,  John  B   36 

Mclntyre,  Thomas  A   189 

McLean,  Donald   151 

McKean,  John  Bell   192 

McKee,  Russell  W   186 

McKenna,  William  J   103 

McKim,  Charles  Follen   86 

McKoon,  D.  D   203 

Mackey,  Charles  W   96 

Macy,  Charies  S.,  M.D   256 

Maurer,  Henry   130 

Mann,  W.  D   267 

May,  Lewis   102 

Meade,  Clarence  W   33 

Melville,  Henry   40 

Merriam,  Arthur  Lewis   65 

Merritt,  Israel  J   213 

Milne,  Charles,  M.D   28 

Minton,  Maurice  M   256 

Mitchell,  Charles  Elliot   23 

Mitchell,  John  J   273 

Mills,  D.  0   158 

Morgan,  Alonzo  R.,  M.D   219 

Moore,  William  F   29 

Montague,  George   248 

Munn,  O.  D   162 

Munroe,  Norman  L   100 

Murray,  C.  H   262 

Murray,  Thomas  E   94 

Newman,  Henry   90 

Nissen,  Ludwig   46 

Noxon,  Mary  Woolsey,  M.  D   189 

O'Connor,  Joseph  T.,  M.D   109 

O'Connor,  N.  R   271 

O'Beirne,  James  R   73 

Ohmeis,  Joseph  M   106 

Olcott,  J.  Van  Vechten   16 

Olcott,  William  M.  K   88 

Otis,  Norton  P   20 

Ottendorfer,  Oswald   62 

Page,  George  Ham   181 

Page.  k.  C.  M.,  M.D   72 

Peckham,  William  (J   49 

Pitcher,  James  Robertson   107 

Piatt,  Thomas  C   4 

Platzek,  M.  Worley   256 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


3 


PAGE 


Porter,  Horace   197 

Porter,  Robert  P   277 

Post,  George  B   \i 

Potter,  William  A   55 

Price,  Bruce   167 

Pryibil,  Paul   124 

Quincy,  John  W   f;i 

Queen,  Lewis  Apgar,  M.D   157 

Ransom,  Rastus  Seneca   53 

Reichard,  Gustav   254 

Reid,  Whitelaw   276 

Ren  wick,  Edward  S   25 

Renwick,  James   7 

Ripley,  Chauncey  B   17 

Rhinelander,  Philip   133 

Rhinelander,  T.  J.  Oakley   37 

Rhinelander,  William   208 

Ringler,  Frederick  A   62 

Roberts,  Charles  Forrester,  M.D...  193 

Robinson,  Andrew  J   233 

Rochford,  Thomas  E   174 

Rogers,  Henry  A   215 

Rogers,  Walter  B   244 

Roosevelt,  Robert  B   197 

Rouss,  Charles  Broadway   178 

Rudolphy,  Jacob   loS 

Ruszits,  John   115 

Ryan,  John  J   60 

St.  John,  William  Pope   13 

Sackett,  Henry  Woodward   35 

Schampain,  C.  J   261 

Schley,  J.  M.,  M.D   26 

Schieren,  Charles  A   230 

Schmid,  August   40 

Schumann,  Charles  W   119 

Schwarz,  Anton   177 

See,  Horace   8 

Seaman,  Robert   88 

Senner,  J.  H   252 

Scott,  William  H.,  M.D   105 

Scribner,  John  M   86 

Shaffer,  Chauncey   227 

Shera,  J.  Fletcher   66 

Shepard,  Elliot  F   279 

Sheldon,  Edward  W   187 

Shields,  John  Archibald   261 

Simmons,  J.  Edward   10 

Smith,  Charles  Stewart   7 

Smith,  Frances  S   228 

Smith,  George  C   228 

Smith,  Gouverneur  M.,  M.D   104 

Smith,  J.  J   185 

Smith,  Jer.  T   106 

Smith,  John  Sabine   43 

Smith,  Solon  B   188 

Smith,  St.  Clair,  M.D   227 

Smith,  Ormond  G   228 

Smith,  William  Alexander   55 

Smith,  William  Bro   239 

Smith,  William  Wheeler   161 

Snook,  John  B   34 

Soulard,  A.  L   122 

Spencer,  James  C   22 

Stay  ton,  William  H   175 

Steckler,  Alfred   209 

Stokes,  Henry   159 

Stymus,  W.  P   13 

Stewart,  John  A   n8 


I'AGK 


Stewart,  Lispcnard   71 

Steinway,  William   78 

Sturgis,  Frank  K   127 

Strong,  William  L   128 

Sullivan,  T.  D   272 

Sully,  Alfred   252 

Sulzer,  William   220 

Sutro,  Theodore   260 

Taintor,  Charles  Newhall   26 

Tait,  J.  Selwin   267 

Tamsen,  Edward  T.  H   84 

Taylor,  Alfred   99 

Taylor,  W.  S   259 

Teft't,  William  E   209 

Thom,  Arthur  M   254 

Thompson,  John  H.,  M.D   91 

Thompson,  Lewis   249 

Tiemann,  George   217 

Tilford,  Frank   250 

Tilford,  J.  M   249 

Tingue,  E.  W   218 

Tingue,  John  H   218 

Tingue,  WilHam  J   218 

Townsend,  Irving,  M.D   208 

Townsend,  John  D   196 

Townsend,  John  P   80 

Trask,  Spencer   104 

Truax,  Charles  A   25 

Tucker,  John  J   89 

Twombly,  Horatio  N   222 

Van  Bokkelen,  Spencer  B.  C   209 

Van  Cott,  Cornelius   59 

Van  Norden,  Warner   98 

Van  Wyck,  Robert  A   24 

Voorhees,  Philip  R   225 

Vrooman,  John  W   97 

Wagner,  Albert   255 

Walker,  John  Brisben   257 

Ward,  Frederick  A   91 

Webb,  William  Henry   68 

Weber,  Edward   233 

Weber,  John   230 

Weber,  John  B   53 

Webster,  David,  M.D   60 

Webster,  George  P   231 

Weeks,  Henry  C   93 

Welch,  David   176 

Welde,  Charles   121 

Wells,  Brooks  H.,  M.D   222 

Wemple,  Christopher  Y   158 

Whalen,  John   237 

Wheeler,  Jerome  Byron   156 

White,  Andrew  J   34 

White,  Stephen  V   204 

Wicke,  George   214 

Wilcox,  Reynold  Webb,  M.D   33 

Wilcox,  Vincent  M   28 

Wild,  Joseph   45 

Wilson,  George   54 

Wilson,  James  W   254 

Wills,  Charles  T   82 

Williams,  George  G   247 

Willis,  Theodore  B   239 

Winchester,  Locke  W   58 

Windmiiller,  Louis   29 

Wise,  Otto  Irving   260 

Wood,  William   12 

Worman  James  H   274 


PAGE 


Zabriskie,  Nelson   229 

Zucker,  Alfred   87 

PUBLICATIONS. 

American  Brewer   177 

American  Medico-Surgical  Bulletin,  213 

Cosmopolitan  Magazine   248 

Family  Story  Paper   100 

Frank    Leslie's    Popular  Monthly 

Magazine   235 

Illustrated  American   256 

North  American  Journal  of  Homcr- 

opathy   209 

New  York  Bazaar   235 

New  York  Medical  Times   216 

New  York  Tablet   66 

New  York  Weekly   228 

Railway  and  Corporation  Law  Jour- 
nal  208 

The  Sartorial  Art  Journal   273 

The  Mail  &  Express   279 

The  Scientific  American   162 

The  Staats-Zeitung   52 

The  Tobacco  Leaf   193 

Town  Topics   267 

Turf,  Field  &  Farm   173 

ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Astor  House   135 

Astor  Library   139 

Madison  Square   143 

Seventh  Regiment  Armory   241 

Union  Square   141 

PORTRAITS. 

Alexander,  Robert  C   24 

Allen,  T.  F.,  M.D   161 

Amundson,  John  A   204 

Anderson,  E.  Ellery   116 

Andrews,  Constant  A   30 

Appleton,  Daniel   242 

Astor,  John  Jacob  (The  Elder)   134 

Astor,  J.  J   138 

Astor,  John  Jacob  (Of  To-Day)   144 

Astor,  John  Jacob,  Jr   146 

Astor,  William   142 

Astor,  William  B    136 

Astor,  William  Waldorf   140 

Baldwin,  Jared  Grover,  M.D   130 

Baldwin,  Homer  R   245 

Banks,  David   202 

Barron,  John  C,  M.D   5a 

Barron,  James  S   131 

Beach,  Charles  F.,  Jr   208 

Beach,  Miles   4 

Bedford,  Gunning  S   238 

Belding,  M.  M   155 

Benjamin,  George  H   160 

Bissinger,  Philip   178 

Bixby,  Samuel  M   182 

Blanchard,  James  A   42 

Blaut,  Joseph  F    73 

Bliss,  Cornelius  N   54 

Bloomingdale,  Joseph  Benjamin. .  . .  191 

Bloomingdale,  Lyman  G   191 

Bloss,  J.  O.,  Part  HI   50 

Bonnell,  J.  Harper   184 

Bookstaver,  Henry  W   171 


4 


NEW   YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


I'AGE 

Bramwell,  George  W   67 

Brodsky,  John  E   182 

Brown,  Martin  B   44 

Brown,  S.  A   4S 

Brookfield,  William   149 

Buckingham,  Charles  L   10 

Bulkley,  L.  Duncan,  M.D   39 

Burke,  William  H   219 

Bunzl,  Julius   117 

Bruce,  John  M   186 

Bruce,  Sanders  D   172 

Campbell,  T.  C   270 

Campbell,  William   192 

Cannon,  Henry  White   iS 

Cantor,  Jacob  A   iii 

Carter,  James  C   278 

Case,  Joseph  S   249 

Choate,  Joseph  H   278 

Clark,  Byron  G.,  M.D   165 

Clark,  Emmons   242 

Clews,  Henry    132 

Coe,  George  S   245 

Colby,  Charles  L   75 

Constant,  Samuel  Victor   109 

Cook,  John  C   186 

Cox,  Charles  Finney   200 

Crouch,  George   164 

Crouse,  Henry  W   97 

Cruikshank,  E.  A   70 

Curtis,  George  M   58 

Cutter,  Ephraim,  M.D   152 

De  La  Mare,  James  C   233 

De  La  Vergne,  John  Chester   56 

De  Peyster,  Frederick  J   85 

De  Witt,  George  G   32 

Davol,  John   168 

Dayton,  Charles  W   27 

Darragh,  Robert  L   loi 

Depew,  Chauncey  M   195 

Dittenhoefer,  A.  J   212 

Dorman,  O.  P   126 

Dodge,  Philip  T   258 

Duffy,  Patrick  G   74 

Dudley,  Sumner  F   205 

Eaton,  Dorman  B   3 

Eaton,  Sherburne  Blake   154 

Ernst,  Max   190 

Evans,  Thomas  H   280 

Evarts,  W.  M   276 

Fairchild,  Samuel  W   223 

Farmer,  W.  W   266 

Farquhar,  Percival   167 

Fay,  S.  W   253 

Fisher,  John  T   243 

Fisk,  Harvey   64 

Fitzgerald,  Frank  T   36 

Flagg,  John  H   123 

Flannigan,  W.  W   265 

Foot,  James  D   166 

Foster,  William  F   210 

Fox,  John,  Ir   244 

Fowler,  Edward  P.,  M.D   128 

Friend,  Emanuel  M   163 

Frost,  Calvin   60 

Garrison,  William  D   83 

Gilmore,  Patrick  S  77 

(loebel,  Le\Vis  S   257 

■Ciorman,  John  J   114 


PAGE 

Gedney,  Frederick  G   216 

Griffin,  Eugene   169 

Grosjean,  Florian   157 

Gross,  Michael  C   211 

Gwynne,  David  Eli   275 

Gwynne,  Abram  Evans   275 

Guggenheimer,  Randolph    89 

Hall,  Alvah   188 

Hamilton,  Alexander.  . '.   50 

Hamersly,  Jas.  Hooker   148 

Hamersly,  John  W   147 

Harper,  Edward  B   19 

Harper,  O.  M   .  .  262 

Heald,  Daniel  Addison   206 

Heinze,  Otto   113 

Hess,  Charles  A   193 

Hicks,  James  M   170 

Hicks,  William  C   170 

Hitchcock,  W.  G   no 

Hirsch,  David   151 

Hinsdale,  E.  B   150 

Hildreth,  J.  Homer   82 

Hoe,  Robert   152 

Hogan,  "Edward   31 

Holcomb,  Wright   153 

Holm.  Charles  F   118 

Homans,  Sheppard   207 

Hopper,  Isaac  A   233 

Howard,  Joseph  Jr   280 

Howell,  T.  P   100 

Hume,  William  H   173 

Huntington,  Collis  P   38 

Ivison,  D.  B   263 

James,  Charles  F   201 

Kearney,  James   166 

Ketchum,  Alexander  P   61 

Kip,  Isaac  L.,  M.D   231 

Kent,  James  (Chancellor)   2 

Koch,  Joseph   272 

Le  Barbier,  Charles  E   240 

Laidlaw,  A.  H.,  M.D   92 

Langdon,  Woodberry   220 

Lardner,  William  J  .  14 

Lauterbach,  Edward   129 

Lee.  Homer   105 

Leslie,  Mrs.  Frank   234 

Lcvcntritt,  David   221 

Levy,  Ferdinand   183 

Levy,  Jefferson  M    226 

Libbey,  Laura  Jean   236 

Logan,  Walter  S   6 

Lounsberry,  P.  C   274 

McAdam,  Thomas   227 

McAlpin,  Edwin  A   93 

McAnerney,  John   199 

McCall,  John  A   15 

McCarthy,  John  Henry   270 

Mclntyre,  Thomas  A   189 

McKee,  Russell  W   187 

McKenna,  William  J   103 

McKoon,  D.  D   203 

Mackey,  Charles  W   96 

Mann,  W.  D   267 

Maurer,  Henry   ...  130 

May,  Lewis     102 

Meade,  Clarence  W   33 

Melville,  Henry   40 

Merriam,  Arthur  Lewis   65 


PAGE 

Merritt,  Israel  J   213 

Minton,  Maurice  M   256 

Mitchell,  Charles  Elliot   23 

Mitchell,  John  J   273  » 

Montague,  George   248 

Munn,  O.  D   162 

Munroe,  Norman  L   100 

Murray,  Charles  H   263 

Newman,  Henry   go 

Nissen,  Ludwig    47 

O'Connor,  N.  R   271 

Ohmeis,  Joseph  M   107 

Olcott,  J.  Van  Vechten   16 

Otis,  E.  G   21 

Ottendorfer,  Oswald   62 

Page,  George  Ham   181 

Page,  R.  C.  M.,  M.D   72 

Parker,  Willard,  M.D   95 

Peckham,  William  G   49 

Pitcher,  James  Robertson   . .  108 

Piatt,  Thomas  C   5 

Platzek,  M.  Worlej'  r..  257 

Porter.  Horace   198 

Porter,  Robert  P   277  ■ 

Pryibil,  Paul   125 

Quincey,  John  W   51 

Ransom,  Rastus  S   53 

Reid,  Whitelaw  277 

Renwick,  Edward  S   25 

Renwick,  James   8 

Rhinelander,  Philip     133 

Rhinelander,  T.  J.  Oaklej   37 

Ringler,  Frederick  A   63 

Ripley,  Chauncey  B. .  . .    17 

Rochfort,  Thomas  E   174 

Rogers,  Henry  A   215 

Rogers,  Walter  B   244 

Roosevelt,  Robert  B   197 

Rouss,  Charles  Broadway   179 

Ruszits,  John   115 

St.  John,  William  Pope   13 

Sackett,  Henry  Woodward   35 

Schampain,  C.  J   261 

Schley,  J.  M.,  M.D   20 

Schieren,  Charles  A   230 

Schmid,  August   41 

Schumann,  Charles  W   120 

Schwarz,  Anton   177 

Scribner,  John  M   86 

Seaman,  Robert   88 

SulHvan,  T.  D   272 

See,  Horace   g 

Shayne,  C.  C   268 

Sheldon,  Edward  W   187 

Shepard,  Elliot  F   279 

Shera,  J.  Fletcher   66 

Simmons,  J.  Edward   11 

Smith,  Charles  Stewart   7 

Smith,  Gouverueur  M.,  M.D   104 

Smith,  J.  J   1S5 

Smith,  John  Sabine   43 

Smith,  Jer.  T   106 

Smith,  Ormond  G   226 

Smith.  William  Alexander   55 

Smith,  William  Bro   23g 

Snook,  John  B   34 

Soulard,  A.  L   122 

Spencer,  James  C   22 


NEW  YORK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


5 


PACK 

Stayton,  William  H   175 

Steinway,  William   7g 

Stewart,  John  A   iig 

Stewart,  Lispenai'd   71 

Stokes,  Henry   159 

Sturgis,  Frank  K   127 

Sully,  Alfred   252 

Sulzer,  William   224 

Sutro,  Theodore   260 

Tamsen,  Edward  T.  H   84 

Taylor,  Alfred   99 

Taylor,  W.  S   259 

Thom,  Arthur  M   254 

Thompson,  Lewis  ■   249 

Tiemann,  George   217 

Tilford,  Frank   251 

Tilford,  J.  M,  .    250 

Tingue,  John  H   218 

Townsend,  John  P   81 

Twombley,  Horatio  N   222 

Van  Bokkelen,  Spencer  D.  C   209 

Van  Cott,  Cornelius   59 

Vanderbilt,  Cornelius   194 

Voorhees,  Philip  R   225 

Vrooman,  John  W   98 

Walker,  John  Brisben   247 

Wagner,  Albert   255 

Ward,  Frederick  A   91 

Welch,  David   176 

Welde,  Charles   121 

Wemple,  Christopher  Yates   158 

Webb,  W.  H   69 

Whalen,  John   237 

Wheeler,  Jerome  Byron   156 

White,  Stephen  V   204 

Wicke,  George   214 

Wilcox,  Vincent  M   28 

Wild,  Joseph   45 

Williams,  G.  G   246 

Wilson,  George   54 

Wilson,  James  W   254 

Windmiiller,  Louis   29 

Wise,  Otto  Irving   260 

Wood,  William   12 

Wormna,  James  H   274 

Zabriskie,  Nelson   229 

Zucker,  Alfred   87 


PART  111. 

BUSINESS  INTERESTS. 

PAGE. 

American  Safe  Deposit  Co   6 

Anchor  Line  of  Steamships   23 

Ansonia  Brass  &  Copper  Company. . .  12 

Atlas  Line  of  Steamships   43 

Boericke  &  Tafel   40 

Bloomingdale  Brothers   29 

Bloss,  James  0   50 

Cockerill,  John  A   60 

Collins  &  Co   17 

Campbell,  William,  &  Co   21 

Dawson  &  Archer   22 

Dexter,  Lambert  &  Co   28 

Dolge,  Alfred   25 

Drexel,  Morgan  &  Co   8 

Duparquet,  Huot  &  Moneuse   35 


PAGE 


Eagle  Pencil  Company   19 

Fairchild  Brothers  iK:  Foster   30 

Hall,  Alvah,  &  Co   35 

Hart  Bros.,  Tibbetts  &  Co  17 

Hendricks  Brothers   31 

Hoe's,  James  C,  vSons   43 

Hoe,  R.,  &  Co   55 

Horn,  "Charles   15 

Hotel,  The  New  Netherland   52 

Hotel  Savoy   49 

Hotel  Waldorf   52 

Jackel,  Hugo   38 

Keller,  John  W   60 

Kroeber,  F.,  Co   38 

Lamb  &  Rich   25 

Lee,  William  H   32 

Merck  &  Co   36 

Maurer,  Henry,  &  Son   26 

Oelbermann,  Domnierich  &  Co   19 

Pelgran:!  &  Meyer   33 

Sweetser,  Pembrook  &  Co   30 

The  Anglo-Swiss    Condensed  Milk 

Company   40 

The  Bank   of  New  York  National 

Banking  Association   51 

The  Bank  for  Savings   51 

The  Chemical  National  Bank   3 

The  Central  National  Bank   7 

The  Central  Trust  Company   51 

The  Century  Company   42 

The  Fair  &  Square  Ribbon  Mill   13 

(Joseph  Loth  Co.) 

The  Gallatin  National  Bank   53 

The  General  Electric  Company   15 

The  Knickerbocker  Trust  Company. .  51 
The  Lalance  &  Grosjean  Manufactur- 
ing Company   28 

The  Lincoln  National  Bank   54 

The  Manhattan  Savings  Institution .  .  8 
The  Manhattan  Trust  Company. ...  53 

The  Mercantile  National  Bank   55 

The  Metropolitan  Telephone  &  Tele- 
graph Company   11 

The  Merchants'  Exchange  National 

Bank   53 

The  Mills  Building   10 

The   Mount  Morris   Electric  Light 

Company   13 

The  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company 

of  New  York   15 

The    Mutual    Reserve    Fund  Life 

Association   23 

The  National  Bank  of  the  Republic,  55 
The    National  Park  Bank  of  New 

York   3 

The  New  York  Cotton  Exchange. ...  50 
The  New  York  Life  Insurance  Com- 
pany  21 

The  New  York  Recorder   58 

The  Press  Club   57 

The  Ringler  Brewery   27 

The  Second  National  Bank   4 

The  Seventh  National  Bank    7 

The  Third  National  Bank   53 

The  William  Strange  Company   29 

Travers  Brothers   30 

Trenholm,  William,  Teele  &  Co.  .  .  22 
Tostevin's,  Peter,  Sons   43 


PACJE 


Turner,  George  W   59 

United  Silk  Manufacturing  Co   43 

United  States  Trust  Company   10 

Union  Dime  Savings  Institution   7 

EDUCATIONAL  AND  MEDICAL. 

Columbian  Institute   48 

Eclectic  Medical  College   ^7 

New  York  Medical  College  and  Hos- 
pital for  Women   46 

The  Berkley  School   46 

The  New  York  Homoeopathic  Med- 
ical College  and  Hospital   44 

Van  Norman  Institute  46 

ILLUSTRATIONS. 
American  Safe  Deposit  Company's 

Building   6 

Anglo-Swiss  Condensed   Milk  Com- 
pany's Factory,  Middletown,  N.  Y. ,  41 
Anglo-Swiss  Condensed  Milk  Com- 
pany's Factory,  Dixon,  111   41 

Ansonia  Brass  &  Copper  Company's 

Works   12 

Asch  &  Jaeckel's  Fur  Establishment,  39 

Bloomingdale  Brothers'  Building   29 

Bloss,  James  0   50 

Campbell,  William,  &  Company's  Fac- 
tory  22 

Century  Company's  Business  Office,  42 
Collins  &  Company's  Works,  Collins- 

ville,  Conn.,  1826.    17 

Collins  &  Company's  Works,  Collins- 

ville,  Conn.,  1893   17 

Columbia  Institute   48 

Commerce    2 

Dolgeville,  N.  Y. ,  View  of   24 

Dolge,  Alfred,  Felt  Mills  and  Sound- 
ing Board  Factory,  Dolgeville,  N.  Y.  24 
Drexel,  Morgan  &  Co.'s  Building.  ...  9 

Duparquet,  L.  F   34 

Eagle  Pencil  Company's  Works.. ...  18 
Hendricks  Brothers'  Belleville  Copper 

Mills   32 

Hotel  The  New  Netherland   52 

Hotel  Savoy   49 

Hotel  Waldorf   53 

Huot,  Pierre   34 

Keller,  John  W   60 

Manhattan  Savings  Institution   8 

Manufacturing   37 

Maurer,  Henry,  &Son,  Brick  Works..  26 
Merck  &  Company's  Building,  World's 

Fair,  Chicago   36 

Merck    &    Company's  Laboratories 

and  Works   36 

Moneuse,  Elie   34 

Moneuse,  E.  J   34 

The  Berkley  School   47 

The  Chemical  National  Bank   3 

The    General     Electric  Company's 

Head  Office,  New  York   16 

The    General     Electric  Company, 

Schenectady,  N.  Y   16 

The  General  Electric  Company,  Lynn, 

Mass   16 

The  General  Electric  Company,  Har- 
rison, N.  J   16 


6 


NEIV   YOBK,  THE  METROPOLIS. 


I'AGr. 

Thf  Hoe  Printing;  Machines   56,  57 

The  Lalance  &  Grosjcan  Manufactur- 

inji  Company's  Factories   28 

The  Lincoln  National  Bank,  Office  of 

President  and  Vice-President   54 

The  Metropolitan  Telephone  &  Tele- 

ffraph  Company  Switch  Board   11 

The  Mills  Building   10 

The   Mount   Morris   Electric  Light 

Company's  Works   13 

The  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company 

of  New  '\'ork.  Buildings   14 

The  Mutual  Reserve  Fund  Life  As- 
sociation, Buildings   23 

The  New  York  Homtcopathic  Medi- 
cal College  and  Hospital    45 

The  New  \oxV  Life  Insurance  Com- 
pany's Buildings   20 

The  National  Park  Bank,  of  New  York  4 
The  New  York  Recorder  Building.  . .  58 

The  Ringler  Brewery   27 

The  Sec(jnd  National  Bank,  Interior 

View   5 

Turner,  G.    59 

Travers  Brothers'  Factory   31 

Union  Dime  Savings  Institution   7 

REFERENCE  INDEX. 

American  Axe  &  Tool  Company. ...  g7 

Ames  Iron  Works   65 

Ames  &  Shera   66 

American  Book  Company   263 

Addison  &  Mann   116 

Anthony,  E.  &  H.  T   28 

Appleton,  D.,  &  Co   242 

Aspen    Mining  &   Smelting  Com- 
pany  157 

Baker,  Smith  &  Co   185 

Banks  &  Brothers   202 

Barron,  James,  &  Co   131 

Barnes,  A.  S.,  &  Co   266 

Bixby,  S.  M.,  &  Co  , . . .  182 

Blanchard,  Gay  &  Phelps   42 

Belding  Bn)thers  &  Co. ,   155 

Belmont,  August,  &  Co   203 

Bliss,  Fabyan  &  Co   51 

Bloomingdale  Brothers   172 

Blo.ss,  J.  ().,  &  Co   50 

Benedict,  Torrey  &  Twombly   222 

Brooklyn  Brass  &  Copper  Co   169 

Bruce  &  Cook  ;   186 

Bush  wick  Glass  Works   149 


I'.AGE 

Bunzl,  J.,  &  Sons   116 

Cantor,  Linson  &  Van  Shaick   11 1 

Carrere  &  Hastings   123 

Chamber  of  Commerce   7 

Clews,  Henry,  Co   133 

Conover,  W.  A.  &  F.  E   1O5 

Cornell,  J.  B.  &  J.  M   164 

Crouch  &  Fitzgerald   164 

Davol,  John,  &  Son's   169 

De  La  Vergne  Refrigerator  Machine 

Co   57 

Dimond,  G.  &  T   121 

Eaton  &  Lewis   154 

Fairchild  Bros.  &  Foster   223 

Earner,  A.  D.,  &  Co   266 

Farquhar,  A.  B.,  &  Co   167 

Fisk,  Harvey,  &  Sons   63 

Freeman,  W.  B.,  &  Co   245 

Friend  &  House   163 

Foster,  Paul,  &  Co   210 

German -American  Real  Estate  Title 

&  Trust  Co   122 

Gilbert  Manufacturing  Company ..  .  126 

Grand  Union  Hotel   84 

Harrison,  W.  S.,  &  Co   20 

Heinze,  Loewy  &  Co   112 

Hess,  Townsend  &  McClelland  143 

Hirsch,  D.,  &  Co   151 

Hitchcock,  W.  G..  &  Co   113 

Hoadly,  Lauterback  &  Johnson   129 

Holland  Society  of  the  City  of  New 

York   197 

Home  Insurance  Company   206 

Hopper,  IsaacA.,&Co   232 

Hornblower,  Byrne  &•  Taylor   in 

Horton,  H.  L.,  &  Co   240 

Howell,  T.  P.,  &  Co   100 

Hyland  &  Zabriskie   229 

Joy,  Landon  &  Co   220 

Kearney  &  Foot   166 

Knickerbocker  Trust  Co   80 

Lardner  &  McAdam   14 

Logan,  Clark  &  Demond   6 

McAlpin,  D.  H.,  &  Co   93 

McElfatrick,  J.  B.,  &  Sons   36 

Mclntyre  &  Wardwell.   180 

McKim,  Meade  tV:  White   86 

McKoon  &  Luckey   203 

Mackey,  Forbes  &  Hewes   97 

May  &•  King   102 

Mergen thaler  Linotype  Co   258 

Merritt  Wrecking  Organization   213 


PAGE 

Mutual  Reserve  Fund  Life  Associ- 
ation   iq 

Munn  &  Co   162 

New  York  Stock  Exchange   12^ 

Newman,  Henry,  &  Co   go 

Nissen,  Ludwig,  &  Co   ^6 

Otis  Brothers  &  Co   20 

Olcott  &  Olcott   16 

Palatine  Fire  Insurance  Company . .  12 

Park  &  Tilford   257 

Pottier,  Styraus  &  Co   13 

Quincy,  John  W.,  &  Co.   57 

Ringler,  F.  A.,  &  Co   63 

Rochfort  &  Stay  ton   174 

Rogers,  H.  A.,  &  Co   215 

Sackett  &  Bennett   36 

Schieren,  Charles  A.,  &  Co   230 

Schumacher  &  Ettlinger   23 

Seaman,  Robert,  &  Co   88 

Shepard  &  Dudley   204 

Southern  National  Bank   264 

Standard  Pearl  Button  Company.  . .  97 

Stein  way  &  Sons   So 

Sterling  Steel  Co   97 

Strong,  W.  L.,  &  Co   128 

Tait,  J.  Selwin,  &  Sons   267 

Taylor  &  Bloodgood   259 

The  Bank  of  North  America   gS 

The  Chase  National  Bank   18 

The  Fourth  National  Bank   11 

The  Gilbert  Manufacturing  Co   126 

The  Homer  Lee  Bank  Note  Com- 
pany  105 

The  Mercantile  National  Bank   13 

The  Provident  Savings  Life  Assur- 
ance Society   207 

The  United  States  Mutual  Aci.ident 

Association   108 

Thom  &  Wilson   254 

Tiemann,  George,  &  Co   217 

Trask,  Spencer  &  Co   104 

United  States  Savings  Bank   31 

Vesuvius  and  its  Builders   g 

Webb's   Academy   and   Home  for 

Shipbuilders   70 

Weber,  J.  &  L   233 

Welch  &  Daniels   176 

Wendell,  Fay  &  Co   253 

White,  S.  v.,  &  Co   204 

Wicke,  Wni.,  &  Co   214 

Work,  Strong  &  Co   127 


V 


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If 


